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

    How is Working the 3-11 shift with small children at home

    VivaLasViejas replied to Ssss94's topic in General Nursing

    I loved 3-11 shifts, as they worked best with my particular circadian rhythm. They weren’t so great for family life, however, because the kids hadn’t gotten home from school yet when I left for...
  2. VivaLasViejas

    AIDET: Aiming for Quality Service

    VivaLasViejas replied to Judy Campbell's topic in First Year After Licensure

    Ugh. The mere mention of the Studer Group raised my hackles in a big way. They were the people that turned my hospital into a Hilton. We were such a nice little country hospital before they came in as...
  3. VivaLasViejas

    Osteoporosis: Five Fast Facts

    VivaLasViejas replied to Catherine Johnston's topic in General Nursing

    I recently broke my ankle in a ground-level fall. Broke the the other one 2 years ago in a near-fall. I’m only 63, but I think I’d better get a bone density
  4. VivaLasViejas

    If you could meet any member from AllNurses in person, who would you meet?

    VivaLasViejas replied to SilverBells's topic in General Nursing

    I’ve actually gotten to meet several of my allnurses friends IRL. Next I want to meet SmilingBluEyes since she lives only about three hours away. But I’d also love to meet RN/writer (I’ve talked...
  5. VivaLasViejas

    What is something you never thought you'd have to say to a coworker?

    VivaLasViejas replied to SilverBells's topic in General Nursing

    I’ve seen a nurse with 45 years’ experience do that. I was horrified, but as a brand-new nurse I was too intimidated to confront her about it. So I took the coward’s way out and told our...
  6. VivaLasViejas

    Resident Resistant To Taking Meds

    VivaLasViejas replied to tqfamily's topic in Patient Medications

    Long-term care residents are some of the most over-medicated people in the world. Not just with prescribed meds, but with useless vitamins and supplements. Why does a 90-year-old with severe dementia...
  7. VivaLasViejas

    I'm a nurse who has ESRD

    VivaLasViejas replied to aimzq's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Wow. I have no idea of what it’s like to be a nurse on dialysis, so I have no words of wisdom for you. I just wanted to say that you are one brave (and amazing!) person. I wish you the very best and...
  8. VivaLasViejas

    Nursing and Disability

    VivaLasViejas replied to Harmion's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Like Hoosier said, it depends on what kind of disability you have. Obviously, if it’s a physical problem, you want to avoid floor nursing in a hospital or LTC facility like the plague. Mental health...
  9. VivaLasViejas

    Holiday Sick Calls From Self-Centered Staff

    VivaLasViejas replied to SunDazed's topic in General Nursing

    When I was a DNS, I took more call-ins on Saturday and Sunday than at any other time of the week. I think most of them were due to the “bottle flu” rather than real illness, but unless the nurse...
  10. VivaLasViejas

    Compassionate Use Act in Texas

    VivaLasViejas replied to TexRN's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Jaded is right. Cannabis use is incompatible with holding a nursing license in most if not all states. It’s not worth the risk of popping positive on a drug test. Don’t do
  11. VivaLasViejas

    Can a School RN who needs long-term psychiatric hospitalization for Major Depression get fired?

    VivaLasViejas replied to WorthAShot's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Hello there. I am so sorry your husband is going through this. I’ve been hospitalized for bipolar depression and suicidal ideation, and it took several med changes/adjustments to tame the beast. I...
  12. VivaLasViejas

    Employee Pre Screening Medical Conditions

    VivaLasViejas replied to Monique Barber's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    I’m assuming that you had an interview with your new place of employment. If your weight had been a factor, they more than likely wouldn’t have hired you, even though the Americans with...
  13. VivaLasViejas

    Requesting Help With Dream Interpretation

    VivaLasViejas replied to Davey Do's topic in General Nursing

    I haven’t worked in a hospital in many years, but I still have nightmares about nursing there. Sometimes it’s the fictional patient who came in the middle of the night and I never knew it until...
  14. VivaLasViejas

    Your Help Needed: Give A Tip To A New Grad Nurse

    VivaLasViejas replied to Nurse Beth's topic in General Nursing

    Don’t panic. Ever. It’s the surest way to make the patient and/or family freak out. Even if it’s your confused elderly fellow who just yanked out his central line and is wandering around the...
  15. VivaLasViejas

    I'm Done

    VivaLasViejas replied to PMFB-RN's topic in Disaster Preparation

    You could not pay me enough to come out of retirement. My son, who is also an RN, makes over $50/hour but he’s well on his way to burning out. He works 10-12 hours five or six days a week as a...
  16. VivaLasViejas

    If you didn't have to bite your tongue?

    VivaLasViejas replied to DesiDani's topic in General Nursing

    To the diabetic patient in room 216 who I just caught trying to hide the candy bar she was eating as I walked into the room:”Don’t insult my intelligence, I know what you’re eating and I know...
  17. VivaLasViejas

    My family doesn't think Nursing is for me.

    VivaLasViejas replied to Hunt er's topic in General Nursing

    I second that emotion! I’ve found that some of the best nurses are those who were CNAs or techs before becoming RNs. (And I’m not gonna lie, I was a hospital CNA and a good nurse, if I say so...
  18. VivaLasViejas

    LTC DON claims she cannot work the floor due to regulation

    VivaLasViejas replied to KSinMT's topic in General Nursing

    I’ve always thought it would be beneficial for management to work the floor at least one time per month. That keeps it real and they’d have “skin in the game”, so they know what can actually...
  19. VivaLasViejas

    RN with asthma

    VivaLasViejas replied to guineapignurse's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    I have mild intermittent asthma which sometimes requires oral steroids when I get sick with a respiratory infection. It used to be much worse. My hospital even had to change carpet cleaning solution...
  20. VivaLasViejas

    Fear of Floating | Life of a Nurse

    VivaLasViejas replied to JeanstarMSN's topic in General Nursing

    I’m weird, I guess, but I loved being a float nurse. I got to do so many things and learned many skills that I never would have on my home med/surg unit. I worked mother-baby and critical care...
  21. VivaLasViejas

    Hx of PTSD and BON Licensing Question

    VivaLasViejas replied to Camillus_Was_a_Murse's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Rest easy, you don’t need to disclose your personal health information to anyone unless you’re requesting accommodations for a disability, which you aren’t. Don’t quit nursing school—your...
  22. VivaLasViejas

    Anyone taken a pay cut for sanity?

    VivaLasViejas replied to LibraNurse27's topic in General Nursing

    And I think it’s worse in healthcare than it is in many other professions. You’d think nurses and managers would be more compassionate towards and understanding of colleagues with mental illness,...
  23. VivaLasViejas

    Professional Liability Insurance during career break

    VivaLasViejas replied to jolil's topic in General Nursing

    SBE is right. I kept mine up for four years after I quit work, just in case I wanted to go back to nursing someday. I finally let it lapse when I put my license in Retired status. I felt better...
  24. VivaLasViejas

    The Art of Telling Patients Bad News: One Physician's Story

    VivaLasViejas replied to Melissa Mills's topic in General Nursing

    Oh my Lord. My husband and I had practically the same experience when he was abruptly diagnosed with cancer eight years ago. I’d taken him to the ER to get his gallbladder checked because he had...
  25. VivaLasViejas

    Retire? Inactivate? Neither?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Jon-O's topic in Retired Nurses

    I retired in 2014 and went on disability, but kept my license active for four more years “just in case” I wanted to go back. I still had enough practice hours to keep my license, so I paid my fees...