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

    explaining mental illness disability to RN board?

    VivaLasViejas replied to OMGWhatIsThatSmell's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    If you didn't disclose your illness on the license application, how in the world did the BON find out about the bipolar? As far as I know, they are not allowed to just plow through candidates' medical...
  2. VivaLasViejas

    Bipolar Nurse Hoping to Open Awareness of Mental Illness

    VivaLasViejas replied to HannaRNBSN's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Hi, Heather, I'm a longtime member here. I have bipolar 2. (Changed later to bipolar 1.) As wish_me_luck posted, we can't offer any legal or medical advise per the Terms of Service of this site....
  3. VivaLasViejas

    After Nursing: Is There Life Out There?

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in General Nursing

    Wow, you guys have some GREAT ideas! I would love to teach CNAs. One of my friends was a CNA program instructor for years, and she turned out many fine aides (one of whom is my youngest son). I don't...
  4. VivaLasViejas

    What if we had to tell the real truth when asked about our weaknesses?

    VivaLasViejas replied to RNperdiem's topic in General Nursing

    Honestly? I'd admit that I'm like the little girl with a curl in the middle of her forehead: when I'm good, I'm very, very good, and when I'm bad......well, I really, really suck. There's no middle...
  5. VivaLasViejas

    The Faces Behind the Scene at allnurses.com!

    VivaLasViejas replied to madwife2002's topic in General Nursing

    I've worked with many of these folks over the years, both when I was a mod and now as a Guide, and while we've never met personally (YET) I like and respect every one of them. They're a voice on the...
  6. VivaLasViejas

    That awkward moment when....

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

    That awkward moment when you ask your 78-year-old resident if there's anything else he wants while you're in the room, and he says: "You, and those boobs. In my bed. Right
  7. VivaLasViejas

    Concealed Carry...as a nurse?

    VivaLasViejas replied to mcknis's topic in Activism, Healthcare

    I used to drive long distances for the job I held about a dozen years ago as a regional nurse consultant for several ALF buildings in Washington and Oregon. I'd taken a police firearms safety course,...
  8. VivaLasViejas

    New sheriff in town

    VivaLasViejas replied to Brian's topic in Nurses Rock

    Lose the "customer-service" approach once and for all. This isn't Disneyland, for Pete's sake! Get Press-Gainey out of the hospitals and clinics, and let nurses get back to doing what we do best:...
  9. VivaLasViejas

    That Odd Thought and the Shocking Truth

    VivaLasViejas replied to wish_me_luck's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    You are to be admired for your integrity. I know it's cost you dearly, but you can at least comfort yourself with the knowledge that you did the right thing. FWIW, I think it was high time for health...
  10. VivaLasViejas

    Bending and Breaking the Rules in Nursing

    VivaLasViejas replied to TheCommuter's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    I did the same thing with pizza. We had a Vietnam veteran on our long-term care floor a few years ago who was in incredibly rough shape....bilateral BKA, nearly blind, brittle diabetic, in chronic...
  11. VivaLasViejas

    When we ourselves need help

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

    I'm sure it was shocking to learn of this nurse's issues, especially in view of the fact that she had to be 5150'd rather than going inpatient voluntarily. I remember when it happened to a nurse at...
  12. VivaLasViejas

    Advice from fellow Kinesthetic learners

    VivaLasViejas replied to bigsexy74's topic in LPN, LVN Students

    I hear you there! I need to get my hands on things to get a feel for how to do them; I never really could get it just by looking at a diagram, and if someone tries to instruct me verbally I'm totally...
  13. VivaLasViejas

    Dangerous patients

    VivaLasViejas replied to dallet6's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    I'm sorry you have to deal with that. But where else can these patients go when they're dangerous to both staff and the frail elderly people we care for? At least the ER nurses can medicate...
  14. VivaLasViejas

    Can I do Clinicals with a 10 year old felony conviction on my record?

    VivaLasViejas replied to vernayjustice's topic in Licensure: Criminal History

    A lot depends on what sort and what class of felonies they were. (I think California has several different classes.) However, we are not able to advise you as to how to proceed, as your state Board of...
  15. VivaLasViejas

    Habits you picked up from work...

    VivaLasViejas replied to Brian's topic in Nurses Rock

    Washing my hands BEFORE using the
  16. VivaLasViejas

    Old car guys in nursing home

    VivaLasViejas replied to Brian's topic in Nursing Humor

    HAHAHAHAHA!!! That'll be my husband in about 15
  17. VivaLasViejas

    Fellow DON's....I need some advice please...

    VivaLasViejas replied to mtessmer2000's topic in LTC: Directors, Assistant

    This is a blessing in disguise. I'm afraid to think what might have happened to you if you'd stuck it out another few months......I've seen DONs have complete nervous breakdowns because of this sort...
  18. VivaLasViejas

    Does your state require mental health reporting?

    VivaLasViejas replied to wish_me_luck's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Oregon is very ambiguous: "Do you have a physical, mental, or emotional condition that impairs or may impair your ability to practice nursing safely?" IMO, if it hasn't affected your practice, isn't...
  19. VivaLasViejas

    Getting into nursing school with a mental illness? Is it going to be possible?

    VivaLasViejas replied to lntm2925's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Hello, and Welcome to Allnurses! Believe me, you'll find a lot of company here among the nurses and student nurses with psychiatric disorders. There are also several of us who are very open about our...
  20. VivaLasViejas

    Embarrassing? (Ladies opinion)

    VivaLasViejas replied to msnursecp's topic in General Students

    I had an extremely heavy flow during the last 10 years or so before I went through menopause, so the white uniform I wore in nursing school was a perpetual source of stress. I never did have an...
  21. VivaLasViejas

    question about traffic violations

    VivaLasViejas replied to kokebon's topic in Licensure: Criminal History

    Most BONs care about misdemeanors and felonies......traffic tickets are only considered "infractions" in the overwhelming majority of cases, and thus don't have to be reported. They're technically not...
  22. VivaLasViejas

    new allnurses logo - feedback wanted

    VivaLasViejas replied to Brian's topic in General Nursing

    I rather liked #202, because it emphasizes the word "ALL", as in ALLnurses, not allNURSES. But that's just me and my anal-retentive writer syntax
  23. VivaLasViejas

    Bipolar Nurse Hoping to Open Awareness of Mental Illness

    VivaLasViejas replied to HannaRNBSN's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    BRAVO! to sapphire18 and wish_me_luck! I think you both have a lot of courage to "come out" with your BPD, which is probably one of the most feared and least understood of the major mental disorders....
  24. VivaLasViejas

    The good, the bad, and the ugly

    VivaLasViejas replied to R!XTER's topic in General Nursing

    The good: Only two falls (and two incident reports) over the weekend. The bad: Our 99-year-old-resident (who was only two months away from becoming a centenarian) broke her hip and died on the...
  25. VivaLasViejas

    Epic (Nursing) FAILS!

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in Nursing Humor

    EEEEEEWWWWWWWWWW. Where's that barfing smilie when we need