Mattigan

I grew up in McLeansboro. I live in a different state now. I've thought about moving back but I've heard health care is not a booming business in McLeansboro. I wonder about Mt. Vernon?

The only holiday we are guarenteed off is a Christmas- either day or eve. You alternate those year to year but you can trade with someone with the same skill level if it doesn't involve OT. Thanksgiving is alternated year to year - unless census is low. Employees are expected to work other shifts to cover holidays and vacations. The Nurse Manager even works nights and she usually does more evenings and nights than anyone. Other Holidays are upon request, first come- first served. part time only has to work 1 w/e a month- no holidays specified. no agency allowed.

Strictly enforced policy at my hospital.

I work Peds and use foot veins in babies not walking or standing on their own all the time. If they can stand or walk I only use it as last resort for fluids or meds and as soon as crisis is over I change it out. A few hours on IVF usually lets a vein pop out that you couldn't feel before. Oh, we don't need a physician's order. On babies I prefer scalp veins unless they need an oxyhood or something similiar. They last much longer and usually easy to stick even if the baby is chubby.

Our kids do alot better on Xopenex.

Have done it alot- love it. Great work if you can get it. Lots of time with patients and none of the stresses.

We don't use agency nurses but it is not unusal for an FTE to be sent home or called in to stay home. If they want a full check they have to supplement with benefit time. On my unit it works out kinda well... there are e few who like to take off and don't mind and some who don't have the benefit time and need to work so we all cooperate.

I am horrible at it. I always use them for adult stuff but I never seem to put them on for peds blood draws or IVis . If I ever get anything it is my fault. If I use them for IV , I confess i cut the tip of the rt index finger out. I can't feel. so i am 9/10 protected, i guess.

Did anyone noticed I have finally figured out how to guote and use smileys? That was a first time for me.I know it sounds like a small thing... but for me and my computer skills it's a significant milestone.

:roll :roll ... you gave me my first laugh of the day. Glad you are here again.

I could never work at Kohls. On payday, I'd owe them money.

I haven't even thought of "nursing theory" since grad school ( went thru BSN in the olden days and didn't have to worry about nursing theories). They make my head hurt.

Baby powder is bad, also.

My best friend from school works IHS and has 1983. She worked in OK., CA.,Montanna, and now in Arizona at Tuba City. She realy likes it. She is Native American (Seminole/Choctaw) and has liked it except for Montana. She said she had some cutural differences with the Sioux and that part of Montana was too flat for her. She is in midwifery school now but plans to stay with IHS. She opted not to do Commission Corp. She said pay was better but placement not as flexible and really glad now that there is intent of war - CC goes active. She lives on Navaho rez now but after school goes to another.She would like to sty with Navaho. There was IHS facility here but now is run by Chickasaw Nation. So Commission Core and IHS people have moved on due to salary changes and such. Basically, I guess all I said was she likes IHS. Oh, and she did it by choice- no payback involved with her.

I have been an RN since 1983 and you would not believe how primitive my math skills are. I have no problem with dosage calculations. I also did chemI &II, organic chem and biochem math without having a breakdown. I loved Stats. class! Honest, it isn't like real math- I can't do that. I can't help kids with math if they are beyond the 5th grade. Honest, if I can do it ,I figure anyone can. Don't be afraid- just go a day at a time and one day , you'll show up and they'll say you are finished.

Happens to me- doc says is Vit B(&niacin) deficiency and anemia is usually R/T the deficiency.

Our hospital has a nurse on each unit who is CPR instructor and it's free for employees (as is everything required). This hospital aslo pays for ACLS,PALS,NRP - all available inhouse. They paid me to go to classes to be instructor for PALS ans NRP. They also pay for any conference or class I ask to take or send staff to. They also pay 8 hours pay per day we are away, hotel, food, airfare or give us mileage if we want to drive. If it only a few hours away we also have the option to check out a hospital vehicle. The only catch with the hospital vehicle is the Security Director insists I give him advance notice if I am the one to drive- he said he has make time to go double up on insurance. I don't really know if he's kidding or not.

ok- rppms is rooms and that is a current surgery schedule.

All we use are the "house papers", carry them in my pocket when I cover house. They consist of a current surgery , current and next shift staffing summary, a list of all hospital rppms - out beside each room # is name of patient, doc dx, and anything we need to know about the pt. Mostly the day shift HS just does hotel duty and assigns rooms as Nurse Managers here all wear scrubs and DO THINGS. Eve and nights have to work a bit harder. Our VP of Nursing wears a white uniform and actuallyDOES THINGS with patients, too.

I drive 0.9 miles - if I get a parking place up close, if not then I have to drive EXTRA.

Canoehead is 100% correct.

Nell- No! They don't. Never gave that a thought. I guess it's only nurses who are publically humiliated.

My teacher friends and relatives can lose their teaching certificates and /or jobs for the same type of things as you listed above.

I look at it as a very exclusive club. I love it.

We have first name and title only. Too many problems the other way. I had a scary incident resulting from me turning a family over to Child Protective Services. They made a lot of threats and did a lot of harrassing. My phone went to unlisted because of it, also. At the time our name badfge had both names but it was recently changed but as one poster mentioned it's on the discharge instructions anyway so it's not like they can't get it.