Meriwhen ASN, BSN, MSN, RN

Psych ICU, addictions

Member

All Content by Meriwhen

  1. Meriwhen

    I can't find a job! Could I work as a CNA?

    Meriwhen replied to New_LPN's topic in LPN, LVN Corner

    1. Check with your BON to see if it's even possible to work as a CNA. 2. If it is possible, check with your BON to see if you can sit for the CNA exam; some states may let you challenge while...
  2. Meriwhen

    Praying when you don't mean it

    Meriwhen replied to Clovery's topic in Spirituality, Religion

    IMO, when a patient wants you to pray with them, I would let them do/lead the praying out loud, while you stand nearby in respectful silence. That way you're addressing the patient's spiritual needs...
  3. Meriwhen

    Why are we as Psych nurses seen as bottom of the barrel?

    Meriwhen replied to dreamingofbeing's topic in Psychiatric

    As my old DON used to tell me, "anyone can learn to put in a tube"...it was not meant as a negative jab against non-psych nurses, but rather as a reminder that should we want/need to, we can easily...
  4. Meriwhen

    Nursing: Culture of inclusion, or culture of exclusion?

    Meriwhen replied to CapricaNurse's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    I won't deny that there is true eating of the young: there can be back-stabbing, caustic competiveness, cattiness, lying, mistreatment of younger/older nurses, mistreatment of newer nurses, and so...
  5. Meriwhen

    how important is GPA?

    Meriwhen replied to sourapril's topic in General Nursing

    GPA matters for graduate school, internships and externships, and many nurse residency/new grad programs. And given the very tight job market, GPAs may help with securing that coveted new grad...
  6. Meriwhen

    Failed pre-employment drug screen

    Meriwhen replied to OlderRNinGA's topic in General Nursing

    No, you're right: Percocet is a Schedule II controlled substance...that is a fact that I learned from--and will never forget--after this
  7. Meriwhen

    Failed pre-employment drug screen

    Meriwhen replied to OlderRNinGA's topic in General Nursing

    Heck, a real drug addict probably wouldn't even need the prescription. Or so my patients tell
  8. Meriwhen

    Failed pre-employment drug screen

    Meriwhen replied to OlderRNinGA's topic in General Nursing

    Hopefully you will stick around. Like others have said, everyone's got opinions and when you post on a public forum you essentially invite public feedback. And freedom of speech means that you're...
  9. Meriwhen

    Failed pre-employment drug screen

    Meriwhen replied to OlderRNinGA's topic in General Nursing

    D'oh! Thought it was schedule III--my
  10. Meriwhen

    Failed pre-employment drug screen

    Meriwhen replied to OlderRNinGA's topic in General Nursing

    It's kind of like the real-world vs. the textbook-world of nursing, isn't it? :) In the real world, I know people--nurses included--swap prescription drugs all the time. Sometimes it's in a pinch;...
  11. Meriwhen

    need help

    Meriwhen replied to mismac's topic in Licensure: Criminal History

    I would just apply to anything/everything that you can: many facilities consider felony/misdemeanor convictions on a case-by-case basis so you will never know what your outcome will be until you try....
  12. Meriwhen

    Approval to test

    Meriwhen replied to Stressed047's topic in Licensure: Criminal History

    IMO, anytime you're going to go in front of/talk in person to/deal with the BON, have a lawyer involved. The BON is not the nurse's friend: their priority is to protect the public; the nurse's...
  13. Meriwhen

    Failed pre-employment drug screen

    Meriwhen replied to OlderRNinGA's topic in General Nursing

    I know you had no evil intentions by taking the Darvocet, but the fact remains that you did take a controlled substance that was not prescribed to you. Your employer could look at this and wonder if...
  14. Meriwhen

    Nurse's getting younger

    Meriwhen replied to Keepstanding's topic in General Nursing

    What I bolded are the important parts: one has 17 years' experience; the other has 5 years' experience. The ages are really inconsequential if you think about it...see the list below--all of the...
  15. Meriwhen

    Resources for eating disorders

    Meriwhen posted a topic in Psychiatric

    I'm starting off a new job in eating disorders. I've had experience with ED patients in the past but I've never specifically worked with this patient population. I'm looking forward to it :) I've dug...
  16. Meriwhen

    Telephone order NCLEX Question

    Meriwhen replied to HelloM1M1's topic in NCLEX Exam, Programs

    The question is asking which action she shouldn't do. You ALWAYS repeat the order back, emergency situation or not. I agree: I would have picked C. The other three make perfect sense as to what...
  17. Meriwhen

    How does it make you feel?

    Meriwhen replied to prettymica's topic in General Nursing

    I'm not saying you're wrong to feel deceived as you are entitled to how you feel...but I don't see any deceit on the part of the patient by not telling you. I agree with the posters that said that...
  18. Meriwhen

    Freaking Out a Bit....

    Meriwhen replied to LTCPCA's topic in General Nursing

    Med administration (and likewise, med-ed) can be delegated to her if she's a medication aide. Whether the OP is a medication aide, I don't know. OP: if you're NOT a medication aide or otherwise...
  19. Meriwhen

    Nurses Masquerading As Doctors (INSULTING)

    Meriwhen replied to djaychris's topic in Activism, Healthcare

    (empahsis mine)Agree for precisely that reason: If an when I ever get my PhD I wouldn't mind being addressed as "doctor" because you know what--I will be a doctor whether anyone likes it or not....
  20. Meriwhen

    Asked to shadow? A good thing?

    Meriwhen replied to Epona's topic in General Nursing

    It sounds like your chances are really good, but remember that you don't have the job until you get the official job offer. Keep up your A game when shadowing to make a good impression. Good
  21. Meriwhen

    New Grad RN with no job and HUGE dilemma

    Meriwhen replied to froggy8's topic in Job Search, Interview, Resume

    Agreed: your old boss knows the deal, so take the job and don't feel guilty. Besides, it's probably going to take a lot longer than you think to get a new grad job, even as an internal candidate....
  22. Meriwhen

    how long to wait?

    Meriwhen replied to Ms.RN's topic in General Nursing

    My average hear-back time is usually 1-2 weeks. I figure if I've heard nothing after that point, then I'm probably not in the running and move on...but occasionally I'm pleasantly surprised with a...
  23. Meriwhen

    Should I stay or should I go? I don't know.

    Meriwhen replied to newSN's topic in General Nursing

    Tough one...two choices will make one of you unhappy (or at least disappointed) while the third choice--you both accept your jobs--will require a lot of work and commitment on both of your parts to...
  24. Meriwhen

    Nurse's getting younger

    Meriwhen replied to Keepstanding's topic in General Nursing

    Age doesn't always mean experienced: my last new-grad orientee was in her 50s, a couple of decades older than I. She decided to try nursing after a long military career. We worked a lot of shifts...
  25. Meriwhen

    How long can it take to hear back from an employer?

    Meriwhen replied to en1024's topic in Job Search, Interview, Resume

    Unless I was specifically told NOT to follow-up (and to be honest, I've never had that happen in many years of job hunting both in and out of nursing), I would call/e-mail once...but once only. I...