Charity

You did the right thing. Just can't take it personally, as some people can never "be wrong." At my teaching hospital, we don't hesitate to follow the chain of command. In the past, it has had to be taken to the doctor's department head, and even to a hospital administrator!

"Why, of course, ma'am. If you would please take over performing chest compressions, I'll get right to your mother. Don't worry about that odd feeling as you compress. Those are just his broken ribs."

Your manager can't require a doctor's excuse just because. That should be in policy under what circumstances, or when. Usually it is after a set number of days calling in. Don't answer texts or calls. My manager and supervisor have their own ringtone on my phone ("suspense" on the iphone!). Many years ago, my sister would explain to her manager that she could not come in because she just had a nice alcoholic beverage! But there is no need to give any explanation. No is sufficient. Giving in just enables them. It is sad, but if they have enough troubles with staffing/workloads, then perhaps they will change something.

We have some folks who work that shift. To be honest, it is a very difficult one to work, because one has no private life with "regular" people, as you will be working every evening. But it is always a good way to get your feet in the door. One of our 3-11 people is first up to transfer to days when that position comes open in a month or two. As far as the difficulty of work, it will vary according to PACU. Will you be the only nurse there after a certain time? (NOT GOOD and not according to national standards!) What will the parking situation be? Can you get a spot in the morning without arriving an hour early and how safe is it returning to your car at 11pm? Assuming you drive to work that is. Otherwise, make the move! PACU is great.

Until this month, we (PACU nurses) thought we could not give Ketamine as it is classed as an anesthetic. The hospital just okayed Ketamine in PCA pumps, to be ordered by our Pain Service only. So I suppose we can, in low doses. I suppose it is similar to our epidural policies. We can't give the test dose, but can initiate the infusion later.

The best resource that I used was Perianesthesia Nursing: A Critical Care Approach, by Cecil B. Drain and Jan Odom-Forren. (I used an earlier edition by Drain alone, but its the same book)

Short answer: We PACU nurses take care of the entire patient, not just what got operated on!

It depends on your state's Nurse Practice Act. Nurses in my state can start art lines if trained by their hospital. (all policy/procedure written, naturally) I don't know of any that do, however. We have hospitals here (not mine, thank God!) that don't allow RNs to do any arterial sticks, even for gases. Our docs would love for us to, I know. But the little residents have to learn something while they are here!

As a junior in nursing school, I had clinicals on a pediatric surgery floor. I loved it. The last day of clinicals, I knocked on the nurse manager's door and asked for a job. I was working there as an SNA less than a month later. I did my externship in the peds house, and started as a graduate nurse on my floor two days after graduation. My second job was similar. I called a nurse recruiter at another hospital, got some appointments with nurse managers, and was offered the job on the spot at my first interview.

Does anybody know how we are differentiating between H1N1 and the "regular" flu? If they have stopping doing confirmatory tests, do they do a prelim that can tell what kind? I seem to remember a friend whose daughter had it. They told her they could not give her an official diagnosis with the test they did, but that it was the same class (or something) as the H1N1, which differs from the current "regular" one going around. Do the symptoms differ?

Thanks everyone for their replies.

As an acute care nurse, I read "residents" as physicians! You know- intern-resident-fellow-staff. Was I confused!

What type of scrubs/uniforms do you wear in PACU? Hospital issued or personal? Are you physically attached to your OR, or separate. What type of PACU is it? We are looking at our dress codes, but can find little in the literature.

With all the nursing schools in the area, I would contact a nurse recruiter at Forrest General as soon as possible.

Well, since we have well over a dozen OR nurses of the male persuasion, it never occurred to me that a guy would have any problem. This is not counting our techs and perfusionists. As far as I know, I doubt a chaperone would be needed as the OR suite is such a public place, with the other team members present. BTW, it isn't only males who need to consider a chaperone these days, for certain procedures. Want to be an OR nurse? Great! Get to it!