NellieP73

The problem that I'm having now is that since we are a specialty clinic, most of the protocols that we have been able to find are waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy too general for us, so we are basically having to write them from scratch - not that we actually have time to do that.....I resorted to help from our library - they are getting me a protocol book to use (though I'm not sure how helpful that will be...). Good luck!

Hi all - Question...I work in a multispecialty office that is just now really starting to develop triage protocols. Until now it's been pretty much been however the nurse who takes the call wants to handle it. Bad, right?? Anyway, I am trying to develop the protocols, but I am having trouble with resources. Basically as I see it now, my choices are to buy a book (which I can't do around here and which I don't have the budget for) or find resources online. I am trying to work on this NOW, but have not had a lot of luck online. Most of the books that have previews have the protocols all chopped up. Anybody know any complete, free, online triage protocol resources??? TIA!

Believe me, I've been looking for ways to boost my resume for months now. I've applied to several other places, but I always lose out to someone with more experience in the area. I want to leave my floor and try a whole new area of nursing, but nobody wants to hire someone without experience. I need out of there, fast! In the mean time, I'm trying to do as much as I can to prepare myself for any other jobs that may come up. I have had multiple meetings with the NM over the years - we seem to undersand each other for a few weeks, and then things go back to the way they were. Like I said, she doesn't even know she is doing any of this! I hate that it gets to me, but it does. I want to be the bigger person and not let this bother me, not get upset by it. But it always gets to a certain point whereI can feel my blood pressure rising. Sometimes I don't think before I speak, and that's what I hate the most. I want to just keep my feelings to myself, do my job, and get out, but sometimes I reach the breaking point and I just can't! I hope I find something new soon. Thanks for all the replies!

Haha, training! That's a good one. No such thing where I am. They have mentioned that there is going to be a permanent charge available and asked me to consider it, then they do stuff like this. They haven't mentioned the permanent job again. Sometimes I like being in charge and sometimes I don't. The charge thing was just one example. They do stuff like this all the time. I've been looking for a new job, but it's probably going to take a long time to find something - they're not too easy to come by around here. It is just so frustrating to thinnk you've finallly got things on the right track and manageable, and then BAM! They do something else that makes you go, "huh??"

Okay so what do you do about management that walks all over you and doesn't realize they are doing it? It's really hard to keep up your confidence when they treat you like they only respect you when there is nobody better around. Example: I work nights - an evening person come in to help out, and they put that person in charge and gave me patients rather than just giving her pts. Not that I particularly wanted to be in charge, but they have been having me do it a lot lately - I was just starting to get some confidence in myself. So this person who came in to help didn't even want to be in charge - she said "I didn't sign up for this - just give me pts!" - she is rarely in charge on her normal shift and doesn't like it in the first place. I got kind of ticked that they would put someone from another shift in charge and made a sarcastic remark, and then they ended up putting me in charge anyway, which made me even more angry because then I felt like they were doing the, "oh just give the baby what she wants" routine. Why on earth would they put someone who is unfamiliar with the shift routine? To me, it says that I am only good enough if there is nobody better around. Whether that is true or not, my NM, who is great most of the time, walks all over me like constantly. Every time I start to feel like they appreciate and trust me, they do something like this (her or the ANM, but usually her). I've tried to talk to her about it. She's so oblivious. She doesn't get it, and she doesn't see what I'm talking about. She has no idea she is doing it, but she has treated me like a second class citizen ever since I started there. People say she plays favorites, but she says she doesn't. I don't think she hates me or anything like that, I just feel like she doesn't respect me. I think it would be easier to accept if she did hate me. I can't stand it anymore. I want to get a new job but I haven't found anything yet - I hope something comes along soon, because I feel like I'm about to explode! What would you do in this situation? Did I overreact to her putting someone from a different shift in charge? Maybe I'm just reading more into it than I should, but it kills me to feel like they don't value me. Thanks!!!

Even harder than that - ours is only 10 ml because it's the concentrated stuff, but this pt is strictly forbidden to have even a drop of anything thinner than pudding consistency. I had never thought of the juice thing before, or the applesauce. Both good ideas, thanks!

Yeah this lady is a pudding consistency. It just seems so gross!!!!! Thanks for your replies, it was very helpful!

Hey guys - quick and kinda weird question. Can you thicken MOM with thick-it? Pt on swallow precs needs thick liqs but insists on MOM as her LOC. We can't find any info to the contrary, but for some reason it seems weird. It would be okay, right, because it would be the same as if the pt took it regular and then "drank" some thickened juice or water? Anyway, that was our rationale. Just wondering if anyone has ever done this or had this request. Thanks!

Good questions, good questions. I honestly feel like it is time to start thinking about making a change. I don't even know if this job is going to work out - they may still go another way, salary might not be enough, etc. I don't know all the details as far as skills, but I do know drawing labs, calling results to pts, some scheduling - pt appointments and setting up for tests, etc. It's a wide variety of stuff, really, definitely not as clinically challenging as my job now. I don't think that would necessarily be bad. I don't know about the working 5 days a week. On one hand, I really don't want to have to do that. On the other, I would be able to see the people I love. I feel like now, I can't even call my friends because they are asleep when I get off work, you know? It would be a big plus to have weekends and holidays off, and even if I did have to take the plunge and do 5 days a week, it might be better. Also, as I said, it's still a hospital job - there is a possibility that I could do 4 days a week at the office and one at the hospital, etc.

Thanks guys! I know I want to make a change, but the more I sit there and analyze things, the more I feel like I shoulld stay where I am. The reason this job seems so appealing to me is that, like I said, it's still afficiated with the hospital, so as far as all the free CEs and such, I'd still be able to get all that. Plus. if I wanted to, I could do 4 days a week and stay contingent on my unit. I just don't know what to do! If anyone has any more pros or cons, let me know!!! I am having a lot of trouble making up my mind!!!!!

Hey all - I posted this on the ambulatory board, but it doesn't look like there are many people there. I thought I might get a lot of responses here because y'all are so versatile :nuke:. Anyway, here's the original post - thanks for reading!!!! Hi all! I was hoping that those of you with experience in bboth medical offices and hospitals could help me out here. I may have an opportunity to switch to a medical office that is affiliated with the hospital where I work. I'm currently in med/surg hem/onc, but I don't want to stay there forever. I had sort of resisted leaving my job becasue I am pretty comfortable there, and the pay is pretty reasonable. So here is my list of pros and cons, but I'm sure I'm missing some big stuff. Can you guys think of anything to add to this list? If you worked in a hospital and went to an office or vice versa, what did you think? Any advice for me? Anyway, here goes: Pros of leaving 1) I'm on 2nd shift now, every other weekend. If I go, I would be like 8 - 4 Monday - Friday. 2) It would be a different kind of experience - I want to broaden my experience as much as possible. 3) I've been on my unit now for about 6 years, and I feel like I'm in a rut. Some days I love my job, but usually I feel pretty burnt out about it. 4) It would basically be a transfer (the nurses at the practice are actually hospital employees) rather than a complete move to a whole new place. 5) I don't want to stay in the hospital forever, and the longer I stay, the harder it will be to leave (you know what I mean $$$) Cons of leaving 1) I like (most of) my coworkers a lot 2) I'm confortable where I work now 3) I would have to work 5 days a week where I only work 4 days a week now. 4) I am just starting to some training for some "higher up" stuff (charge, etc) - if I leave now, I will miss out on that stuff (but then, do I really want to do that in the first place??) 5) I will make less per hour if I go (I'm not sure what the difference will be - we haven't talked salary yet, but I know at least my diff is $5 an hour that I would lose - then again, 8 more hours per week of work would make up for that) I've got more, but I don't want this post to be too long. I'm really just starting to think about this - what do any of you with experience have to say about all this? Thanks!!!!!

Hi all! I was hoping that those of you with experience in bboth medical offices and hospitals could help me out here. I may have an opportunity to switch to a medical office that is affiliated with the hospital where I work. I'm currently in med/surg hem/onc, but I don't want to stay there forever. I had sort of resisted leaving my job becasue I am pretty comfortable there, and the pay is pretty reasonable. So here is my list of pros and cons, but I'm sure I'm missing some big stuff. Can you guys think of anything to add to this list? If you worked in a hospital and went to an office or vice versa, what did you think? Any advice for me? Anyway, here goes: Pros of leaving 1) I'm on 2nd shift now, every other weekend. If I go, I would be like 8 - 4 Monday - Friday. 2) It would be a different kind of experience - I want to broaden my experience as much as possible. 3) I've been on my unit now for about 6 years, and I feel like I'm in a rut. Some days I love my job, but usually I feel pretty burnt out about it. 4) It would basically be a transfer (the nurses at the practice are actually hospital employees) rather than a complete move to a whole new place. 5) I don't want to stay in the hospital forever, and the longer I stay, the harder it will be to leave (you know what I mean $$$) Cons of leaving 1) I like (most of) my coworkers a lot 2) I'm confortable where I work now 3) I would have to work 5 days a week where I only work 4 days a week now. 4) I am just starting to some training for some "higher up" stuff (charge, etc) - if I leave now, I will miss out on that stuff (but then, do I really want to do that in the first place??) 5) I will make less per hour if I go (I'm not sure what the difference will be - we haven't talked salary yet, but I know at least my diff is $5 an hour that I would lose - then again, 8 more hours per week of work would make up for that) I've got more, but I don't want this post to be too long. I'm really just starting to think about this - what do any of you with experience have to say about all this? Thanks!!!!!

Thanks for the advice! I'm not really sure about how to get my foot in the door, but I'll keep an eye out for classes, temp work, etc! If anyone has any more tips, I'd be more than glad to hear them! Occ Health has been something I've been thinking about since nursing school, but I never knew how to get into it. Thanks again!!!

Hello! I have been thinking ever since nursing school that I would like to get into occupational health nursing - not OT like in a hospital, but to be a nurse at a corporation. Recently, I found out that I am allergic to several different kinds of protective gloves, and my boss at the hospital has to order me my own special ones now. If something happens, and I don't have any of mine, I have to use the ones that irritate my hands and I end up with a yucky rash. So lately I have been looking around for some kind of OH (or any other non-glove-requiring) job, but I can't seem to find anything. I had originally planned on staying where I am for longer than this, but it's getting pretty hard with having this stupid rash all the time. My problem is that I am having a hard time getting anybody to look at my resume, I assume its because I have no OH experience. I even applied to do other kinds of non-bedside nursing, such as case management, documentation specialist, etc. I can't get anybody to respond to me! I have six years of inpt med/surg oncology experience. Any tips??? Also, any ideas for something for me to try besides OH (if I can't get anyone to give me a chance?) Thank you all for reading! Have a great day!

I actually live right across a fire station righ tnow. The problem isn't the sirens passing, it's that they would be frequently stopping irght outside my window. And I don't care if I am a nurse, I'm not getting up twice a week after only a couple of hours of sleep to rush out to fender-benders. Please don't flame me for saying that, it's not what the discussion is about. It's just that that is really what the priblem is, that the accidents will be basically in my lap. And that lots of people around here think that horn-honking is the way to make traffic move. Like I said the accidents are ususally minor, but it happens quite often there because it is a terrible intersention. It seems ilke most of you are saying move there anyway, and I can't make up my mind what to do. Sometimes I feel like I should just go for it, and other times I feel like my gut is telling me not to. Maybe I'm just a little weirded out by the fact that I drove by that boarded up window for several weeks after that accident I talked about before, and saw the smoke marks on the side of the building...maybe I just don't want that to be my home. I don't know what my problem is!

That's a big part of the problem, actually. It's not a month-to-month lease. The apartment is a ranch style and literally on the corner of a very busy, congesterd intersection (in fact, someone did drive through it once a few years ago - literally the unit that is open now. I'm not worried about that happening again, huge fluke of course, but still, it's very very close to the road). And there are a lot of accidents there. Not bad ones usually, but still, lots of fender benders and lots of sirens and honking horns. Normal noises don't usually get to me, but I'm really afraid that this one will. I need to just talk to the leasing agent I guess and see what's what. Thanks for all the input.

Haha leslie, that's what I do now. I'd like to stop that...sometimes they fall out or sometimes my ears get itchy, so if I can avoid having to do that, I'd like that very much.

Hi guys! I hope is is ok to post this here. It is not a nursing question per se, but it is job related. My roomie and I are going to be moving soon. The place we live now is nice but noisy, and I don't work days (eves and some nites), and I am worried about the place we are going to move. When we applied, we knew there was only one empty unit. We got approved, and now we just found out it's the one right on the end, next to the busy intersection. Problem is, I am afraid it's going to be too noisy for me during morning rush - I do NOT want to get woken up every am by stupid traffic 4 hours or so after going to bed. But I don't know what to do. We can stay month to month where we are, but it's noisy here too. Roomie thinks we should give the new place a shot, but I want to see if we can be on a waitlist or something. She works 7-3, though, so the she would already be up, so traffic is not really a big deal for her. Trouble is, if we let them give away the one empty that they have, who knows how long we will have to wait for another one to open up! And the situation is the same everywhere we looked. We don't have tons of money to spend on rent, but we still want a safe, relatively nice place. All the safe places we could afford have very little choice as to which unit we take. Pretty much any other unit in this particular place would work. What would you guys do? I'm stressing trying to decide! I hope this makes sense! Thanks!:trout:

That's it on the nose, Tazzi! I'm afraid that if I stay in one place too long, I'll be too afraid (even more than I am now!) of trying something new! My unit specializers in oncology and hospice pts, but we have a lot of regular med/surg pts as well. So I don't have critical care experience, but I feel I am in a great place as far as getting to see a wide variety of pts. But how will I know what to try? What if I go to, say, a doc's office, and I have no idea what really goes on there, and I end up hating it?? My unit would probably take me back, if there was an opening, but I'd hate to end up having to go to night shift or something if I wanted to go back. I really think I want to see what's out there...how do I get over the fear and actually take a chance? Sheesh this is tough! I wanted to talk to some of the RNs I work with and see what some of their experiences have been, but I don't want it to get back to my boss that I'm looking for something else...I know she wouldn't be happy....ideally I would like to stay part time or at least casual (contingent, prn, whatever your hospital calls it) on my unit now and do something else at the same time, but like I said before, I'm not really finding a lot of places that are looking for a part time RN. It's not that I'm in a hurry to get soemthing new, it's just that it seems that there are a few opportunities available right now, and I'd hate to miss out on what could be a great chance, ya know?? :trout:

I have a question for you guys...here's the situation. I have been at my current job (bedside) for about 5 years now. I have worked with a lot of nurses who feel trapped in their jobs. They have worked at the same place for 10, 15, 20 years, and would like to try something new, but can't do that without taking a large pay cut. I would like to try something different, and I'm afraid that the more raises I get (hooray for the start of fiscal year '08!), the more I'm going to be afraid to leave my current job. But lately I've come across a few jobs that have piqued my interest (all M-F, no or only occasional weekends). Here's my problem. I only have experience in the type of nursing I am doing right now. I have no idea what an office nurse, or say, a utilization review nurse would do. I'm scared to quit a full time job where I am relatively happy and fairly well paid, to try something that I have no idea if I would even like. All of the part time positions I have found would call for experience I don't have (e.g., OB). What should I do? Stick around where things are familiar and wonder what might have been, or take a leap and see what happens, knowing full well that I might hate the new job? I'm nervous about applying for these jobs, and frankly, I don't know why I'm worrying 'cause I probably wouldn't get them anyway! But I think I'm ready to try something new...Help!! What have you done in situations like this????? Any words of wisdom? I'm thinking about just applying for the experience...I know I don't have to take a job if it's offered...yikes! :uhoh21:

Here's a question that I've been meanng to ask for awhile...should nurses who are not tele trained be floated to other units and expected to take tele pts?

Haha tazzi, you beat me!

Prostate, not prostrate, right?

Thank you!!! Minimum Data Set was actually the only thing I thought it could be, but I for some reason was sure that was wrong! I knew it had something to do with nursing home admin, but I wasn't really sure. You guys are great! Thanks again!!

:uhoh21: But what it an MDS coordinator? I have heard of MDS before, but I don't know what it is, and I have tried to look it up, but MDS stands for lots of things and I just feel really dumb that I don't know what it is. My friend told me she is thinking of applying for a job as an MDS coordinator, and I was too embarassed to tell her that I don't know what that means!! Please help me feel smart again!!!!