socalpca

socalpca specializes in Medical-Oncology.

Latest Activity

1. Question for Any of You That Have Switched Careers to Nursing?

   socalpca replied to PhilaGuy's topic in Men

   I was a beach lifeguard for 14 years until I suffered a pretty bad knee injury that severely limited my ability to do my job. I'm about to finish my first year as a RN on a medical-oncology unit and I'm very happy I made the career switch. Not only d...

2. Help getting organized?

   socalpca replied to superdeluxe's topic in New Nurse

   There are nurses on my medical-oncology floor who use clipboards and some who don't. As a new nurse(7 months), I have tried a lot of different things. Here's what I've come up with that has worked so far: -Get to work early. My shift is 1900-0730 and...

3. New nurse jitters. HELP!

   socalpca replied to SinusRhythm's topic in New Nurse

   I wish I had something positive to say about where you are, but it will get worse before it gets better. The great thing is that it will get better. I've been practicing for 7 months now, and it took me 6 months to get used to being on my own and not...

4. 7 Patients Feels like Too Many

   socalpca replied to luv2yoga's topic in New Nurse

   Wow!! Reading this string really made me feel lucky. I only have a max of 5 patients on our floor. As a new nurse (7 months), I have a hard enough time getting out on time with the 5 patients I deal with. I could not possibly fathom taking care of 7 ...

5. Hostile and demanding patients. How do you handle them?

   socalpca replied to Virgo_RN's topic in General Nursing

   True, but most of the unreaonable patients I care for don't know that.

6. Do Nurses Eat Their Young?

   socalpca replied to Brian's topic in Relations

   The thing about nursing, or the medical field in general, is that there is no much at stake. You need to be good at what you do and you need to learn your job quickly. Some patients don't have time to wait for you to make the same mistakes over &...

7. Nurses are Pathetic!!

   socalpca replied to lorster's topic in General Nursing

   Speak for yourself, lorster. Don't attempt to pull all this "we" crap. If you feel pathetic, then that's fine. I certainly don't feel that way. The MDs in my hospital would be taken out behind the woodshed for yelling at a nurse in the nurse's statio...

8. Hostile and demanding patients. How do you handle them?

   socalpca replied to Virgo_RN's topic in General Nursing

   Patient: blah, blah, blah, some unreasonable request. Me: We will be happy to help you, but right now you have already had all the pain medication I can give you right now. If you will return to your room, we will be able to talk further when I get t...

9. Advice on catheter stabilization devices

   socalpca replied to pf88's topic in Safety

   We use Stat-Locks for PIVs as well as PICCs. While I love them for PIVs and am satisfied with how they secure PICCs, I would feel more comfortable with PICCs being sutured, especially during dressing changes. However, I don't want to rely on sutures ...

10. Some mean Nurses.......

    socalpca replied to Billsgirl's topic in CNA/MA

    i was a pca for 4 months after failing the nclex. during that time, i learned that rn's as a rule treat the techs like dirt, but don't know it!!!! like you, the rn's on my floor are quite a bit younger than i am (i'm 33). now that i'm a rn, my time a...

11. List of meds

    socalpca replied to kiev1972's topic in NCLEX

    Don't bother trying to learn individual drugs-- there are too many. Instead, try learning the different classes of drugs. If you learn what the SSRI's do, how they do it and what the side effects are, then you have 5-10 drugs nailed right there. Also...

12. Why do you think so many healthcare workers are mean and arrogant?

    socalpca replied to mikethern's topic in Relations

    I don't think Mike is over-stressed or burned out based on what he's posted. I think the only generalization he made was comparing how his OR works to the rest of the healthcare field. My unit certainly is not like that. Any healthcare professional--...

13. Why do you think so many healthcare workers are mean and arrogant?

    socalpca replied to mikethern's topic in Relations

    I don't know what it's like to work in the OR, but I would not take it well or calmly if someone were to yell at me in front of all. I'm not trying to attack you or the way you do your job, I'm just telling you how I am.

14. Why do you think so many healthcare workers are mean and arrogant?

    socalpca replied to mikethern's topic in Relations

    There is a difference between being rude to a person and yelling at them. If you yelled at a co-worker on the job in the hospital, that may be grounds for disciplinary action levied against you. I'm not saying you deserve it, I'm just telling you lik...

15. Failing Clinical... What is a friend to do?

    socalpca replied to missrebecca's topic in General Students

    I hate to sound cold & heartless, but there are times when you have to take care of #1. Unless you or your friend have documented evidence of unfair or unprofessional practices on the part of the instructor, there is little to be gained for you a...