Meriwhen ASN, BSN, MSN, RN

Psych ICU, addictions

Member

All Content by Meriwhen

  1. Meriwhen

    Hello from Scotland

    Meriwhen replied to MickeyTong's topic in Psychiatric

    Hi Mickey! Restraints are either physical or chemical means of controlling a patient's behavior. They are the last resort to be used if all other alternatives have failed and the patient continues to...
  2. Meriwhen

    Staffing on Inpatient Unit

    Meriwhen replied to swimrn1's topic in Psychiatric

    That settles it, I'm emigrating to NZ! Our nurse-patient ratio goes from 1:8 to 1:12. Unfortunately, it's often closer to 1:12 than 1:8. There's at least 2 techs. If it's all regular unit staff we...
  3. Meriwhen

    Will I hate psyhe nursing more, less or same?

    Meriwhen replied to myoglobin's topic in Psychiatric

    First of all, let me clear up the misconception that psych nursing is either easier or less-stressful than other fields of nursing. It may be for you or it may not be for you...all I can guarantee is...
  4. Meriwhen

    I need advice ASAP!!!!!!!

    Meriwhen replied to spete39's topic in Licensure: Criminal History

    I just posted this in another thread...but unfortunately as long as the facility isn't discriminating against a protected class, they can decide who they want to hire or not hire, for whatever reasons...
  5. Meriwhen

    AM nurses, tell me what I can do to make your shift start easier.

    Meriwhen replied to tiroka03's topic in General Nursing

    In addition to all of the above, be ready to give report on time. Nothing is more annoying than getting onto the floor late because the report was late or ran late...especially when you know doctors,...
  6. Meriwhen

    Interview attire

    Meriwhen replied to Jdjmj's topic in Nursing Career

    IMO, either flats or a very low and sturdy heel. Understated is better than flashy. And interviewers DO notice what is on your feet: one once commented on how my open-toed shoes were not...
  7. Meriwhen

    assessment or meds first?

    Meriwhen replied to serein's topic in General Nursing

    Always assess first. If you can't do a head-to-toe, at least do a focused one so you know what you're dealing with...and won't do things like give metoprolol to someone whose BP is 80/50
  8. Meriwhen

    I really need any info you may have...Please

    Meriwhen replied to Camemile's topic in General Nursing

    Something similar happened to a friend of mine, except it wasn't a hospital visit. It was a water main break that brought traffic in the area to a standstill for several hours. She couldn't make her...
  9. Meriwhen

    SCHEDULING/WEEKENDS

    Meriwhen replied to apriloglesby's topic in General Nursing

    Our facility requires nurses to work both weekend days at least every other weekend. If you wanted to work only one weekend day every weekend (such as work every Saturday) then it was your...
  10. Meriwhen

    For Laffs - Take The Nurse's Cap Quiz

    Meriwhen replied to DoGoodThenGo's topic in Nursing Humor

    9 out of 10: the black band question got
  11. Meriwhen

    "Forced Out"

    Meriwhen replied to ICUenthusiast's topic in Nursing Career

    I don't think it's in her best interest to go back to the facility period. Given everything that's happened, no matter what unit she was assigned to at the old facility, she'd be going back with a...
  12. Meriwhen

    Probably a dumb question: "I have to pee even though I have a catheter in!"

    Meriwhen replied to NurseyPoo7's topic in General Nursing

    Actually, I only had the urge to urinate AFTER the cath was removed. The nurse kept telling me that was impossible since I had no urine in the bladder, and I kept replying that I still felt like I had...
  13. Meriwhen

    and everyone's... OK with this?

    Meriwhen replied to tater.jake's topic in General Nursing

    Don't know about the rest of the chart, but as far as the first few years go, that's what RNs make at med-surg hospitals in my
  14. Meriwhen

    Should this be reported??

    Meriwhen replied to nicenurselpn's topic in General Nursing

    Perhaps she already reported to State B: the fact that her license had/has issues in State A doesn't automatically disqualify her from getting a license in State B. Perhaps she addressed the matter...
  15. Meriwhen

    If you did not need the money...?

    Meriwhen replied to Daisy_08's topic in General Nursing

    I'd continue working, and probably doing exactly what I'm doing right now :) But I would definitely use my financial resources to help advance my career as much as possible: school, certifications,...
  16. Meriwhen

    Should I have implemented Suicide Precautions?

    Meriwhen replied to RNdiva505's topic in General Nursing

    I agree with Viva: you needed to dig a little deeper in your assessment to determine if the patient was truly suicidal or just frustrated, before immediately jumping to the suicide precautions. That...
  17. Meriwhen

    Where do you sit in lecture

    Meriwhen replied to NurseLoveJoy88's topic in General Students

    We rarely had assigned seating--I think only one professor did it--but all of us sat in the same seats anyway. Many were thrown off if someone else sat in "their" seat. And there was always an...
  18. Meriwhen

    Where do you sit in lecture

    Meriwhen replied to NurseLoveJoy88's topic in General Students

    In school, I would always sit in/near the front row. It worked for me because it forced me to pay better attention..and that showed in my
  19. Meriwhen

    Question about expiration date on RN License

    Meriwhen replied to iamNurse23's topic in General Nursing

    I think that many states stagger the expiration dates of initial licenses so they spread the renewals more evenly. I don't know what criteria they use to determine the expiration date though. When...
  20. Meriwhen

    Pre-employment Pharmocolgy Test

    Meriwhen replied to ReeceB321's topic in First Year After Licensure

    If you're going into a specialty area (e.g., cardiac, psych), then you should review the basic drugs in those areas as well. Best of
  21. Meriwhen

    Advice for a student nurse that wants to do Psych

    Meriwhen replied to mangopeach's topic in Psychiatric

    I went right into psych post-graduation and never regretted it. However, I've been keeping the non-psych skills up through CEs, inservices and other ways because I feel that will help make me more...
  22. Meriwhen

    Dealing with de-staffing

    Meriwhen replied to slave_diverRN's topic in General Nursing

    I would love to be called off. In two years it has only happened one time...and when it did, two hours later I received a call asking me to come in because I was needed after all. Be flexible about...
  23. Meriwhen

    New Grad First Job Question

    Meriwhen replied to SanDiegoCaliRN's topic in First Year After Licensure

    IMO, any experience looks better to an employer than no experience. And any nursing job you take will teach you
  24. Meriwhen

    Intimidated Nurse, Informed Patient, and WebMD

    Meriwhen replied to rnccf2007's topic in General Nursing

    It's stories like this that make me glad I'm in psych. We only let our patients have visitors once or twice a week and we limit the size of the entourage to 3. So most of the family hassles are done...
  25. Meriwhen

    How long before you're no longer considered a New Grad?

    Meriwhen replied to fmiller007's topic in General Nursing

    Most places will no longer consider you a new grad after 1 year of