nanacarol

Hi, Nurses or those who seek careers in the helping field tend to give up too easy. We move to the Scriptures, especially the one you quoted. Scripture also indicates that we (believers) have been given the authority to take back what is lawfully ours. I did not come away with a sense of vengeance after reading your post. I merely heard someone who feels/believes she has been unjustly treated. Most women are not aggressive and don't like confrontation so we allow ourselves to been used and abused. Stand up for yourself. NanaCarol:twocents:

To any nurse or nursing student who has experienced inappropriate treatment whether from peers or nursing school instructors, it is imperative that you seek legal counsel. Do so immediately and make sure you have your information together. In many states nursing students must have malpractice insurance, if that is the case speak to your insurance company asking for directions.

Shelley1117RN, Please find a friend or go to your local bank for the money for an attorney. Hind sight is always twenty twenty, meaning a nurse should always have his/her own liability insurance. Just so you are aware the cost is a one time yearly deal. Enough of that. Hopefully you documented in both patient's charts that the incident happened and that you notified the nursing supervisor and whoever els according to protocol. the fact that you notated even in the margins that the medication was given to the wrong patient will be seen as favorable. As for getting a new job, if you have not be notified by the Board this incident is not one that is required to be declared or discussed with a prospective employer so you can honestly say you do not have any actions before the Board. Go out find yourself a job, hold your head high, make sure you have notes and documentation (if possible)concerning staffing and your actions. God bless. Nanacarol

Alright, I give. I can't continue silently while we nurses inadvertently promote what we do as being qualified as being a nurse merely because we have recently been "butt wipers". There is so much more to being a nurse than the "down in the trenches tasks" we do. Butt wiping can be outsourced and doen not or should not garner a $25+ hourly wage. Lets be real, we need all of the experiences and education the individual nurse brings to the table. I learned the skill associated with the task of butt wiper and I can perform that skill with the best of them but I have honed my critical thinking skills tat enable me to merely visualize a patient or patient family member and develop a set of queries that will allow me to ask the questions that will be significant in developing a treatment plan that addresses the needs of my patient and his family. This does not take me an inordinate amount of time so the saying all of the paper work takes away from my ability to care for my patient is not valuable. If I am focused on completing the lastest template so I can get to the next room you may have some legitimate concerns. We are nurses, what we do, what we really do can not be duplicated by any other discipline unless we relegate ourselves and out offering to the role of "butt wipers and such". Who do you think advocated for the nurse patient ratio to be decreased? Those non butt wiping nurses who sat in the various board rooms, participated as Union representatives, the nurse lobbyist, they are the voice of nursing. I am not intending to minimize the work or importance of the bedside nurse, nor am I purporting that major loads are placed on theses nurses everyday in practically every hospital, I am suggesting that it may be time for us to review how we speak respect for who we are and what we do and provide. It begins with a change in our "speak" As a man/woman speaks so is he/she. We are nurses, all of us! nanacarol

I am completing my MSN online this February. I attended 2 different schools, one was more student focused than the other, both provided instructors that were more than qualified and showed a real interest inthe success of the students. Those in my classes were assigned Advisors who checked in on us throughout the classes not just at the end. If any of us were having problems we had access to our advisors and instructors. Instructors responded within the 24-48 hr time frame and were available by phone and email. The cost was a little more than the brick and mortar, however for me it is worth it. For those student whose backgrounds were not at the level where they could really function without the close review and handson approach found in the on campus programs, there are tutoring options associated online as well as on campus. Choosing online programs requires a person to really know his/her weaknesses. nanacarol

Hi, I really disagree with the comment that the Med Tech had no responsibility to "report, mention" to the charge nurse that a peer had left the building for several reasons. The first is that the charge nurse is responsible for the work flow related to patient care. If that charge person does not know that he/she is down a person, the potential for serious patient mishandling can occur. No the med tech does not have supervisory authority but is responsible to notify the individual who has either supervisory responsibility or delegated authority to manage the facility in the absence of the supervisory authority. As I see it as long as we nurses make excuses for individual employees (ourselves included) not stepping up and holding our peers accountable for our team performance, team members such as the CNA will continue to get paid for not doing her/his job, for leaving the rest of the team in a bind that could cause poor care to our patients. The initial writer did the right thing, she is responsible for invoking her code of ethics in the work place. The old adage "if you don't stand for something, you will fall anything" rings true here. Whether the organization followed through or not is really irrelevant from my perspective, the real deal is the "nurse remained true to her/his code of ethics. nanacarol

Many of us have been where you are and have learned that even if we are the STAR pupil, even if we have it going on for us, if one of us is lost we all lose. I believe you gave what you thought was the best you had to offer, my concern is that after all of the giving you are still focused on you. Nursing is not about the individual, it is about the Group. Every day in the real world, we encounter peers and patiemts and families that don't "get it", the expectation is that we will forget ourself and focus on the weakest link. I can't say this enough, forget about you and focus on the greater good, what you as an individual person a contributor can make a difference. My last statement may be viewed as REALLY judgemental but it is not my intent. If you hang on to this issue, you wil fail to be the bes, most sensitive and caring nurse you are open to be. If we as nurses can't carry when it is evident that carrying is the order of the day for a colleague then we may need to reevaluate our calling. Please, please, those of you who disagree DON'T email me. Thanks Nanacarol

It is evident to me that you do not embrace the concept of introducing the concept of sharing and caring for each other even as students of nursing. Since I am aware of this disconnect, I enter into an agreement for you and I to agree to disagree. Those of us who profess to be part of the nursing community should, in my humble opinion, promote the development of the character of sharing and caring for each other first. If we don't, we will continue to encourage the introduction of nurses who are in it for themselves. Some where I read, back in the day, that a team is only as strong as its weakest link, I like to think that applies to nursing school and nursing students. Not to be judgemental more than I am already accused of being, the individual who posted originally seems to have a missing piece of the nursing and Sister Florence Nightingales intent, which I believe is to give of oneself without using a what's in it for me scale. I could be wrong, I admit it. I would prefer a nurse who willing gives up five points in a grade to ensure that when she/he is not caring for me, the team member who is has been show that he/she is not in this alone. Again, that's just a seasoned nurse's perspective, I could be wrong and living back in the day. nanacarol

Nursing is a profession that promotes caring for others, supporting those who need support whether the "those" are patients or peers. Developing that quality begins in school. Teaming is not just about bringing what you know are excel in to the table it is about sharing with the other members of the team. Advocating, providing a different perspective and developing the skill that allows you to recognize the areas you are weak in and may need to be "carried" and offering assistance to your team mates in the areas where you have strengths. Believe me, you are not great at every thing. If you are while in school, please believe me when I say your come uppance is waiting just around the corner. If you develop the reputation to be all about you, you will be miserable once you graduate and are depending on the team to help you reallylearn and grow in your new profession. There really isn't an "I" in team anf the "I" in profession refers to " I on the vision". If your team member, classmate fails nursing (and you represent the rest of us) fails. With all due respect, nursing is not all about you the individual. We care, we share, we serve, each other and our patients. nanacarol

Hi, welcome. I would suggest that you obtain your psychiatric mental health nurses certification. This will add credibility to your resume. nanacarol

I agree with you, one should not allow the naysayers to discourage or direct your career path. I have been apsychiatric nurse for more than 20 years, I have managed to remain excited and supportive and knowledgeable of the best practices in mental health. I am dismayed when I hear or read that other nurse specialties are not aware of how important it is to be able to care for the total patient and that behind or in front of each pateint's complaint the is an emotional/mental component and that to minimize the disruotion for the unit and the patient it is imperative that the nurse has the skill set to engage and diffuse so that the best level of care is provided. We are all just an emotional stressor away from a mental health admission for ouself or familky member. To provide care and safety for yourself, coilleagues and patients it is important that you are always in a defensive mode, evaluating and assessing the patient and environment, seeking every opportunity to minimize the negatives. It is critical that a real relationship is developed with the patients and that egos are left at the door. If it is apparent that your interaction is escalating the behavior, move away and allow someone else to intervene. No shame and before bringing in security do everything you can to resolve the issues (win/win).It is a dignity issue, the psychiatric symptoms are at center before medication is on board to stablize, the individual is out of control but inside is observing behavior that he/she can't control, if possible perserve dignity. Be real, if you make a promise keep it, maintain boundaries, there is power in being distant but approachable, caring but objective. Gooid luck and welcome. Sorry I blabbered on!! Nanacarol

I hear what you are saying, but I am of the opinion that every nurse would ensure that the issues related to medications and intrusive treatments would be investigated as would any care need before the nurse or other intervening party implemented the intervention. A professional sees the needs of the customer as priority and intervenes well within the scope of practice and standards of care for those intervening. Nanacarol

Assignments are not stone walls. Patients and families are our customers, if a patient has a need an employee should respond to that need within that individual's code of practice. If you can meet the need I as an employer would expect you to handle it and then do a hand off to the individual to whom the patient is assigned. When we become so territorial that we feel comfortable walking away from a patient request because it is someone else's patient we have missed the mark. And to say we may intrude on another nurse's treatment plan says that we are not communicating care needs of our patients. Let's suppose that nurse dropped dead, would noone pick up those assigned to her for fear of not completing "his/her" treatment plan? Please, lets get over ourselves and see the patient as the driver of the plan of care, begin to collaborate and communicate. Nanacarl

The world is not a "happy" place, we come incontact with people who are uncomfortable with those who are different from themselves, or others who have been culturized to believe that color is a determinant of quality. We also live with those who have grown up to ascribe to an elitist perspective that says those who may have less materials than we are less than, okay, that said, When I come in contact with patients, leaders, co-workers and the general public who feel a need to apologize for what they perceive to be a challenge for me (my color, or station in life), I do my best NOT to bring their short sightedness to the forefront, believing that to do so gives them and their deficit more power than it deserves, I focus on the fact that I have SOMETHING they need, I am the Keeper of the proverbial key so I have nothing to apologize for or to be intimidated by. I give the very best customer service I would give anyon in my care, answer their questions, direct them where they need to be. I acknowledge that I am ambassador of my profession and my race, but most importantly, I decide how I see myself, I choose to give no place to the negatives that others throw in my way that are designed to delay my trip to personal consciousness. The title Racist lives only because we continually acknowledge it and give it voice and power. Stop acknowledging it it dies. Nanacarol P.S. No I am not a goody two shoe, merely someone who demands to make choices for myself.

As I read your story, it occurred to me that those of us who are nurses" are called and I believe that those who are called are provided for. Each sacrifice you make and have made solidifies your positive outcome. Your passion and commitment is evident, visible in your account of your journey. God is in control and your journey will take the path that it is designed to take and you and your family will be victorious. The lives you touch on your path will continue to be a testiment to God's greatness. Blessings to you!!