swartzrn

I have to take the GRE to apply for a BSN-DNP/Nurse Educator program. It's been so long since I have taken a standardized test that I truly don't even know how to properly prepare. It's actually been 10 years since I took NCLEX. YIKES. I enjoyed reading this thread as it truly was helpful to me as well!

When I triage someone such as an MVA who walked in and I have a question about what I should or should not do, I always try to err on the side of caution--it's better to have the collar in place and not need it than to have needed it and not have placed it. If the doc wants the collar off, then that doc can be the one to remove the collar. When I have been in triage and placed a collar on a pt only to have the physician come along and remove it once the pt gets to the back, I will go back and document, "c-collar removed at this time per Dr. __." As a matter of fact, anytime I have a patiet collared and the collar is removed, I will document that the collar was removed by the physician or whomever..or if the physician tells me to, I will write "c-collar removed per Md instruction" or something similar. We've had incidents where the patient removed his own c-collar and that got documented as well. In the case of the question you asked the doc and his response, I probably would've just written, as other have said, "MD informed of pt, no orders received" and been done with it. That way you have documented that 1. you did tell the physician and 2. the physician did not give any orders. I probably would not have written that comment. ER nursing, especially, is a team effort and getting along with each other is important. You don't have to like your co-workers personally but you do need to have a decent working relationship with them. This doctor sounds immature to me with his comment back to you but you now have a bit of a rift between you that needs to be made right somehow if you are to continue having a good working relationship with him. Just my opinion.

YAY!!!!! CONGRATS!!!!!:balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons:

I work in the DoD system and a couple of years ago we got a "promotion" to a higher GS level which included every RN who was that level had to do charge duties. Before that though there were a few of us who always did charge. Some of our nurse's had no interest in doing charge whatsoever and went to other units. Now we basically all take turns.

Congrats!!

Well, I get called "Jules" alot by patients and friends/family (full name is on my name tag.) I have, of course, been called an array of names (some good, some not so good.) I have also had the nickname "Jamie" by a co-worker. He was a radiology tech i worked with and when I first met him I told him my name was Julie and for some reason he heard "Jamie." After all these years, it has stuck (I think this was in 2000.)

Happy travels!!

Hey there--hope you had a safe trip!! Bigsyis is right--we have been getting some strong storms lately and it's clouding up right now! Enjoy Georgia!!!!

Good luck!! Did you apply to Martin Army out at Ft. Benning too?

i'm just curious how that works out in a code..do you just have someone mixing away and waste what you don't end up using? Seems like having to stop and mix truly does delay everything. I agree with using the small syringes for SQ epi. I always use the 1CC syringe..it really does make it ALOT easier and also quicker to get the med to bedside. If you are to the point of using epi, you are typically not going to have time to stop and try to figure out the dosage on even a 3cc syringe. BTW, phiposurde, I really enjoyed the information you posted regarding SQ vs IM epi. I haven't heard of that study and thought it was very interesting. Thank you!

Hey-My husband is right there with you and I couldn't be prouder. He starts RN school in August and is 35 years old. After 16 years in the Army Infantry, he has decided to go to RN school. This has all been in the works for over a year. For the Army he had to put a packet together and go through a whole selection process and for being 1 of 75 selected, I think that's pretty darn good. And I did see quite a few men on that list. I think it's wonderful that nursing is no longer a predominant female profession. He was worried a bit about being the oldest guy in his nursing class but I doubt he will. I think for the most part he's been a bit older in his pre-req classes though. We had nursing students from the same college doing their preceptorship come through our department this past semester and all were men and 2 were over 30. I am very excited to welcome him into the nursing profession! Good luck to you all!

Laura--hang in there. I am so excited that you are following your dream and pursuing nursing. You won't regret it! Just remember you CAN do anything you want to do. Nursing school (and the pre-req's) are intimating but once you get into it, you'll find that it wasn't the bear you thought and you will enjoy your classes. I loved nursing school--it was alot of work but I learned to time manage. That was the biggest challenge I had. Being a mom and going to school is hard no matter the area of study but it can be done! I understand your feeling overwhelmed but I promise it will all be OK and it sounds as if you know exactly what you want. You will be just fine!! BEST WISHES!! If you have any more questions or just need to vent, do not hesitate!!! You can do it!!

I have had that type of scenario happen to me in 2 different environments. The first ER I worked was a small 7 bed ER and at night it was an LPN, a doc and me. Oftentimes, if 2 or more higher acuity patients came in and the doc could so something he/she would go ahead and do it. I never felt like he or she was disrespecting me. It would at times aggravate me b/c I was responsible as well for that patient's care and so forth and not having time to at least do an RN assessment would bother me--if the paperwork were not done, it REALLY would've bothered me. There's really no record that the patient is even there if he's not signed in. I wondered sometimes if the doctors even realize that there is a proper way to do things? Knowing the doctor's though, I felt like they were honestly trying to help BUT with that said, they would always come and say "hey, I sent the patient on to XR (or whatever) because blah, blah, blah." They would also give me a brief run down of the patient's status, etc. Because of that I never felt like the doctor was trying to by-pass me as the charge nurse. Even though I am in a larger ER now, we have docs and providers who'll get a patient in via ambulace with an ortho type injury or the such and will go ahead and send them over. Our patients are already entered into a database (military hospital) for the most part so order entry is possible without have the patient signed in. But--the provider will get the military ID and have the clerk signing in the patient in the process even if he sends the patient over to XR. He at least documents something in the meantime. It's nothing to have several injuries come in at once depending on what kind of training is going on that day. If we are short staffed and an RN hasn't had physically time to get over to the bed, the provider will get things going. With all of that said, it sounds like that provider of yours did jump the gun though and in actuality patient #1 should've gone to xr first.

YES YES YES! I shower and wash my hair before I go to work and the first thing I do when I get home is come out of my clothes, take a shower and wash my hair again..too many creepy cruddy bugs running around!

I've always been a nurse with only that education but when I was in high school, I planned on attending engineering school (electrical.) Circumstances changed and I didn't go to college right after high school but when I finally did start to college, I was thinking criminal justice. At any rate, I eventually decided I wanted to be a nurse and here I am. The field is WIDE open. Some people decide right away that's what they want to do (or any career) and stick to it their whole working time. Other's change several times. Just depends on the person. I figure I will stick with nursing although I do not plan to be at bedside my whole career. Not sure what I want to do but I'll figure it out. There's a nurse who works with me now who has a degree in some kind of computer management and did not like it--went onto nursing school and loves it. My husband, also for another example has done all of his business degree classes and hated every second. He's in the Army (infantry) and getting ready to start RN school in the Fall. Big change! You'll figure it out. Some people even get into nursing school, graduate, start working and hate it. Good luck!

I have a daughter who is 3 and will be starting preschool next year. I also have a teenager. I stayed home for almost a year after the last baby was born and went back 2 days/week (from 0730-1630.) I increased my hours to where I am working 60-64 hrs/payperiod and have a pretty set schedule. I'm an ER nurse and am back to 12 hr shifts. I enjoy having my days off with my children but also enjoy working too. Good luck. You just have to figure out how it all will work best for you. I would LOVE to be back full time b/c it would only be one more 12 hr shift but the fulll time RN's rotate every 3 months from days tonights which with my husband's schedule doesn't work for us. I may have to do some readjusting when the little one starts school but we'll see. Right now, we've made this schedule work. Good luck!!

I have worn Birks and Merrells and actually love them both--I do think my Merrells are more comfortable though! I haven't tried New Balance but a couple of my co-workers swear by them.

Hi, I live in Columbus but work out at Ft. Benning. I don't know too much about the pay scale off post. As far as CVCC, I haven't heard anything negative about any of their programs. Good luck!! If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Hi all==I'm in Columbus GA..

I just read this thread and I am shocked that a little one under 2 was given phenergan at all. I am trying to remember in my 10 years if I have seen it given to a child under that age and I am almost confident I haven't. I gave 6.25 mg to a child that was about 4 not long ago and that's the last time I really remember giving it to a kid in a long time. I am terribly sorry for your friend's loss. I definately think it warrants looking into but I also think that all things should be considered (dehydration, etc.) I love Zofran too. It seems to work really well and many providers I work with are giving it first line instead of even trying anything else.

HI, congratulations on your job! Trust me, as time goes by, you will find yourself less and less anxious but you will find out that there are gonna be situations no matter how many years experience you have that make you nervous. I have been doing this for 10 years now and still have times that I get stressed and anxious. It's all part of it. The best advice I can give you is to take note, learn from everything you do and keep your mind open to learn new things. I'll end on this--my first week in the ER alone (just me, an LPN and a doc) we had 3 codes. Talk about baptism by fire! I was terrified but you do what you have to do and panic later :)

Well, what was going through my head was that if your NM thought you were not doing things fast enough, then why was she taking up more time making the phone calls and having staff on the phone while she chews them out. Seems like that was time that could have been moving patients or triaging. And reading emails? Who has the time on days like you described? Also--I had the question, if there were not enough people then why didn't she come into help either and I was also wondering the same thing about the LPN as to why she/he is there to "greet" the patients. Seems like there are several problems with this picture. I also think it's like this all over. Everybody is so short handed that the people who are there are getting rail-roaded.

I agree--if you already have the job, I probably wouldn't send a thank you note. I, in the past, have sent thank you notes after interviews but for the purpose, as Criss said of putting your name out there. I like thank you notes and if it is bothering you, send a note to say thank you for the opportunity to work for that person/facility. Personally, though, I would not send a note. Say thank you with your hard work!! Congrats on your new job!! I know you will do well!

I enjoyed reading this article! Thank you for posting it!!

Atl John--I'm surprised that EAMC is only 18/hr. I would've thought they would have been higher. I'm down in Columbus, GA but worked in Alabama up until 5 years ago and made more than that in a small town ER. I am just pretty surprised that EAMC is so low. YIKES!