SharkadelicRN

We have a team at our hospital. It consists of an ICU RN, a critical care respiratory therapist, and the house supervisor. During the week on the day the shifts, the ICU manager and ICU educator are also part of the team. We each carry a beeper and whoever needs help calls the operator and she will activate our beepers with a text message containing the area/room where the team is needed. I think it has helped in some cases getting patients to the unit quickly and before they code, but we have also had a lot of bogus calls too. We've gone to our psych facility because pts were acting "crazy"...you do the math. Once our nurse got there, they ended up putting a pt on the bedpan. Some calls are just to help a worried/anxious nurse before she can get in touch with a doctor. As a part of this team, we are not there to do the work of the nurse, but to help educate them and get them to do the right things for the pt. We can make suggestions, but they are the ones who are supposed to be calling the doctor, getting orders, etc. We will also assist with transport of the pt to the unit if that is what is required. I have found being on the day shift we don't get as many calls as the night shift seems to get. I think that's just a matter of there being more resources available during the day.

We are getting ready for our JCAHO survey and our nurse managers found out that an area that a lot of hospitals are being dinged on is having supplies at the bedside, such as syringes, needles, saline vials, saline bullets, EKG electrodes, tape, etc... I am wondering if anybody out there has had a recent JCAHO survey and was this an issue. If so, how are you handling it. We were told we could stuff our pockets, wear a fanny pack, install locked cabinets in all the rooms, or just go run for stuff as we need it. I work in an intensive care unit and this just doesn't seem practical. I was just wondering if this were really the case or has our management misinterpreted information they received. Any help would be appreciated.

I just finished reading another thread, and Biloxi Regional Medical Center took a big hit but is still up and running. I'm sure they are just one of many. I know that hospitals in Baton Rouge and Lafayette, LA are taking care of many of those that came from New Orleans. I don't know the names of any of the hospitals in MS or around NO that have been affected. I know Mobile, AL also had a bit of damage, so any of those hospitals would probably also be affected. In terms of organizing this, you could do it hospital wide, or maybe just within your unit. Pick a sister unit at any one of these hospitals and find out their address and ask your staff to contribute, then just send it off. Like I said earlier, it meant alot to know that others were thinking about us and the little things count for a lot in a time like this.

I live in Pensacola, FL and last year we were hit by Ivan. I want to share what others did for us. It was a small simple gesture, but it brought me to tears. There was a hospital in another state, unfortunately I don't even remember which state or hospital it was, but each of their nursing units chose a hospital and unit that had been affected by the storm and sent them a care package. Our unit received one of these care packages. It included all kinds of stress relief items, soaps, bath things, chocolate, candies, snacks, new nurse socks. Like I said it was simple, but so thoughtful. It meant a lot to all of us to know that others were thinking about us and that they cared.

Reading this makes me wish I was still in Lafayette to help out right now. Unfortunately I am here in Pensacola and want to be able to help somehow. I have entered my name as available to volunteer with FSBN and we are also offering our house to evacuees here in Pensacola. Keep up the good work. Hearing this makes me proud to have worked with many of the healthcare workers involved over there.

I just found this, there are links to the nurse practice acts of all 50 states. I hope it helps. http://www.the-travel-nurse.com/nursepracticeacts.html

You'd just have to check the nurse practice acts of the states you are interested in moving to.

I know nothing about the area you are moving to, but I can tell you what I have experienced recently. My husband and I are relocating to Florida this summer. We went in December to "just look". At that same time I decided I wanted to take a look at the hospitals. I first went online to http://www.yellowpages.com and looked up hospitals in the area we were moving to. I then went to webpages to learn what I could about the hospitals and get numbers for nursing recruiters/HR. I called and talked to the nurse recruiters and told them when I'd be in town and set up a tour of their facility at that time. I went with my list of questions about all the things that were important to me in finding a new job. I spent about 2 hours at each hospital I visited. I found the perfect fit for me by doing this. As for the housing, in the time I wasn't interviewing/touring at hospitals my husband and I found a great real estate agent who helped us find what we were looking for. But before we went out with him, he and I just drove all around to different subdivisions to get a feel for what areas we liked and what we could afford. Again, we found the perfect lot in the perfect subdivision. The only downside was we didn't have enough time to research the schools in that area and after we put a contract on the lot/house, we found out the schools weren't that great. Although that was a big bummer, I think the other things we will gain from this move are much more valuable than the added expense of private school for our children. It's a small price for us to pay to get all the other things we will gain from this move. I wish you and your husband luck in your new move.

I started nursing school when my daughter was 16 mos old. I was pregnant when I had 3 semesters left and had my son that semester. My last two semesters were with my 3-1/2 year old and an infant. My husband works offshore so I was alone with the kids most of the time. I found what worked best was to do my studying when the kids went to bed. Then for test time I'd study with other moms and the kids would entertain each other. It will be stressful, but the reward is great. Don't feel guilty about not having the perfectly kept house, or not being able to do everything that you think your family needs. I think as mothers we are cursed with guilt. There will be plenty of time to clean house and cook nice meals after you're out of school. Good luck to you, it sounds like you are doing great.