JennieO

Have you noticed how much SEIU is doing for the Swedish negotiations? The Harborview contract expires in July 2011 as well. SEIU has done ABOSLUTELY NOTHING except to take our union dues. I hope Swedish gets a good contract because Harborview union dues are going to Swedish's contract. Does anyone know how to go about getting a union out of their hospital?

Does anybody know which book is the best study guide for the ASPAN (PACU) certification? Thanks.

Nursing is a field with many areas--everyone seems to find one that they like. Many areas, you never see a bedpan or start an IV. You do get used to doing things, rather quickly, like drawing blood, starting IVs, watching someone vomit. In the health care field, I do believe RNs are respected. Also, nurses were rated the second most trusted profession, with only firemen being more trusted than nurses. Everyone knows that they are educated and how difficult it is to get into nursing school. Many other disciplines in hospitals/clinics aspire to go to nursing school. As for your parents, they probably do not know what nurses do. Nowadays, aides and techs do many of the things nurses of yesteryear did. Nurses have a more professional, and responsible role in any healthcare setting. Because we are better paid than most people, our time is now used in a more professional manner. For instance, when you go to a doctor it is doubtful you will see an RN, but an MA or a tech. As our pay has gone up, institutions are not wanting to pay us to do work lesser paid people can do. Also, RNs make more than many other professions and have the luxury of working part-time, flexible hours. It is interesting and so many areas that if you get bored, you can do something else. Do not underestimate the ability to work part-time, especially if you have kids. Most jobs do not allow you to work part-time and pay you less. Let the fact that it is hard to get into nursing school be an indicator.

I appreciate all your replies. Unfortunately, I do not have absolute proof of this, so I will keep quiet at work on this issue. I will let someone with more "clout" on the unit raise the alarm. I am not obligated to report something on suspicion alone and I will ensure that I do not see anything that would put me in a position of obligation to report. Remember, I have already reported someone, when six other coworkers who were witness to the same behavior said nothing to anyone but each other. Most of you have never reported an RN for substance abuse, so do not criticize me as I have already had the courage to do so. As a single mom of a sick child, it would be very irresponsible to jeopardize my job, and daughter's health care, ability to pay for medication, etc. In my situation, the right thing is to provide for my child as she takes a greater precedence to me than this situation. Again, I do not have positive proof so I am not obligated to report anything. I feel fortunate that what I have seen has made me suspicious and I will protect myself accordingly. Back to the original post, I do not feel the rest of us should be under this kind of duress to accomodate someone who has already betrayed people's trust. We all have problems. The rest of us deal with our problems, but do not take casualties with them. I like the analogy that someone made of would a recovering alcoholic taking a job as a bartender be the appropriate thing to do. No. Truly, it is the same issue with the exception that narcotic diversion and use at work as an RN are illegal and can effect coworkers legally. I do understand that as an RN the active/recovering addict makes more money than they would make taking a different job. Is this not selfish on the addicts' part to risk pts and other RNs careers so THEY can make more money? If they truly wanted to recover they would not work with narcotics, but the money appeals to them more than the risks to others. It may be hard for many to face, but I do believe that is the reason they return to nursing.

Dear Heron and Jolie, I am not "covering uP" anything. This is exactly the inappropriate nursing behavior I have written about. It was not I who jumped into the Pyxis or diverted narcotics. As my previous post reads, I have put myself in this position of reporting the addict before. Thanks, but these people are not worth the stress to me and that is MY choice. Many people are conditioned to feel sorry for the addict without any mention of the stress the person who reports it goes through. If an innocent coworker appears to be in trouble I will step forward. The person that was accused of taking three fentanyl is probably the biggest enabler on our unit by protecting and making excuses for employees. She would be the first one to offer her unconditional support of this person if it was not her that was being affected. It will be a hard lesson for her. As for the NM, again, this person is seriously befriending her and making sure everyone knows. Fine. I am a good nurse and will continue to be. I have many friends on the unit. This will play out among the key players--I am making certain I am not one of them. Unfortunately, this unit is notorious for protecting those who do wrong and chastising those who point out the problems. A key management person has even said she grew up in a dysfunctional alcoholic home. Her behavior in the past is evident of this. I've lived and I've learned. Also, if I have seen things, believe me others have, too. But again, the bad person is the one who reports wrongdoing on this unit. This environment was fostered by many of the same people who I am sure have their suspicions, but now, don't dare come forth. I am not going to change it. I have my own life problems, as we all do, and don't need anymore. No, I do not feel guilty and will not be brainwashed into feeling that way. Remember, it is this very forgiving view of the the addict that fosters the behavior of people not getting involved. I am in no way responsible for this person's behavior, she is. If she wants help, SHE will come forward. If not, she will go down a different road. In this state, now when you get caught, they videotape you and you do prison time. This problem will go away, eventually.

I work in the recovery room. Like the ED, the top excuses for not taking the pt. on the floor/ICU are 1)It's shift change (let's make this an hour ordeal) 2) the room is not ready (call housekeeping, or I will) 3) that pt. has not been assigned (ps-it is an empty bed, assign it at the beginning of the shift during "report" 4)we haven't heard of the pt (I called before and someone knew you were getting him) 5)the nurse will call you back (then doesn't) 6) can you hold him for a while (sure, pts come out of the OR, or through the ED, regardless of whether or not we are busy, but by all means, let us hold them for you). Solution: "Let me talk to my charge nurse or the nursing supervisor, I'll get back to you." 90% of the time the nurse will call right back to take the pt. Imagine that.

Dust off your resume. You will be better able to care for your father if you are not worried about $$ and whether you "get" to work tonight, probably after sleeping all day. The ship is sinking, bail out.

Dear Embarrassing, I do not know how getting a DUI is the same as diverting narcotics at work, working impaired and potentially ruining the careers of other RNs. Let's not compare talking on the cell phone while driving with stealing and using narcotics while perfoming pt. care. This trivializes being an impaired RN, which is not trivial as any BON will confirm. As for the science of caring, it is more important to care about the innocent RNs and yourself as opposed to the harmful, out of control behavior that an impaired RN has chosen. Again, the needs/wants of the impaired RN do not supercede the needs of others. This is called enabling, as a previous poster stated. I personally will not engage in this enabling behavior or prioritize the drug addicts needs over anybody else's. Drug addicts want you to feel sorry for them so they can continue to manipulate and not take responsibility for their actions. Frankly, the path they chose is just that, chosen. I do care about my coworkers and enjoy many friendships at work. I will continue to have friends at work and will distance myself from the drug addict as she is on her own "path" and she will arrive at her destination by herself. Fortunately, most nurse's do understand drug addiction and have the good judgemnt not to associate too closely with a suspected/confirmed drug addict, much to the chagrin of users and previous user's. "If you lie down with dogs, don't be surprised if you get up with fleas."

Hello, I am the original poster and I think all of us have had our opinions formed by personal experience. Seven years ago I had the experience of reporting an extemely impaired RN after several other RNs had voiced their suspicions and had been chastised by management for making such an accusation about this fine nurse. Ethically, I had to report him to my NM--fortunately she did believe me and called him in. He fessed up to the NM and the hospital attorney. He opted to go to treatment and then come back. I really looked forward to working with this RN who replaced a vial of narcotic with who knows what and I injected it into my pt. Also, an anger problem that only a few of us were privy to see and I am sure I was on his list. Fortunately, he disappearred and turned up working elsewhere in an OR. Currently, my unit has a new RN that has been schmoozing with NM (going to her house). Recently, I saw her jump into the Pyxis when someone signed in for a different RN to waste her meds. She was out before the second RN came to the Pyxis. (Yes, we may be lax, but we've never had a problem before but I will certainly be careful). Who know what she did in the Pyxis as her name will not be on it and neither of the RNs were aware of it. Now, an excellent RN of 30 years was heard raising her voice to pharmacy saying "I never took three fentanyl." She was working and wasting meds that day with this RN. Everybody loves her, even though she is rather "spacey" at times. In this thread, I have heard little, if any, sympathy for the harm she has and will do to the good reputations of her coworkers. Have we been so brainwashed that we are unable to place responsibility and blame where it belongs. We are made to feel we should forgive this deviant behavior, but WHY should we? Certainly, more concern should be for the nurses that she has harmed. I do agree with the poster that said addicts are selfish and only think of themselves--so why do we absolve them of responsibility for THEIR behavior. I suppose every innocent poster on this thread would agree if they were ever to have the unpleasant experience of being interrogated by pharmacy and management over a crime they did not commit. We all know these people will now be under suspicion. Personally, this has never happened to me, but I pity the people that it has unfairly happened to.

I am not in support of NOT transferring pt. at report time. Let's be real, the receiving unit wants to count the 20 minutes before report and 20 minutes after report as report. This works out to be over an hour, several times per day. I work in a PACU. Can you imagine us telling anesthesia they cannot bring their pts. out because we are in report. That would be kicked all the way up to the DNS. So, when the floors/ICUs try to stave off the pt., the PACU or ED RN is overwhelmed and care is compromised.

Should drug addicted nurses be allowed to return to practice when their rate of relapsing is incredibly high? Should they be allowed to potentially harm pts. and compromise the careers of innocent RNs in their attempt to place blame for their behavior on others? Perhaps it is time to start hoding people accountable for their behavior and not allow them to hurt others anymore.

The odour is not in your mind. I had an ICU pt. with the worst breath ever. It would curl your eyelashes. The next day when I got in my car I was hit with the stench from this pt's breath that lingered long after I exited the car. NOT IN YOUR MIND!

Do you have a union? About 15 years ago the major union in my city made it illegal for a hospital to send anyone home involutarily. I believe almost all of the hospitals around here do NOT engage in this, but I do remember when they did. Also, you know the old saying, "it's better to join them than fight them." Become friends with the "pets" and potentially reap the rewards. Nobody ever said politics are not in nursing.

I am interested in picking up 2-3 shifts per month as a PACU RN. Does anybody know which nursing agency in Seattle pays the most?

An RN friend I work with, was just diagnosed with MRSA from a nasal sore. Can she still work as an ICU RN? Can the hospital make her take a leave? She is debating whether or not to tell our employer. She has a mortgage and cannot afford to be out of work. Is it any of their business and what protections will she have (many of our pts. have MRSA and that is where she got it).