Repat

Thank you! A tremendous help - I am in an on line program with students in every state and a few different countries (including Egypt), so their advising about requirements is not too helpful. Yours has been great -

So, what is the difference between the two certification bodies?

OK, everyone, worked my first shift with her. Did my work, helped when asked, kept my nose out of everything else. It was very difficult, but I have decided that I am now in the perfect mind set to go agency - show up, do my job, leave. So, I will be calling agencies next week.

You are right, she did not make the decision to hire her - that is why I am leaving the department! Because I can no longer work for that manager. However, this person made the decision to apply for the job (a job that she refused to do when there wasn't any recognition). That's why I will have a very hard time working with her.

Well, I haven't been visiting here in a long while, but I sure could use some advice right about now. For the last year or so I have been acting as charge nurse on the unit where I work. Last month the manager asked if we should make it a permanent situation. I agreed because I often had problems with authority and communication because of my casual status. She then said she would have to post it in order to follow policy. Well, a nurse applied who, when I asked her previously throughout the year to take charge so I could have a break, always said "No, me and charge don't get along" (that was one of my problems, no one else would do it). Guess what - she got the job (this was after she was moved to our unit without posting the position she was given). Now, I know that she has been friends with the manager for a long time, and her brother is a physician at the hospital, but to say the least I have been devastated by the decision. Now, a big part of me says it's my own fault for being so stupid. The advice I am looking for is that I have to work this weekend with this person (I did put in a bunch of transfer requests the day after I heard about the decision). This will be the first day I have to work with her. Do I want to get there early, so I am first on the unit? How do I approach her? How do I keep my cool? She has always acted friendly, and our weekend crowd was, I thought, a good team. I dread going in on Saturday. Help!!

A little thanks for us WOWs?! No "regulars" work weekends where I am, because we WOWs work them. Now, though, people don't complain about having to work weekends, they complain about the WOWs getting a differential for working every weekend. Just can't please all the people all the time!

I have been told the same thing - we do not close while there are open beds. And, with a new manager, we now are not allowed to divert - all ER visits must be allowed, regardless of staffing. And, I cannot find anywhere a law, ruling, or guide that states that this is not allowed. However, we are required to report unsafe practices by the BON yet I am sure the BON won't stand up for any of us who lose our jobs because we spoke up...

Hey, everyone!! I want to know, too, because this is what I have decided to buy for myself for Christmas!

Thanks, Hillary! Although my post was a month ago, it still isn't sorted out. Every other state has gotten their act together except DC. I finally called the commissioner's office and spoke to a live person, and found out that I needed to send $26, which I did, but still nothing. I wish there were somewhere we could complain!

You lucky devils - you have hoyers???

Absolutely get to the ENT!!! I have suffered almost all my life - couldn't fly if there was even a hint of an infection, couldn't hear or speak on the telephone, etc., etc. Finally went to an ENT, had surgery (3 times), and I haven't had an infection since (about 6 years now). I had polyps, which were removed, and I have been taking Singulair, which is reported to prevent the formation of polyps, since. I cannot believe how much better I feel - it affects your whole system. You need to do something soon. Also, after surgery I used the washes, too, which helped, but I don't need to any more!!!

Got to say it - go Kerry!!!!

The new sign in our break room: "There is no such thing as a difficult patient, only a patient with difficulties." Just about says it all, I think...

Been an RN for 20 years, and I am back in school to get OUT of the hospital. Corporate mind set does not belong in health care. We have a new "customer service recovery initiative" that involves teaching us nurses to apologize, admit we are wrong, and hand out McDonald's gift certificates. I wonder why hospitals don't just hire WalMart greeters and be done with the pretense that they are institutions of clinical competence. It makes me so angry. I was out of the country for 15 years, and the pay I was offered when I returned was less than I was making as a new graduate. I am trying to educate my family and others to be nurse advocates while they are patients. Nothing will change until the public stands up and says they want to be cared for by people who know what they are doing, not by people concerned with "customer service".

My original licensure is DC. I have a current RN license there. Yet, throughout my career (since 1985) I have had nothing but trouble trying to contact the Board of Nursing. When I lived overseas, I finally gave up - but they always managed to find me when it comes time to pay! Now, I need an IN license, and I have been trying for a month to get a reply from them - I have telephoned (no one answers - you get voice mails that are full), written via USPS, e-mailed, I have even "contacted the director". This is getting extremely annoying. I am licensed in MA, KY, and CO and I NEVER have these problems with those boards. What is with DC???? Does anyone have any ideas, short of going there in person (a two day drive), of how to get them to reply? They are hindering my job application process big time.... :angryfire

I am impressed with your facility! We have had some very heavy patient loads lately (no pun intended!) - completely dependent people weighing over 300 pounds Anyway, after three or four call ins for back injuries, they placed a "mandatory" video on the unit, showing five people lifting a very thin man who was partially able to help. So, now they have "educated" us about back safety, but it sure hasn't solved the problem of having a 400 pound patient with multiplte wounds all to yourself because the CNA has called in with a sore back, and everyone else has at least one other patient exactly like yours.

Thank you! I don't even know where to begin, and your ideas are great. I will do some research.

Hello, all my favorite experts!! I have been a nurse for a very long time (longer than I care to admit). I have always worked in hospitals. I have an interview at a local LTC this week. What kinds of questions do I need to ask? What should I look for when I am touring the facility? This facility just got an A+ rating from a local magazine that runs a column every month rating local LTCs, so I am hopeful. What kinds of duties will be expected of me (I am an RN)? As always, I really appreciate your help!! :)

I have to work Halloween, Christmas, and New Year. Now, I work the weekend program, and I knew this year was coming up (and next year will be worse), and I prepared my family for it - you know "It's a 24-hour job, and this year is my turn", etc, etc. BUT - just this week I get a letter saying all weekenders are expected to work all the holidays and, by the way, you won't be paid holiday pay. To my mind, we get the weekend premium for working every weekend, and to take away a benefit that everyone else enjoys is totally unfair. How would night shift like to have their holiday pay taken away because they already get premium pay? They have finally totally discouraged me. I have been fighting the negatives for a long time now, but now I know it is time to get out when they nickle and dime you to death. Just last month there was an newspaper article about how well our company is doing financially - now we certainly know why!

My friend has one I love: "Who are these kids, and why are they calling me Mom?"

The med/surg tele unit where I used to work had symptomatic pts w/cardizem, and a 6:1 ratio:(!! We also took heparin and insulin drips.

The same thing happened to me when I worked in Denver many years ago. We had a blizzard - I couldn't see the roof of my car. Work called and said that a policeman in a 4-wheel drive would come to get me (essential personnel - too bad they don't pay us that way!). So, I bundled up in all the clothes I owned, brought my toothbrush "just in case", packed my work clothes in a waterproof bag, and slogged out to the main road through 4 feet of snow. Needless to say, by the time I found the road I was exhausted. Waited 1 hour 45 minutes, no one ever showed. Got back, called work, they said "he couldn't get to you the roads are too bad." I was written up for an unexcused absence, and docked my pay for the day.

I agree, a very mean thing to say. Don't you just wish you could think of come backs right there and then? Like "good thing we have a j***a** at the helm!". Might even take the pt's. mind off their chest pain.

Well, I am the instructor, too! And, I have to be there the day before to make out the assignments, get there early to make sure all is ready, stay until the last student leaves, then mark care plans and presentations. Then, the next day I go to work - 0645-1915. So, as someone else said, get used to it! If you don't see 0600 on the way in, you certainly will see it on the way out!

I am in the Saint Louis University Adult NP program, and I love it. We have lectures and videos on line, seminars where we discuss the week's content, and various written assignments. We also take all exams on line and we have to arrange our own clinical experiences. When I looked for a program, I looked for (obviously) the program I was interested in, but also the length of time the school had offered on line learning (I hoped that most of the bugs would be worked out of the program if it had been in existence for a while!). There are all sorts of programs out there - I avoided ones whose sponsoring institution I had never heard of. Some I looked at were Vanderbilt University, Seton Hall, and Saint Louis University.