VivaLasViejas ASN, RN

LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych

Once a nurse, always a nurse!

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide

All Content by VivaLasViejas

  1. VivaLasViejas

    What has made you become more persistent?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Dtermnd2Bgreat's topic in General Nursing

    Battling a mental illness for the majority of my life has meant having to work twice as hard and push myself to do better than everyone else. It's been an uphill slog, and it took decades to find out...
  2. VivaLasViejas

    Why do you visit allnurses.com?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Joe V's topic in Nursing Humor

    I joined AN almost exactly 11 years ago. At first it was to socialize with other nurses, but then I began learning so much from other members that I got hooked, and then it became my turn to mentor...
  3. VivaLasViejas

    Can you work as a nurse on prescribed narcotics?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Krebolo's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    My issue is not with pain but anxiety, for which I take Klonopin at night and Ativan PRN, both of which are controlled substances. I am allowed to medicate at work if I need it, and am never impaired...
  4. VivaLasViejas

    Last nail in the coffin of my JOKE of a nursing career...??

    VivaLasViejas replied to NurseCard's topic in General Nursing

    I hear ya, NurseCard! I've been fired from LTCs twice myself, once for refusing to work while sick with pneumonia, and the other for having a nervous breakdown and going out on medical leave when the...
  5. VivaLasViejas

    ...I sure hope medication can help me

    VivaLasViejas replied to Umberlee's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Welcome to my world, Umberlee. Although I've got two decades on you, I suspect neither of us is developing dementia, but a combination of stress and life events, and possibly certain health issues,...
  6. VivaLasViejas

    Keeping Trauma nurses employed

    VivaLasViejas replied to Joe V's topic in Nurses Rock

    **SNORT!!!**
  7. VivaLasViejas

    Med error- manager told everyone at meeting and made me explain

    VivaLasViejas replied to veronica123's topic in Health, Stress Management

    Your manager should never have called you out in public like that. That's not the way to handle these things---it'll just discourage the next nurse who makes an error from reporting it. What she...
  8. VivaLasViejas

    Should this stop me from being an RN

    VivaLasViejas replied to swc2996's topic in School, College Programs

    That's a little harsh. After all, the OP could be like I used to be before I decided to become a nurse. Back then, I couldn't even clean up my own kids' vomit or pick up dog feces off the floor (long...
  9. VivaLasViejas

    Need advice for getting a job

    VivaLasViejas replied to DSkelton711's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    I'm currently working VERY part-time doing admissions for my skilled-nursing facility. Physically I'm fair-to-middling, but I can't do anything that requires handling multiple demands at one time,...
  10. VivaLasViejas

    Elderly coworkers becoming a burden.

    VivaLasViejas replied to o3lissao's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    Yes. THIS. ^^ I'm in my mid-50s, not ancient by any means, but I too have had to "semi-retire" because of issues stemming from my mental-health diagnosis and the medications used to treat it. I have...
  11. VivaLasViejas

    Any nurses with anxiety/ bi polar?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Reckless96's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Hello, and WELCOME to Allnurses!! I'm Viva, and I'm Bipolar 1 with rapid cycling. As MrChicagoRN said, there are a lot of nurses here who have BP, as well as anxiety and depression, who are more than...
  12. VivaLasViejas

    Fired and said this is abuse.What would you do?

    VivaLasViejas replied to mandjbrown's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    I wouldn't advise talking about it on the Internet. You may need an attorney to help you defend yourself here, as you need legal advice and we cannot give it. Best of luck to
  13. VivaLasViejas

    Voluntary hospitalization, does it affect nursing license?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Jenny878's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    I too have had this discussion with my p-doc, who works closely with me on everything but especially work-related stress issues. I had a breakdown in April and was very nearly admitted to hospital,...
  14. VivaLasViejas

    So done...

    VivaLasViejas replied to kickme's topic in Health, Stress Management

    I couldn't agree more! Get out while you still have your sanity---no job is worth this kind of cost in terms of anxiety and depression. I didn't get out in time when the stress of my onetime DON...
  15. VivaLasViejas

    August 2013 Caption Contest: Win $100!

    VivaLasViejas replied to Joe V's topic in News, Announcements

    "Working another double, aren't
  16. VivaLasViejas

    Our unit needs your good vibes...

    VivaLasViejas replied to Bortaz's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Oh, mercy.......Bortaz, I am so sorry you're going through this. I honestly don't know how you can have your heart torn out like that and keep working, let alone do your job with such skill and grace....
  17. VivaLasViejas

    Negative Self Talk

    VivaLasViejas replied to jadelpn's topic in Health, Stress Management

    Sometimes I have to do the STOP sign visualization thing, too. The other thing that helps me when I get into the negative self-talk routine is to remind myself, out loud (where nobody can hear me, of...
  18. VivaLasViejas

    Bipolar Nurse Hoping to Open Awareness of Mental Illness

    VivaLasViejas replied to HannaRNBSN's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Congratulations!!! I'm so happy to see this post from you. "Keep coming back, it
  19. VivaLasViejas

    Adderall addiction

    VivaLasViejas replied to wondergirl22's topic in Nurses Recovery

    Just to let y'all know---this thread is 2 years old and the OP has never been back. Good discussion though. As a psych patient myself, I agree with TerpGal---when you take psychotropics to treat a...
  20. VivaLasViejas

    home health nurse with disc herniations... is working ok??

    VivaLasViejas replied to AchotRN's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    I'm so sorry for your troubles. But the person to ask about your pain and your physical limitations is your healthcare provider. As nurses, it's beyond the scope of our practice to offer medical or...
  21. VivaLasViejas

    Debilitating Anxiety

    VivaLasViejas replied to SleeepyRN's topic in Health, Stress Management

    I'm so sorry. Nursing is hard enough without suffering severe anxiety on top of it. I can relate to your situation because I've been through a few jobs for similar reasons, although I usually stay a...
  22. VivaLasViejas

    Moderate/severe depression

    VivaLasViejas replied to Jenny878's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Truer words were never spoken. It's taken my doctor and me a year-and-a-half to find the right combination of meds in the right amounts, and with some patients it takes even longer. Additionally, most...
  23. VivaLasViejas

    Can a diagnosis of a mental illness potentially harm your chances of getting a job?

    VivaLasViejas replied to BlackBettyRN,OCN's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    If your illness isn't causing you problems, it's NONE of an employer's business and I wouldn't disclose anything, not even to your co-workers when you get a job. It's a shame that it has to be this...
  24. VivaLasViejas

    Moderate/severe depression

    VivaLasViejas replied to Jenny878's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Obviously, I'm not you and don't live inside your head, but honestly, your depression doesn't sound bipolar-related at all. In fact, it sounds like a normal reaction to negative stimuli (possible...
  25. VivaLasViejas

    Bipolar old new grad nurse

    VivaLasViejas replied to lost_nurse's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Welcome to Allnurses.com! As a site Guide who also happens to have bipolar disorder, I'd like to help you deal with your confusion and distress, but I'm asking you to have an open mind about...