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

    Tell on yourself, if you dare...

    VivaLasViejas replied to audreysmagic's topic in General Nursing

    I once destroyed a patient room within five minutes of starting my shift. They were two elderly women, both alert and oriented, and I began a pleasant conversation with them as I prepared meds. (This...
  2. VivaLasViejas

    When do you throw in the towel and call it a wrap?

    VivaLasViejas replied to lilura's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    I agree with TheCommuter. You've put your all into working at this facility and you owe them no loyalty. They've treated you like crap. I say take the vacation and let the chips fall where they may;...
  3. VivaLasViejas

    Any nurses with mental illness?

    VivaLasViejas replied to CaliSarah's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    See, this is where misconceptions and stigma arise. Bipolar, schizophrenia etc. are all biologically based. Mental illnesses are nothing more and nothing less than brain disorders, meaning simply that...
  4. VivaLasViejas

    Corporate took over my facility...

    VivaLasViejas replied to Mysilver1's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Wow. Those ratios are insane. In my state, the CNA-to-resident ratio is 1:7 on days, 1:9.5 on evenings, and 1:15 on nights. Nurses, however, can have up to 35 on days and as many as 60 at night, and...
  5. VivaLasViejas

    Nurse in Recovery

    VivaLasViejas replied to AmberreneeRN's topic in Nurses Recovery

    Are you in a monitoring program? If not, I don't see any reason why you should disclose your recovery to a potential employer. (Obviously, if you are in one, you have to share that information.)...
  6. VivaLasViejas

    Any nurses with mental illness?

    VivaLasViejas replied to CaliSarah's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Hello there, and welcome to Allnurses! I have bipolar I and anxiety disorders, and to be honest I suffered greatly working in a hospital environment. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone with mental...
  7. VivaLasViejas

    New job, "mandatory class / training" but no pay

    VivaLasViejas replied to AnOldsterRN's topic in General Nursing

    As I said in the above mentioned thread, I would run, not walk, away from this job. It is illegal for them not to pay for mandatory training. And think about this: if they'll pull this trick, what...
  8. VivaLasViejas

    ADHD with or with out Meds?

    VivaLasViejas replied to melissakay01's topic in General Nursing

    It depends on how severe your ADHD is, and how you work with it. Are you able to focus when you need to? Can you manage multiple competing priorities? If you can do this without medication, you are a...
  9. VivaLasViejas

    Nursing with anxiety

    VivaLasViejas replied to bsn46's topic in General Nursing

    I am a retired nurse who battled bipolar and anxiety disorders during my career. Needless to say, I had to be on meds and go to therapy, and for the most part it worked for a number of years. It...
  10. VivaLasViejas

    Help. No pay for orientation and buy their uniform?

    VivaLasViejas replied to HappyCNA's topic in General Nursing

    I would run, not walk, away from this "opportunity". You can do better
  11. VivaLasViejas

    Just Curious... Retirement

    VivaLasViejas posted a topic in Retired Nurses

    What was the reason you retired, how old were you, and what (if anything) are you doing today? I have health problems that basically forced me to retire at age 55. I was hoping to make it till 70, but...
  12. VivaLasViejas

    Weight loss for nurses

    VivaLasViejas replied to tortillaRN17's topic in General Nursing

    I have lost 70 lbs. since my husband died last summer. I'm still not sure what caused it other than the initial loss of appetite in the early days after his passing, but it's gone on for nine months...
  13. VivaLasViejas

    ANA New Membership: Join or shred?

    VivaLasViejas replied to nursewall-e's topic in General Nursing

    I disagree with the ANA's agenda, which is very liberal and thus at odds with my world view. It tends to look at nurses as a monolith, which we are not, and their fees are ridiculous. Definitely not...
  14. VivaLasViejas

    Can I be a nurse with a mental illness?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Edt997's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    I agree with the previous posters. I have bipolar 1 and know how hard it is to maintain stability, even with meds and therapy. You'll want to get on and stay on meds...there should be drug assistance...
  15. VivaLasViejas

    Most important thing as a student nurse.

    VivaLasViejas replied to Alto22's topic in General Students

    As a preceptor, my favorite students were the ones who sought every opportunity to learn and practice new skills. They were intellectually curious and asked frequent questions, soaking up knowledge...
  16. VivaLasViejas

    What was your worst shift ever?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Isakolistic's topic in General Nursing

    One night I had seven patients who were mostly total care and no aide. Most of the shift went OK until about 0500, but then one needed blood, another got up and fell and gave himself a goose egg on...
  17. VivaLasViejas

    12 hour oe 8 hour shift better for depression/anxiety/mental illness?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Lucky724's topic in Health, Stress Management

    I used to work 11A-7P at the hospital. It was widely regarded as a sweet spot because I was able to take care of necessary business early in the morning, and I got home in time to see my kids before...
  18. VivaLasViejas

    Patient searches

    VivaLasViejas replied to smf0903's topic in General Nursing

    But they're so thin. I would think they'd break if too much stress was put on
  19. VivaLasViejas

    How do you feel about being a nurse?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Grier's topic in General Nursing

    Yes, I have one regret, and that is being unable to continue nursing. I was basically forced into early retirement at age 55 because I could no longer handle it physically or mentally. I wish I could...
  20. VivaLasViejas

    The 5 S's - Side Effects of Steroids Mnemonic

    VivaLasViejas replied to Ashley Hay, BSN, RN's topic in General Nursing

    You're thinking about anabolic steroids. As for the OP, there is another side effect that I didn't see mentioned here. Every couple of years or so, I catch a URI that makes my asthma flare out of...
  21. VivaLasViejas

    Worried about turning in my two weeks

    VivaLasViejas replied to newgradrn2016's topic in General Nursing

    I agree with previous posters who advised you to have another job in hand before you leave this one. You probably would be better off sticking it out for a year or so to give you the experience that...
  22. VivaLasViejas

    Patient searches

    VivaLasViejas replied to smf0903's topic in General Nursing

    Just out of curiosity...what is the deal with iPod/headphone wires? How can people possibly hurt themselves with them? My husband brought me my iPod when I was IP and was told it wasn't allowed...
  23. VivaLasViejas

    When health fails...

    VivaLasViejas replied to Neverlosehope's topic in General Nursing

    Thank you for this. It's patients like you that make the job worth all the physical and mental hard work. I hope your health improves to the point where you don't need us.
  24. VivaLasViejas

    Being friends with residents on Facebook

    VivaLasViejas replied to CapeCodMermaid's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Absolutely not. It's a horrible idea that clearly crosses professional
  25. VivaLasViejas

    Burnout: What Am I Missing?

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

    Regrettably, nurses can't control what the organization does...only how we respond to it. The crazy staffing ratios and the offloading of other departments' work onto us are unfair and even dangerous,...