Canuck

Hi. Nope it's got nothing to do with lab/blood banking. It is "bloodless medicine" or "blood conservation". Simply put it is a program aimed at reducing the use of blood transfusions in hospitals, by making sure patients Hgb levels are optimized before surgery. Basically you run an outpatient assessment clinic, Monday to Friday days only. Englewood Hospital in New Jersey is one of the founding hospitals, but there are lots all over the U.S. Where there isn't one, you can easily prove cost savings to start one!

Patient Blood Management for sure. Relatively new field, one RN runs the show in partnership with anesthesiologists and surgeons. Total and complete autonomy. Own office, with computer, business cards the works.

I am in my mid-50's and have been an RN for 36 years. I have never done any med/surg nursing, so don't have a solid background in traditional bed-side nursing roles. I began my career in child psychiatry, then moved into postpartum care for the next 20 years. Along the way I obtained a Bachelor of Health Science, followed by a Masters in Health Services Management. After completing this post-grad degree I got a job away from the "front line" and have been running a small out-patient program for the past 6 years. The program involves health teaching and counselling in the preoperative geriatric setting. In this age of cut-backs I can see the writing on the wall for my program and am trying to prepare myself for when this program's funding is eliminated. I do not wish to go back to hands-on patient care and shift work, I have no managerial experience and really don't know where to turn for possible career direction. I will want to work at least another 5 years full time, and then probably part-time or casual after that. I am interested in teaching, but there are no full time jobs in the colleges...they are all contract/semester positions. A PhD is required for permanent university teaching positions. In my current role I earn around 100 k annually and really require a similar income. I don't qualify for a NP diploma program, because the Masters that I did was not clinically based. I feel that in the latter stages of my career I don't want to do a whole NP program from the beginning. I am willing to do a certificate program in "something", but I am having trouble determining what the most productive/beneficial route would be. I am very interested in patient relations and ombudsman type roles, but again, lack the experience and the educational background. Someone in my age group is not very enticing for an employer when there is a lack of experience as well. I'm looking for ideas on possible 'nearing end of career' paths. Thanks for any input provided...of the constructive sort :)

Around here receptionists in vets offices, dental offices, physicians offices all wear scrubs as do hospital reception personnel. I don't really see anything unhygenic about these people being out and about in their scrubs. Indeed I have even been to a hair salon where the shampoo girl wears scrubs. SO, you can't judge a book by it's cover. Don't freak out over something that you have no idea about!

Of course I know that patho is part of the RPN program as well....let's not kid ourselves! It is easier though...this I have from reliable sources, not as in depth. RPNs look after patients with predictable outcomes, not as complex as RNs. I have a passion for nursing and I'm going to stick with it. Thanks for your counselling.

Thanks for the advice and encouragement, but I am out of the BScN program...have failed the supplemental summer make-up course as well (by a very small margin). Would like to hear from anyone who crossed over from the RN program to an RPN program.... Thanks

I have failed my 2nd year patho course in the RN program and now I'm wondering if I can switch over to an RPN program *quickly* without losing my whole year...which should have been my 3rd year of the BScN program. Does anyone know what credit would be given for my two years of study so far in the RN program? Everything I look at online refers to RPN to RN bridging programs

In our hospital night time breaks are always taken....and they are sleep breaks. Nurses on an 8 hour night take 1.5 hours, and nurses on a 12 hour shift take 2 hours...it has been that way for the last 20 years. Since we don't have break rooms or lounges, we use any nook or cranny we can find to crash... Clinics, offices, patient beds (when there is an empty room)... We have a buddy system and there is never any problem. If the unit gets too busy, we just simply wake the ones up that are on break and that's it...no questions asked. Your break time is your own time to spend it as you wish.... How are nurses supposed to get through the night without a nap? Do you think firemen and policemen stay away for their 12 hour shifts? Nooo way....It is absurd to even think about "grounds for dismissal" based on sleeping during a break.

Hey I too love my job and love my employer....a 400 bed active, busy community hospital in an urban center. The money is good $31.45 per hour, plus charge...shift diff...w/e's etc etc. Our nurse/pt. ratio's are good; the atmosphere on the Unit is excellent....I wouldn't work anywhere else!! I'm a happy Canadian Nurse!!! (a rare breed???)