l.rae

It's a career, not a voluntary ministry. However I will say this, those who have no ppl skills or compassion need to steer clear. Some degree of emotional comforting will always be required in this field to be outstanding.

I can't afford to pay for their 'free' health care

Is there any policy or standard requiring that an ICU be able to accept an admit within a 30 minute time frame? If this is so and anyone can provide a link it would be most helpful. I'm sure there are exceptions as codes etc. My co-worker tells me this is a standard national guideline. Thanks

"reality", "nursing" and "mansion"...in the same sentence? geesh, do we still use the term oxymoron?

No one forces you to say the pledge, or any part thereof that is found "offensive." The marriage law was voted on where I live. There are many laws, true that could be argued that they are bibliclly based....as in laws regarding murder, thieving etc. you get the drift. While I stand strongly that ppl should be allowed to express their faith, (reasonably), I dn't stand with the extreem right evangelicals that want to legislate morality. According to the New Testiment and Christ's techings, I've never come across an account of His teachings being forced on anyone. He said ,"who so ever will." Far as I can tell, Christ was a huge proponent of free will, and so am I. I will share my faith if asked. I will express my faith as a privilege of freedom. If I offend anyone, I expect to be told in a respectful manner and would change my behavior as long as it does not infringe on my faith or constitutional rights. edited because I can't spell...where is the spell check?

I would like to point out part of your statement, "if we are also required to adhere to any of the religious beliefs or rules of others. " Never is anyone "required" to adhere. Just because someone witnesses someone practicing a religeous rite, or wearing of a symbol in no way reflects participation. If the mere site or sound of religeon is offensive then the problem goes much deeper. One of our Jewish nurses posted information on the celebration of Ramadon in the nurses station. Did I feel violated? NO, as she does not feel offended when I wear my cross. People who preach tolerance need to practice what they preach, otherwise it is nothing but plain hypocrisy. Tolerance vs. Abstinance...I vote for tolerance. As for saying prayer, I do, silently. I agree it is for myself and the family. At death, I believe the eternal fate of that person is fixed with the last breath they take.

Walked on water?????

heard a funny story once.....In a teaching hosp, residents are required to do a stint in each area of medicine regardless of the specialty they are persuing. One of the residents in the ER was actually studying to be an oral surgeon. Sooo, imagine how he felt when he had to go in and do a pelvic exam. As the pt laid their draped and speculum inserted, she made the comment, "l'd rather do this any day than go to the dentist." The resident stood up, peered over the pt's draped knees and said, ''Really? l'm a dentist!".....pretty comical, but l found it hysterical that the pt never batted an eye or wondered what the heck a dentist was doing 'down there'.....

l don't see any generalizations here:confused: quote: Don't get me wrong, I have worked alongside a few Nurses that care about the students and want us to learn. But, MAN! there are 4 nurses on the floor that give all the nursing students such a hard time. ......maybe not stated eloquently.....but you know, throwing the first stone...yadayadayada.......lighten up y'all.....or sober up:D

lt;s never safe to assume someone is faking......honestly, there is a whole package of red flags that lead to this deduction.....l feel bad for you Hellllonurse, there are nurses out there that have no compassion.....and besides, it is unsafe to assume you are correct in charging pts with faking, l believe one should get the benifit of the doubt....doesn't necessarily mean they will get the drugs they want.....but those who get beligerant at the mention of toradol, or are allergic to every low key pain reliever known to medicine, no family doc...even though they were referred the last 6 times they were in.....and on and on.....after a while it is painfully obvious....pardon the pun...

funny how the abd pain fakers always ask for something to eat....l don't think so. 3d shift guy...l still find your statement about ppl not planning a trip to the hosp fascinating.....l am not badgering about it, but it calls to mind a distant relative....many yrs ago, she was so hooked on soap operas that l believe she lost the ability to separate fantasy and real life.....this was back in the 60-70's....she had every malady and tragedy that her soap stars did......and when they got pregnant, she would too and talk about how her and so-and-so were expecting....if it weren't so pathetic it would be hilarious.....of course this was back in the day when there were only about a half a dozen soaps on the tube, otherwise....l think the population increase would have been off the charts...LOL.....

gizzy, l wish l had a nickel for everytime l have told a pt....."You need to take your fingers out of your throat"...l have caught many trying to induce the old heave- ho.......we had a "migraine in the other day....walking around the room, laughing and talking loudly w/ visitors, lights on....she didn't even have the decency to fake it...... but she did get some Toradol....LOL!

l went thru the training in June of 01....we also heard from prosecuters office, spent time practicing expert witness, spent time in the crime lab, the program we had was excellent put out by University of Cincinnati....l have not done a lot with this, l was just thinking this morning that l need to get back into it more seriously.

l meant to post a poll.........oh well, don't know what happened.

especially when you could have swept it under the carpet.......a short while back, l went into the pt room to give an IM inj. Almost always, l draw up meds in the med area, for some reason, that evening l did it in the pt room....l change needles after l draw up the med, so when l re-capped the firs needle, l laid it on the counter, turns out the cap was loose. Next thing l know, a visitor was stuck with this needle... thankfully it was not contaminated biohazard-wise....pt did not want to see a doc, wasn't upset, and no one else knew....but l wrote it up, didn't feel l had a choice. If anything had come of it later it would have been much worse and the injured could have made false claimes. So l got a "verbal". My NM was great about it but stopped short of commending me for my honesty, which l found dissapointing. Anyone care to share?:) .........LR

you guys are too funny....l gotta get offa here and get to work.....sigh....l am enjoying all of your responses...thanks....3dshiftguy, when l have more time, l am going to do a google on pseudosz.....l would like to learn more...if you have any good links to info please post them.....mean time...l'm off to a 12 hr shift of Jerry Springer........JERRY JERRY JERRY JERY JERRY!.............later......LR

I disagree somewhat with this statement....Many really DO intentionally arrive at ER with just this purpose.....sometimes they want to get at someone who has been perceived to have done them some kind of injustice or some may be Munchausen's....some want the ativan and valium......all different kinds of reasons......there is an element of your thoughts that l agree with though.....they are sick and there are some who truely believe they are having sz(few though).....you just have to be there though....I think its hard to relay your observations to someone who is not accustomed to and submitted to these conditions day after day without sounding harsh.......I really can't explain it........ you do develope a sixth sense sort of, But l believe good nurses know to question these feelings and look for anything that would prove otherwise, sometimes things are as obvious as the nose on your face and sometimes more subtle and always best to err on the side of caution always.......and BTW, the repeat offenders have RARELY f/u with pmd.....they save their performances for the ER............LR

JNJ...this brings back terrible memories for me...yrs ago l worked in a ped office....when l started the kid was about 18 mos old.....he had "problems"....ALL the time....ended up with a g/tube....and ended up coding at childrens hosp.....didn't make it..he was a couple of months shy of his 3d birthday when he died....autopsy showed ipicac poisening....GAWD, some of the posters that are worried about nurses being judgemental need to understand that we have seen so much of this kind of crap it is truely sickening.....and JNJ...you are right....it is Munchausen by proxy..............LR

l should have posted this comment on the mantra thread........"STUPIDITY IS MY JOB SECURITY"......gets me thru the day with pts like this;)

as far as l know, he did make it..... but l don't know how he fared in the long run...from my limited experience, those that live usually end up in LTC....kind of tend to loose track of them when working ER...... and want to add, that those reading this thread who have legit dse......surely you can see you are a world apart from the "acadamy" winners discussed here.:kiss

l can understand why ppl w/ valid illnesses can raise eyebrows at topics like these.....but you first must understand...#1, we attempt to treat these ppl regardless of our inclinations...they ARE given the benefit of the doubt....#2 there is rarely any documented medical history of anything r/t sx's. #3 these ppl ALWAYS get worse with an audience..especially the family/friends they are attempting to manipulate.....#4these ppl NEVER look ill or truley distressed....let me give you 2 examples 1. young girl 16yo arrives via emt "unresponsive" with sz-like activity....brought from a high school football game....friends state she only had a coke which they wittnessed her open the can herself.....except for the fact she won't respond, she looks great....(parents can especially appreciate this cause you know kids look like crap when they are sick). Eyes open and close, limbs jerking....much worse when juvenile tearful friends in the room. MD comes in room, holds open her eyelid and BINGO....eye contact....MD turns around, rolls eyes, and orders all obligatory tests....drug screen clean, ct neg.......funny thing though, when she first came in l told another nurse in room my bets were on FWB syndrome..(Fight With Boyfriend).....long story short......l was right. 2.Migrant worker , non-English speaking presents with interpreter stating joints of upper extrematies painful, difficult to move hands, finger...they are contracted...l try to extend fingers and pt winces...doesn't seem overtly ill...but suspect of seeking just doesn't feel right....can't quite put my finger on it, the only impression l am left with is that something is unusual about this situation......turns out, this guy has tetorifice....in my 22 yrs nursing l have NEVER personally seen tetorifice...he goes to ICU Personally, l think experienced nurses have a good sixth sense about pt's.....but l have seen some incompassionate doozies...they are out there.

we have had several "psych" pt's who are RN's lately.......part of me just says.."no freakin wonder"....and there are several pt's that are highly suspect of munchausin's....the other nite l was at the nurses station and in a casual conversation l used the term frequent flyer.....one of the nurses in a room across the way gives me a look.....l say what???...turns out all she heard was the FF term and right next door was one of our best customers!..........how about some OB stories???...got to be some great fakers there...LOL!

the best, the worst......what's your experience with pt's faking illneses etc?......seems lately at my ER, seizures seem to be the malady of choice.....l have decided to earn my retirement writing a book on how to fake a realistic seizure......the do's and don'ts....the other evening we had a chick having a "seizure".....full body, but she could talk and make eye contact....hmmm, AND....when l triaged her and asked her if she was having any pain, she said "yes, my chest where the nurse pinched me yesterday"....uh, yeah....she was in the day before with the same c/o. One time, we even cured a sz with a miricale drug called sodium nacl....(pronounced: so-de-um na-kel).......... tips: 1 do not make eye contact 2 do hit your self in the face with your arm when it is dropped on your face. 3. do not tear up when the amonia cap is broken 4 do piss yourself 5. puking is always effective ok, that's all l can come up with for now, and l am bored of war talk.....please help me earn my retirement;)

huh????

l have been seeing a lot of this at work, in fact, it is more typical of the crap l see than the more serious stuff here....l just don't understand.....l wish the original thread poster...(sorry l forgot), had specified....what makes nurses rat out other nurses for crap???.....l have never written up another nurse...although l have written up a resident or two....my philosohpy is..if l don't have the balls to confront the offender face to face, l don't have the luxury of writing up....l think that is hyppcritical....with the exceptions of unsafe care etc.......LR