akrn70

Was wondering if anyone is doing peer evaluations and if so how your process works. Are they done once a year? Who chooses who does them? Do you do them on each nurse? Do you feel this is an accurate and appropriate way to evaluate staff? What have been the pro's/con's of them?

What is the Nursing Professional Development Certification? Sorry, I have no idea what it is. Hope it went well for you!

Would any one be willing to share the optional activities that your facility uses to gain points toward earning the levels for your clinical ladders? We are in the process of revamping ours and I was just curious to know what other facilities are doing. We have RN I - new grad that has finished the probation period (novice) RN II - min of 2-3 years of acute care experience (competent) RN III - >3 years acute care experience and 1 year in current specialty (proficient) RN IV - >4 years acute care experience and 1 year in current specialty (expert)

We are in the process of updating/revamping our Clinical Ladder. Does anyone have any examples/suggestions that could be added to the additional activities area so that nurses can earn additional points? Thanks in advance for your time and help!

Was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to boost morale and attitudes in a department. Fun ways to get people back on track, wanting to help each other. We have a great group of folks but here lately, the morale has been terrible. We have even formed a committee to work on this. Also how about self governance? Is it being practiced anywhere and does anyone know where I can get info on how to get started with it. Thanks fir your help!

I did the same thing while waiting to see if I got in to my program. It was interesting, I learned a bunch, but figured out that Phlebotomy would not be for me. Not because I didn't like sticking and drawing blood because I love that, it was the fact that I didn't feel like there really was much patient care involved. When I did my clinicals I was told "You have 3 minutes, get in, get the blood and get on to the next draw". Thankfully I was accepted into nursing school! I did finish the course and took my test and passed. It was a really easy test. I wish I had maybe done a CNA course, I think I would have learned more useful things. Good luck!

You can do it! Still get your hair done (there are many cute/sexy up do's you could do for work or leave it down), do your make up for work (it doesn't have to be heavy) if you can buy your own scrubs get the cute fitted ones, buy shoes that match your scrubs, put on a little bling (necklace, earrings), put on the cute panties, continue to eat right and work out. Working in the department I do we have to change and wear hospital scrubs. All whole department looks the same so we have to add some of our own autonomy by wearing different surgical hats (I must have 100!), our shoes (I have different colors, styles, favorite sport teams, etc.) Last, have a good attitude and love what you do!

Funny you should say that...about a month ago she showed up to work with a black eye, said her son elbowed her. That one cleared up and she came to work with another one! This time she said her daughter and her were messing around and she got hit. Another nurse told her one more time and we were going to have to start thinking she was lieing to us. She hasn't had one in a couple weeks now.

I don't mind giving or getting IV or blood draws....what I hope I never have to get is a foley!!!!

Have any of you ever worked with someone who feels like they do everything and everyone else is lazy? I work with a great bunch of nurses. We just have one that thinks she is the only one that works, she's the fastest, everyoe else is lazy, she's the best IV starter, etc., etc.. She has been a nurse for sometime, I would say about 15 + years and tells me (I've only been a nurse sine 06') and another nurse (who has been a nurse just over a year) how lucky we are to be working in our department. We work in the surgery department. She tells us that they rarely hire new grads to the department and we should be grateful to be there. She normally only works the pre op area and gets mad if she does have to float down to post op (which rarely happens) she says she can't stand being in endo (it's gross: per her), the PACU nurses have cake jobs because they only have one pt at a time, I have never seen her do a procedure (chest tube, bone marrow bx, etc.) until the other day when she was made to go in to see how to assist in a chest tube placement. She is really bringing everyone down. We have tried to go to management and they did pull the pre op, post op, PACU, and endo nurses together for a meeting so we could all vent our concerns. We have not seen anything come of the meeting yet and its going on three weeks now. She like to go to our department manager alone and voice her concerns. She can turn the tears on at the drop of a dime. The sad part is that I have really liked her up until the last couple of months. She is always saying she needs a new job...I say GO! I have told myself to just avoid her and only have a working relationship with her but her rude remarks and how she treats us is getting crazy. What to do?

Can anyone tell me if it is a state law, safety standard, community or national standard that when patients leave the hospital they must leave via a wheelchair. I work in the surgery department and am wondering if every patient has to leave by wheelchair. Many of our patients, and most all of our endo patients want to walk out themselves rather then being pushed out. I have even had patients become very angery when told they need to go out by wheelchair. Thanks, Kim

I'm going to have to agree with the rest...totally unethical! I have never seen it done and you are right for questioning the order. It makes me soooo mad when I have a pt in pain and it is put off becuse it's thought that the pt is drug seeking. I don't know if this is the case here but that's the first thing I thought of. I have seen doc's and nurses not give pain meds because this is what their thought process was. Good luck on your paper!

Hi, I have a favor to ask of you...I am working on new policies and procedure for our hospital and need some help. I work in the surgery department but this will be hospital wide. I was wondering if any of you have a policy on IV starts, how many times does one nurse try before getting another, max pokes before getting a dr. etc.. Also one on pt belongings, the storage of to include dentures and hearing aids. Also body jewerly. Seems the unexpected person even has them (I even have some). Thanks in advance for any help! If I can do anything for you just ask...Kim

Thanks URanurse! I will check out the web site. I would like to work in a hospital if for nothing else the hands on. As much as I love the nursing home and the residents I am not using all the skills I woul like to be. I see all of your speciality areas and was wondering if you could tell me the ration on a med-surg floor? I wouldn't mind that area because of being able to see so much. I would love to work mental health! How is that in the area?

Hi, My name is Kim. I attended nursing school in Las Vegas Nevada, and moved the day after our pinning ceremony to Pennsylavina where I took my state baords. I passed my NCLEX on 3 October 06 and went to work at a local hospital on a med/surge floor. That lasted about a month...not for me. I felt the ratio was to high (11-14 patients) I knew I didn't want med/surge but felt like I should do a year of it since it was crammed down our throats in school. I really wanted to go into mental health or surgery. Instead I moved to a LTC facility and took a position as a RN Night Supervisor and am loving it. I enjoy the old people very much. I recently applied for my Alaska license because now we are moving to Alaska! In case your wondering I am married to an active duty soldier which explains all the moving! Anyway I'm glad to find the site!