ohioln

I worked night shift for many years. There was usually a lot of work to do.and also an occasional emergency or an emergency admission. I've worked 12 hr shifts and there are plenty of meds to give out throughout the night as well as other pt care and admisistrative work (mo. summaries, etc) to do.

Ribbit Hill, I do remember the 3/4 sleeves and the dress uniforms. I became an LPN in 1978 and an RN, AD in 1982. :typing

jvrpurple, I still have my pin but hadn't worn it for yrs. No one seems to wear them much. I value it a lot, as you, I worked hard for it too. We've all worked so hard for our pins, it's something else to want to help others and work hard to be able to do so. Love to all.

I don't know if my reply logged or not, so I'm repeating it. I also agree with both sides. A single person needs emotional support going through school, which they need to get somewhere bec. they're alone. A person who has a family usually gets support from their spouse, but they're away from the family more bec. of school, which creates stress for them and their family, so both have something to bear going through school.

I lived alone for many yrs and I really dislike it when people say that I don't have any problems. How to do they know? Ever think of lonliness, people seeing you as vulnerable bec. you're alone, etc. What nerve! I agree that everybody has problems. We should all remember that and be nice to each other and take care of each other.

I think it's ok as long as they have had sufficient training. Also, that they get payed more than a CNA, $12./hr or more. I've worked with a med aide in TX (I didn't know they only had 10 hrs training!) and they couldn't give injections, only PO meds. It was still a big help to me. I've worked in LTC and had 60 pts to give meds, tube feedings and change dressing for. I had no help giving meds. I rushed around all shift trying to get done. This was in PA. If I'd only had a med aide to give helf the floor, it'd make a great difference. I stress again, when they have had proper training in the clsassroom and adequate clinicals.

Night nurses work hard. There are not as many as day or evening shift and they have things to do, and also emergencies arise at times. Occasionally there is a very quiet night, but not every night.

It's ok either way, but looks a lot neater with T shirt, I think.

I had a 14K gold pin that had the school insignia on it and a white cap. We haven't worn our caps and pins for years, but I still have them from RN,AD and BSN, also have the 2 school rings, one pearl with the cadusis on it, the other blue with BSN on one side and the school name on the other. I treasure them both. I worked hard for them.

One way to quit is to try to have a non smoker's mind set, pretend you don't smoke, even if you still do. Also go to http://www.quitnet.com they have online meetings 24/7 and quit buddits and other things like that. I first tried the patch but couldn't stop and got severe chest pains. Instead I tried the gum because after 2 hrs, I could smoke, this way if I really had to have a smoke, I could. It helped me cut down and cut out. Hope this helps.

Thank you Jolie, this is true, next time I will do this. What you said sounds like what I should have done, it makes it very clear.

I was trying to say in the above reply that I documented his refusal of anything and teld him the rammifications of not doing what I suggested/advised, & the clinical nurse in my agency can also see that in my notes. Also the next time I have a client and they refuse anything, not "he" this client, but any other client, I will tell my agency, their MD, etc as I feel necessary and then if client refuses anything, that's up to them. I try ti have a good nurse client relationship with my clients, so they'll feel comfortable telling me things. I may have to tell them that I am required to tell my agency and their doctor if they tell me something that in my judgement, needs attention. Then if they do refuse, it's up to the doctor and family to work with them about it. Re: above post to anagray and jolie @7:32pm Sat 5.3.08.

To anagray and jolie, Whenever I tell the agency's DON in the past, have a new one now, they always contact him and let him know that I told them whatever he wanted me to keep in confidence, and he doesn't like it. Then he is upset with me and less likely to tell me if something is wrong (which would not be observable to me), which might make it dangerous to his care. I always document when I offer/advise him to contact his doctor so that the clinical supervisor at the agency can see this in writing when she reads my notes and if she didn't feel comfortable, could have contacted me. I am not longer on that case. The last I heard, he was ok. Thank God, I'd be awfully upset if something had happened to him and also if I'd gotten in trouble with my license. In the future, I will tell the client's doctor, my agency and/or anyone else if there is someone else to be told. I think, after reading what both of you said, that this would be the best thing. Then he can refuse meds, treatments or whatever is offered if he wants to do this. Thanks for the help.

Some nursing homes have activities for people with short memory like a social where they have snacks and can socialize as much as they can, or an activity that is simple but fun. Even if an hour afterwards they don't remember, they still had some time of being with others and doing something, which helps them emotionally, even if they don't remember the actual activity or get together. I know there are some people whose memory is that they must be fed and may not be able to talk anymore. Sometimes giving them something to hold that's soft or something like that helps them even if they don't actually mentally know much about what they are doing. That's what they did in a few homes I've worked in. I hope thought they did this everywhere.

That's sweet! I've worked in nursing homes most of my nursing career.A lot of the residents are so sweet. I wish all of them were. I feel so bad for the ones that don't want to be there & have no place else to go.

These activities sound nice. I used to work in a long term care facility and they had things like this also. They had moderate exercise too, if anybody wanted to join in. A lot of residents did.

I have a pt that refuses to have his md called, go to the hospital (I do home care through an agency) or have the agency called when something needs attention. He AAOx3, and makes his own decisions. I have called my agency and told the previous DON when I feel that something needs attn. but then the agency calls the pt, and he then gets upset with me bec. he asked me not to call them. Whenever I think someone should be called and he refuses, I document it. I (before docomenting) always tell him the rammifications of not getting medical attn. and have adviseed him not to take his hypertension med if his BP is low and to have family recheck it before taking med (he has an automatic digital BP cuff that family can use which I use too). He went to the hosp. last wk and they said he has a bowel obstruction. I'm sure I heard bowel sounds when he came home fm the hospital about 1 1/2 wks before. If he was obstructed, why didn't the hosp. find out on his last visit? I'm not giving pts name or location bec. of HIPPA rules. I don't want anyone to know who he is.. Could I loose my license from this? His condition is "fair". They have good, fair, poor and serious, so he is ok. I was taken off of this assignment bec. they said he's gone to the hosp frequently and has freq. UTIs. When someone gets a streight cath 2/da fm nse and 1 fm family, he is being exposed to bacteria bec. at home this isn't a sterile procedure. I wash his cath in warm water and antibacterial soap, urinal too everytime I do his tx. People who have foleys for many mos or yrs or who get str cath often can have UTI that is only txed when symptoms (pain, fever, burning etc) arise. I have said many, many times that his insurance should provide a sterile cath for ea tx and a few extra in case one is contaminated. He can't afford to buy these & his ins. doesn't supply them for home care. Please let me know if you feel that my license or job are in jeopardy bec. he has now been dx'ed w a bowel obstruction.He was placed on a small amt of Lactolose daily for constipation, and I don't know ea time he had a BM, but I do know that he has had them since he came home fm the hospital. I do not always ask him abt this bec. his daughter gives him his meds, except for 1 new med. I started giving him. She is a HHA and has had training and I'd think she'd have told the agency (she works for them too) or me if he hadn't had a BM for a long time and the med was not helping. He had a temp of 101 a day or so before my last day with him and he said he took some Tylanol and was waiting for it to go down. I offered calling someone but he refused. The last day I cared for him he had a temp of 99.3 said he didn't feel well and ref'd to have someone called! I alqways document anything out of the ordinary and if he refuses tx frm medical staff (his MD, hosp, agency, etc). Please excause the long post! Thanks for your help!

My father passed away this past Tuesday. He had lived in an assisted living place for about 5 yrs. My daughter, son in law and granddaughter had been up to see him and had returned home and a few days later she called me and said they called her and said that he'd taken a bad turn for the worst and he was getting morphine q15min. I called them and they said they weren't sure he'd make it through the night. I went up on the bus and got there the next day (coouldn't afford to fly & couldn't find an airport close enough to the home). I was able to spend almost a wk with him, and had to go home. I told him I'd be back as soon as I could. He seemed to understand. I got a call from my daughter a few hrs after I got holme. She said they'd just called and said he passed away at 6AM that morning. They will be having a service there in MD then will ship his body to Phila. PA where we will go to the service and bury him. He was very sick last wk. but knew me. We were able to spend some quality time together which I will never forget. I have been in nursing since 1978 (LPN) until now (RN). I have seen people die over several days to about 1 or 2 wks. I'm sorry he was so sick. He didn't want me to come up to see him alone because of the traveling. He was ok with my going with my family. I wasn't able to go this last time they went. This time he had nothing to say about it. When I got there, I found out that he wasn't getting the morphine that often, just had the fast acting one available that often and was getting the q8hr on order and prn as needed. Thanks for listening to me vent. I know that he is with the Lord now, and is happy, that's what's most important.

that was terrible!i hope your grandmother lived. i'd consider suing because he or she was on the phone with a non emergency call when your grandmother coded. sorry this happened to hyou.

I've also seen mats on the floor which is the pt's bed. Has anyhone else seen this?

goldeneyes181, I agree.

dekatn, if they don't know what's going on, I think they can be restrained against their will to prevent further injury intil they are lucid again. Correct me if I'm wrong.

If you're that tired, maybe you had better arrange for someone to pick you up or take a cab so you won't crash. Your loved ones and coworkers don't want to loose you and neither do we.

I'm so sorry!!!! May God be with you in this time of sadness and mourning.

Amoxicillin liquid does smell good.