kimmicoobug

Usually when our ac's let us know about an admit, we usually have report called from the ER within the hour. However, I have come across the day shift charge on my unit refusing admits for this, that, or whatever reason. So, night shift gets stuck with the admit at shift change. Or, we have the day shift ERnurse who wants to give report at 1915 while I am in the process of getting report on my five or six other patients. You would not believe how many times I have gotten chewed by some of the ER nurses...(or maybe you would). I love it when I hear, "This patient has been sitting here in the ER for seven hours...they need a bed...and I will be on overtime if I don't give report right now" Then when looking at the admit orders, the orders were written 4 hours earlier. I just tell the ER nurse that getting report on my five or six other patients is just as important as getting report on that one. I guess maybe we just need a better system.

I work nights 19-07. I actually choose not to take a routinely scheduled break. I do this because there is nothing for me to do on my break. It usually tends to slow down around 01-04 which is when I will sit down to do chart checks, read progress notes, catch up on charting, etc. etc. So, I will usually pull up my coffee and my food and work and eat throughout the night. This is what I choose to do and it works for me. Now, I do take mental breaks as much as I can, such as surfing the net for this or that.

What our union contract says is that we have to work 2 holidays a year. However, our director seems to play favorites and gives certain people holidays off every year. Our Christmas is considered the 24th going into the 25th. Last year, I worked both the 24th into the 25th even though I was sick with a terrible head cold. My supervisor took me off for the 25th going into the 26th. Now, mind you, I would normally call in when super sick, but of course my director takes people off and doesn't bother to find replacements, so we were working short, so I felt obligated to be there. So, this year she has me scheduled to work, even though technically it isn't my turn...Oh did I mention that I also worked Thanksgiving, and New year's and every single Easter since I was hired. The other units in my hospital are a bit more fair and rotate.

My personel pet peeve is when you follow a nurse and you clean up their messes. Or a nurse gets an admit 4 hours ago and leaves it for you to do all the paperwork....this actually has only happened following only one nurse in particular. Also, I get really irritated when the aides do not pass waters at the end of their shift (one of assigned duties), yet they find time to socialize...I also get irritated at nurses who calls an aide to take a patient a soda or a juice so they can sit.

We need to get rid of ALL our dynamaps. One of our machines, we had to wrap silk tape around it to keep it on the pole. Do you think our director is sympathetic...well, we still have them. Also, I think we need to do away with the Polaroid cameras for documenting decubs or any other skin condition. A good digital camera would be more accurate in showing detail if taken to court, IMO. We also need new rooms. Our sinks drip, light switches don't work, TV's are fuzzy. Our chairs in the nurses station have rips and tears. We look so ghetto. Also, I am very tired of the old, stained pink and green wallpaper...bleh.

I am a nightshifter...so anyone ever have an Ambien weekend at work? Sweeter than pie old ladies that turn into raving lunatics...I am always just slightly hesitant when giving this to someone for the first time

We use filter needles as well. I agree with whoever posted about the vial being redesigned, not the needle.

I have been a nurse for 10 months now, and I am now a charge every Sunday. I hate it. It is two more an hour and to me not worth it. I could really care less about staffing and checking the crash cart. I still just want to learn my job as a nurse. I still have to carry a patient load of up to eight patients, and since I work with floats very frequently, still take the admits. I got no orientation and the first three times I did charge, it seemed hell broke loose on the unit.

Nope, no crushes on an MD, but do flirt with them on occasion. Now, I do have a mild crush on one of the RT's I work with. Very nice butt, and just the nicest guy in the world.

Nurses have intubated at the facility I work at. I believe our policy is MD's first, RT second, and then nurses third. However, it is very rare for RT to do it, and even rarer for nurses. I have only heard of one OB nurse to intubate a neonate in distress, and don't know the reasons behind it. Now, would I want to intubate...NO...but I think it would be neat to really learn how.

Yeah, I was just told by one of the charge RNs that we have to give notice one half hour in advance if we cannot take our break at our assigned times....So, if we have a patient crump five minutes before our assigned time, then we can not claim "no lunch"...Yeah, right!!! First of all, I am an adult, I think I can choose which time I feel is best for my patients and myself to go on break. Second, this whole stupid 30 minute deal won't fly for very long. And, she is the only one who is saying this.

I always heard carry high, and it is a boy. Carry low and it is a girl.

yep, depends on the patient and what they are there for. I always start PCA's at the lowest setting on the continuous setting. However, it can be dangerous. Recently, we had a kid on a Fent continuous and PCA and he almost didn't make it...

I would date a co-worker...Maybe not in the same unit though, or heck, even the same field. Gossip doesn't bug me. I have always been gossiped about by someone, and it is like water down my back.

well, there is a room where I had two patients in two days have problems. Day one, low BP's, ARF, delusional...she sure got quiet after 0400. I went in there at 0700, to get a BS and she was pale and unresponsive with a blood sugar of 26. She got sent to ICU for BP's, and the next lady admitted was a patient with a 0300 BS, and a BS of 32. Plus, she was going into heart failure....God, what a week that was and those were my more easier problems to deal with that week.