Meriwhen ASN, BSN, MSN, RN

Psych ICU, addictions

Member

All Content by Meriwhen

  1. Meriwhen

    Recovered alcoholic & new nurse

    Tough one. Unfortunately, saying that you are a recovering alcoholic may hurt you more than help, since a lot of places still attach a stigma to that. In addition, when they call to verify your...
  2. Meriwhen

    which is better for a new grad?

    You can't just pick based on "big" vs "little" hospital. There's too many other factors to consider: job offer you get, salary, length and quality of orientation, additional educational...
  3. I was living in a compact state and I didn't have to give it up when I got endorsed into a non-compact
  4. You can apply for endorsement in the non-compact state and still keep your compact license. A compact license is not 30+ state licenses, but one state license that lets you practice in many states...
  5. Meriwhen

    In need of a serious butt whoopin I am.

    I hate these self-evaluations. I underrated myself on the first few because I wasn't entirely confident in myself even though I did get great feedback. So for one of them I decided to be more...
  6. Meriwhen

    How Much Do You Remember???

    I agree: you tend to remember the stuff that you use the most in your area of nursing. As far as everything else (read: non-psych info) goes...I don't expect myself to remember every single little...
  7. Meriwhen

    Written up for false documentation...

    Condensed explanation: someone who posts just to cause trouble. Sent you more details in a PM. Hope this
  8. Meriwhen

    Virginia license reciprocity

    Ah, that could be why I have the wrong end of the stick--most of my experience is with the compact states. Thanks for setting me straight! :) OP: Ignore everything I said except for the starting...
  9. Meriwhen

    Written up for false documentation...

    If you were a troll it'd be pretty impressive...I mean, nearly 4 years and 4100+ posts before you were finally found out? Usually trolls show their colors in 110 posts or
  10. Meriwhen

    Written up for false documentation...

    Don't apologize because there is nothing to be sorry for. If you feel nursing is for you, then there's your answer...and again, that was a question only YOU could have answered. Not me or anyone...
  11. Meriwhen

    Virginia license reciprocity

    I believe that in most states, you have a 30-day grace period to practice with an out-of-state license. After that period ends you need to have your local license in hand or you'll be running afoul...
  12. Meriwhen

    New Grad RN jobs 2012

    Unfortunately dumb luck plays a bigger part than it used to. So does timing. I know people who got hired simply because someone bailed and they needed a person
  13. Meriwhen

    Written up for false documentation...

    Sorry you seem to be having a bad morning too. Nah, she's no troll. She's
  14. Meriwhen

    Written up for false documentation...

    Sorry you're going through this again...but my advice given to you in all of your other threads still stands. I don't know what issues you have going on with you but based on your pattern of work...
  15. Same reasons here...but I'd lean more towards "no" because we're talking about psych. It wouldn't bother me as much if it was medical. But should I ever be 5150-ed, I'd feel pretty safe going there,...
  16. Meriwhen

    You know its a seeker when . . .

    All my patients are seekers--that's how it is in detox, kids :) That being said, the ones that raise the red flag are those who swear up and down that they didn't get their medications (hence why the...
  17. Meriwhen

    Drug Testing Questions!!!

    Yes, it's rare but can happen, and follow-up testing usually confirms innocence. So don't spazz, the odds are highly in your favor that you won't test positive for anything and you will be fine
  18. Meriwhen

    Drug Testing Questions!!!

    If asked, you should list any and ALL medications you have taken: prescription, OTC, herbal, anything. The reason is that in rare cases cross-reactions can occur in medications, including OTCs and...
  19. Another option is to consider living across the border in NC and commuting to VA for work. Houses there are somewhat (not much) cheaper and you can get more bang for your buck, and commuting is only...
  20. Meriwhen

    Happy certified nurses day!!

    Psychiatric-Mental
  21. Meriwhen

    Happy certified nurses day!!

    I am proud to celebrate my very first Certified Nurses' Day. May I never take that darn test again for as long as I live
  22. Meriwhen

    RN-BSN online classes...chances at a job?

    As long as the school is reputable and accredited (i.e., it's not named something like "Farmer Bob's School of Nursing"), I don't think they will really
  23. Warn them once, then let it go. Maybe they will get their dream job...or maybe not. But they have to figure that one out on their
  24. Meriwhen

    Drug Testing Questions!!!

    The first facility I worked at did not require employees to disclose what they were taking before the test, the reason being that they'd deal with positives when they came up. The second facility...
  25. Meriwhen

    When are you not considered a "New Grad" anymore?

    Technically, you are no longer a new grad by employers after one full year of employment as a RN. With peers, your mileage may