ursulanursula

hahaha lmao:chuckle

I work both d's & n's. I am a bad sleeper at best, so I should like d's but i prefer nights. 1- less bs/mangement/other disciplines critiquing you. 2- i am a natural night hawk. 3- you don't have the rush on to have people washed before coffee break. 4- it is generally more laid back (can have hell shifts) ...but usually a slower pace. 5- more $$$ (not much $2.00 / h...but better than nothing)

1st job: 10 months (General medical) 2nd job: 10 months (Community addictions) 3rd job: 22 months (Geri-Psych) 4th job: 1 month- ish (Rural Hosp--med/surg type pts) I will have been out for 4 years in May 2007.

If you'd like to respond, I would like to know: - Age?-- 31 - Experience (# yrs as an RN)-- 3.25 - City / State-- Eastern Canada - Salary (prefer hourly wage as full time equivalent) (ie, $32/hr) $27.14/h + $3.00/nights, $3.00/weekends - Benefits: just need, Full, Partial, None (for type of benefits) Full - Specialty (if you are working in a specialty area that might affect pay) - No -Shift / Pool: put shift # if you only work a specific shift, if rotation then put Pool --Rotating shifts (12 hour days & nights) - Staff / Agency; put if you are a full-time staff or agency nurse. Full time.

i'm a nurse with a bit of a wild streak (everyone is mentioning tattoos, i have several), i've done a bit of travelling, had some crazy times. my man is a "preppy banker." we both never imagined ourselves with someone like each other, but it works. i guess the important things are there though...chemistry, desire for kids.

If I were to leave nursing right now (which I am not ready to do because I still have "hope" for finding my niche), it would mainly be because of #3. It wouldn't be because of the front line nurses, they are great. It would be because of lack of support & respect from management. I work in Eastern Canada & the basic attitude I have encountered with management is "you are here for us to use, to fill shifts. we don't care about you & will lie to you every chance we have. but you should feel grateful to work for us" No thanks...I'm relocating.

Hey Brooke. You are doing great, hang in there & you will start to feel more confident & competent the more shifts you get under your belt. It has really helped me to read about your experiences. I am starting a new job in a couple of weeks & although I have been an RN for 3 years, the job is in a new area & I am nervous that I won't be "ready to be on my own" after my 6 orientation shifts. I think "deep breaths and telling myself I can do it" will save me.

Hi Thunderwolf. I just noticed this forum today and was very pleased. I am starting a new job next month and many of my patients will be Native Canadian, Metis in particular. I really hope to gain some understanding by reading posts on this forum. Thanx, Ursula

Hi fellow Canadians I am from PEI, Moving to the NWT next month.

definitely go with your gut! if you don't feel like med-surg is for you, don't do it. each area has it's own skill set & if you know which areas appeal to you, make a list of pros & cons with both areas, pick which one you think is the best fit for you ...and go for it!!!

I am so glad I found this thread. Lately I have been feeling like the only person in nursing who is unhappy & constantly doubting their career choice. I have been out three years & worked in 3 different jobs. I am 31 & I feel like it is too late to do anything else, especially when I look at the debts my fiance & I have that need to be paid off. I am about to start a new job where I will essentially be like a brand new grad. I wish I could turn back time & not do nursing.

This may be a bit long, but I have no one to talk to and if I don't say how I am feeling, what's going on... I am going to need psychiatric care. So I graduated in 2003, with my BScN. I had done my fourth year preceptorship on a general surgery floor. I interviewed for a job at the same hospital & during the interview the DON verbally guaranteed me a position on the surgery floor. When it came time for my job offer, she said that she was making me a med-surg float, who would be doing primarily medical. I mentioned how she had guaranteed me surgery floor, and she told me I "needed to step out of my comfort zone" and if I "didn't aceept med-surg float, I could do hospital float but they would staff me primarily on medical floor." I was fresh out of school. Not very assertive, so I accepted the job. I was on medical floor all the time, had a lenghty orientation (I'll give them that) and proceded to work there for 10 months. The reason I decided to leave was because it was quite physical & I had an injury from 3rd year nursing school (roatator cuff tendonitis) that meds, physio, cortisone shots, etc...couldn't seem to touch. I had gone to the DON to see if any opportunities existed in Peds, or elsewhere in the hospital for me, and she said " I don't know what jobs we have. I am not going to find out for you. If you don't like medical floor, feel free to seek employment elsewhere." Just in case anybody is wondering, I am a competent nurse, who has always recived positive comments from supervisors & cow-workers. Anyway, I accepted a maternity leave in Community Addictions (took a leave of absense form my medical postion). This job was good (easy on the head & the body), the only drawback was a supervisor that was truly psychotic (no one can stand working for her & eventually quits, except these 2 nurses who have been there forever & have learned to just do their thing). My whole goal at Addictions was to find a job that was "non-physical" or "less physical" to try & really heal my shoulder. 10 months into the position, I apllied for a job at a Psych Hospital in Geriatirc Psychiatry. In my job interview, they told me that the RN's team led, did assessments, family conferneces, rounds with doctors, etc...I specifically asked if the did any physical work & was told "no." I went so far as to say "If you were to offer me a position & there is any physical work involved, please don't offer it to me because I am injured & I can't do it." I am sure you can imagine where this is going. I get on the unit & surprise, RN's team lead 1/2 the time, the other 1/2 the time, thay have a patient load & do patient care (many bed patients, lots of physical work). I went to my patient care coordinator & she said "oh no dear, there is lots of physical work on this unit, I don't know why they ever would have told you that." Anyway, I decided to give it a try. It was physical at times, but we had a really good staff & I didn't want to keep shifting jobs & I decided to give it 2 years & then re-evaluate. I was 1 1/2 years into it, when a job on the Adult unit came up for a year temporary. I figured I would apply & get a break form the physical. I was offered the job in early July. I was not allowed to start it until late Septemeber & was informed of this in a note. The reason was "There are lots of casual nurses working over the summer & we want you to have a good orientation." They decided to give me a lone orientation day in August, and lo & behold, the RN orientating me is a casual. I ask if I can have a 2nd orientation day (to at least have 2 in a row) and they say no. Reason they say no is because I have to orientate a casual RN on the geri-psych unit, not to team leading, but to patient cares. So I start to think of relocating & going up North (I live in Canada). My fiance & I look into this & I interview for a job in a small community hospital in a remote area. I accept this position verbally & receive the job description yesterday & letter of offer to sign. Based on the job description, I will be in way over my head. Meanwhile, I am on the new unit at work after having had 2 orientation shifts for nights (by a casual of course). I am calling in sick the past few days because my orientation was not good or sufficient & I truly feel unsafe. They won't give me any more orientation because I am leaving, which I understand. Guys, I just don't know what to do. Do I send back my letter of offer signed & move 6000km away as planned & give my new scary, overwhelming, probably quite physical job a chance? I have been crying all morning because I feel so overwhlemed by everything. Do I not sign the job offer (even though everything is set in motion for the move & we are slotted to leave in less than 3 weeks). I should mention my fiance has secured a job which he is absolutley pumped about. I really need some advice, or a kind word. Thanks for listening.

infj here. i know someone said this before, but there seem to be a whole lot of infj's here. we are the rarest type, do we flock to nursing??

definitely get non-violent crisis intervention (one day course) if you are able. in canada, it is an expectation for psych nurses. also, do you have a pharamcology course? this would be very helpful. if not, get yourself a good drug book. good luck & have fun.

Geri-psych: When I team lead, I give meds, do assessments for 15-16 pts. When I am not team leading, I have a patient load of 4 to do cares with, aid with adl's. do treatments with, etc...