vablueyes

Just wondering: Recently I had an issue with Pharmacy sending my supervisor a Pyxis log and stated that there was a vial of Fentanyl and a vial of Versed missing from our return drawer. I have a hard rule with my nurses that after a sedation case, as soon as the patient is settled back in recovery, the drugs MUST BE IMMEDIATELY wasted/returned. I don't want any questions to come up as to our control of these drugs. When Pharmacy recovered the returned vials, there were these two missing. After three hours or so of me pulling charts, reconcilling the charts against the return logs, talking with my nurses, I gave up. Nothing found, except for those two vials, and I couldn't find where they would be missing from. I told the Pharmacy that I would be doing an Esrm and leaving it up to the powers that be to find what was going on. Imagine my surprise when I was told the next day that the vials had been found...in the return bin....go figure!! We have to have a witness to waste, but are allowed to return solo....but, who witnesses the Pharmacy Tech? They don't have anyone to monitor them, but if something is missing, the oness is on us to find it....not a good system, if you ask me! Are there just NOT Pharmacists who would divert meds? I don't think so!!

Really don't know where you all hang out, but my family AND friends, and most of the Doctors I work with are always complimenting us RN's as being smart, on the ball, having the knowledge and instincts to do a good job, and will actually come to us for advise, information. I would have a very hard time if I had to constantly defend my degree. I don't think I'd want to be around others who thought I was not very bright. In fact, I have my husband "trained" to tell others that his wife is "incredibly intelligent" and his whole reason for living. LOL....can't train everyone, but your honey and your family and friends should always back you!

Can I please interject something here? I was attempting to explain to a black patient yesterday who was complaining about having had an EJ placed by someone in the ED, and also had a peripheral IV placed in her AC. The AC line infiltrated and they proceeded to use the EJ. Afterwards, the EJ site developed dark scarring and a small keloid. While I tried to explain to this pt that dark skin is more prone to keloids, she rolled her eyes and said "Watch it, you are treading on thin ice" and then said "just leave it alone". I am NOT in any way a racist, and my feelings were hurt because she assumed that since I differentiated dark skin vs light skin, I was degrading her, or at least separating black from white. Finally, I told her that it was in the books, look up keloid and see for herself. Some people just want to be divas, and this was one. Did I say anything prejudicial? Nope, just giving her the facts, in as nice a way as I could. I did have a witness who totally agreed that this pt was looking for trouble..

So sorry you feel that way. But, it's reassuring to know I am not the only nurse who is sorry she took this path. I am sure there are many more out there as well. Not too much longer, then I'm outta here!!!

When questioning a patient about previous illnesses, she said she had the "Smiling Mighty Jesus" when she was younger. It took four nurses to figure out she meant that she had had spinal meningitis.

A cut that won't stop bleeding will stop if you apply fresh coffee grounds to it. (this one really works) Cut onions in the babys jammies will take away the fever. (this one always made me crave a hot-dog with onions when the moms brought them to the ER) Place an aspirin on a tooth that aches.... Rinse your mouth with Bourbon if you have canker sores in your mouth... This is a great thread...I'm loving the remedies, even the ones that don't work.

I am so sorry you all had such a difficult time with the HR person. I will forward this to our higher ups and hopefully this won't happen again. I wish you all the best in your job search, and again, am so sorry about the trouble you had. I hope it get resolved soon, good nurses are hard to come by, and to treat them rudely is so sad. Best of luck to you!

AAshley, I am wondering who the people you talked to are. Would you be kind enough to provide me with names? IF not names, then what departments? If you want to email them to me, that would be great. I don't think posting them here would be beneficial. My email address is [email protected]. I promise to keep it confidential. Best regards!!! Merry Christmas!!

AshleyA, I am so sorry you had such a bad experience. Please know that this is NOT the norm here. I work with just the best team ever, and we will all go out of our way to help eachother, we DON'T have tight little groups, and when a new person comes our way, we are excited and eager to welcome them in. I wish I could cause a "do-over" for this and direct you to someone who would make your interview a pleasent experience. I know this has left you with a less than positive opinion of our facility, and believe me, we have our issues, but it is a great place to work. I wish you luck on finding a job in the very near future, and with a facility that appreciates the experience you will bring to the table. Good luck, and have a great holiday!

Well??? How'd the interview go?

A toe ring that was too tight, but it wasn't a solid circle. I just opened up the ring a little and it slipped right off. Amazingly, she was sent to the ER from her doctors office. Go figure!

I work at Piedmont, and didn't have any problem getting interviewed a year and a half ago. Recently, they have let some employees go, due to budget issues. I would call and speak with the HR person, and if you know where you want to work, perhaps call that department and speak with the charge/nurse manager. They can usually put a bug in the HR ear and get things moving. Good luck...

I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to the islands, sipping cold adult beverages, and enjoying the warm sand between my toes, no malls, no barfing or pooping patients, no administrators dictating my every move....just peace and quiet. It may not last long, only until the $$ runs out, but I can hear the azur seas calling my name!!

OK...it WAS my dad. I was in nursing school, and my dad had recently been dx's with lung CA. During a blizzard, in early January, Dad passed away at home (2 bedroom house, 15 people in there waiting for the inevitable) and the stress level was through the roof (which by the way, had six feet of snow on it, and was sagging, making it difficult to open and close the doors). Well, when he passed away, mom and I knew it would be a while before he could be taken out of the house because the roads were impassable. We didn't have anything to keep his mouth closed (to prepare him for the undertaker), so we used a knee-high hose, tied at the top of his head. After we tied it, we looked at eachother and burst out laughing, he looked like he had "bunny ears" on. We laugh to this day about it. We know that if he could, he'd be laughing right along with us. We have to remember as nurses, there are a whole lot of things worse than dying. Levity and humor keep us going, and the ability to laugh instead of cry makes our job just a bit easier. I don't think anyone could love their dad more than I did, and still do, but we just had to laugh... :chuckle

Reading notes from local doctor on a patient from nursing home, who had had a right mastectomy several years earlier..." patient alert x 4, appears well fed, right breast still missing." (like it would grow back like a lizard tail???) This same doc a few years ago admited a patient to the floor with "pork chop enteritis"...hmmm...

We dilute both toradol and phenergan with saline in a larger syringe when ever we have to give it close to the site. I makes a huge difference in comfort levels. Just two or three cc's of saline makes a huge diff.

:angryfire I would be furious if we didn't get additional compensation for being an ER nurse. We have to have the patient stable before he's transferred to ICU, so that means the drips are up, the IV's are patent, the vent is in place...and then the RN must transport the patient, along with respiratory, to ICU, all the while, my four or five other patients must wait patiently for me to return to resume care of them. Luckily, our unit works like a fine machine. We depend on eachother to help, and are comfortable with that. But, the ICU nurses only have two patients to one nurse, and the ER nurses have up to six patients. Granted not all patients are critical, but you never know what will come through the doors at any given time. If I didn't get the better pay, I'd definately organize a grievance committee, and make sure the administrators knew what was wrong. We are way too valuable to be let go, and we know it. :chuckle

Mine is the 390-400 pounder who can't walk because his legs won't support him, and who can't wipe his hinney or find his member to use the urinal. He comes in at least once a week to get "cleaned up", and it takes seven people to move him, can't turn over because he's too big for the stretcher, he smells to high heaven, and wants the phone, wants the ice water, wants you to move his leg, "can I have a urinal" (even though he cant' get his member to pop up big enough to make it in TO the urinal), "will you order me a tray", and the whole time you have your seriously ill patients, who must not only endure the smell, but wait while you babysit this one. His attempt to use the urinal is like "Old Faithful" spurting all over the walls,floor, curtains, and me if I'm not quick enough. I always get stuck with this one, and my back is just killing me.....I think next time I get a report over the radio that he's on the way, I'll develop a migraine and go to the lounge until it's over...There has to be a better way to make a living. You have to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandpa was.

We have the same response from our management..their response was "I'm sorry you feel "stretched" but there isn't anything we can do."....in other words, tough crapola, you are the nurse, pull up your britches and handle it. It is a very unsafe environment for the patients, but they won't care until something awful happens. As for Saskrn....I doubt you were able to give precise care to 13 "acute" patients rightout of school. Perhaps my defininition of "acute" is different than yours. Acute is almost 1:1.....Perhaps 1:4 at best...no WAY 1:13.

And then there are: BOS - bad off sick Walk in the Swamp - pelvic exam on one with poor hygeine Hyperhohoism - child weighing in over 150# TSTL - too stupid to live TSS - That sucking sound..the life being sucked out of you from the twits in the ER. MOK - made of kryptonite..can feel your life leaving you from being around these people.

Before I start an IV I always explain what I am about to do to the patient. You pick up immediately if they are nervous. I tell them "if you work with me, we can be finished in no time, and you will be suprised at how easy it is." Then once I have my vein selected, I tell them "at the count of three, I want you to take a deep breath." One, two, THREE...and when they breath in, I stick. It gives them something to think about, and for whatever reason, the vein seems to plump up just a bit more. They are always suprised that they didn't feel it, and almost always tell me I'm the best "stick" they have ever had. Then, if it was someone who has limited vein access, and if I get it on the first try (of course) I tell them to remember that this is their best vein, and to tell whomever has to stick them in the future, to avoid numerous sticks. I have won them over by then, and they trust me later when it's "foley time." It's all about confidence, anyhow, and if they have confidence in you, you will feel better about the procedure. And always remember, Somedays you aren't gonna get it, so don't fret. Good luck!!

We don't have sign in, either, but some of our favorites are: I need a technical shot, stepped onna nail: My gouch is actin up: I keep feelin like I'm gonna fall out cuzz I got high blood; and I had a seizure this morning (or yesterday) and I want to be checked out...when asked if they are taking their antiseizure meds, they ALWAYS say "not this lately, I ran out a good while ago" . Well..duh....what's a good while ago? week? month? I want to tell them if they can't be responsible for their health, then they can't expect me to fix them when they mess up. Also had someone call in and ask if "do that technical shot help if you get exposed to amtrax?" LOL....uh huh..if you are exposed to amtrax, the technical shot will save you!!

The only difference between a Specialty MD and a puppy is after thirty minutes alone, the puppy will stop whinning!!! I had an orthopedist attack me with similar actions, and I stood my ground, confronting him with his petty attacks on nurses. Told him to crawl down from his pedistal and see the real world. Now, he treats me with the respect I deserve and demand. He told me that he had never had a nurse stand up to him before, and now he can see the "evil of his ways" thanks to my defensive actions. During our blow up, I told him he could treat me with respect, or he could do the whole procedure by himself. I was here for the patient, not for him. All of this took place in front of the patient, who jumped in and defended me. On the bright side, all of the nurses who have been belittled by him tell me that I'm their hero....and I feel that I made a postive impression on him in terms of nursing, and he doesn't try to undermine us anymore... No one...not housekeeping, not nursing, not techs...should be humilitated, least of all in front of a patient. When we stand there and take it, we are allowing it to continue...stand your ground from the gitgo...don't allow it to penetrate any further than your ears...your heart is in nursing...keep it there.

This is from a chart of an elderly lady from one of our "Higher Learning Centers" who had had a mastectomy, has alzheimers, and is a bit combative: .....left breast still missing (they grow back??), I was beat off before I could get a good listen (that may be too much information)... This same doc has also written diagnosis as "Pork Chop enteritis." and has asked patients if they want a pine box or treatment..

I work in a busy ER and am probably yelled at at least once a week. I take a deep breath, look the person in the eye, and say "I can understand that you are frustrated (hurt, anxious, concerned...whatever) but we are doing the absolute best we can at this time...you have two choices. You can speak with my nurse manager when she is available, or you can put on your big boy/girl pants and deal with it. I will get to you as quickly as I can." This usually leaves them with a bad taste in their mouths, but leaves me with the upper hand. I refuse to let them get to me.