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

    Dating a former patient

    VivaLasViejas replied to thepsychtech's topic in Psychiatric

    I was recently on the business end of a psychiatric hospitalization, and from a patient's perspective I find it terribly unethical for a staff member to contact a former patient. Like others have...
  2. VivaLasViejas

    Help! So Depressed...

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

    Although we cannot offer medical advice, your stress level sounds like it's climbing the charts and you really should consider seeing a mental health provider. I know you don't want to take...
  3. VivaLasViejas

    Feeling Guilty with Patient Outcomes

    VivaLasViejas replied to nursegirl5592's topic in Health, Stress Management

    There are going to be times like that throughout your career. And it doesn't mean that you missed something, or that the outcome would have been different if this or that had happened (or hadn't...
  4. VivaLasViejas

    Staffing on the inpatient adolescent unit

    VivaLasViejas replied to PeacockMaiden's topic in Psychiatric

    I don't know about adolescent units, but recently I was inpatient in an adult facility and there were 3 nurses for 11 patients. It was great---there was lots of 1:1 time with them, and they led some...
  5. VivaLasViejas

    Thank you

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in Psychiatric

    That was made abundantly clear to me during my stay---I HAVE to take care of myself first. And I have to pace myself.....to remember that I've just been through a severe episode of illness and need to...
  6. VivaLasViejas

    Psych Nursing

    VivaLasViejas replied to KANDIGIRL's topic in Psychiatric

    Psych nurses are some of the most awesome nurses there are! I was inpatient recently and every one of my nurses was fantastic. The 1:1 time with them was invaluable, and I'll never forget the one who...
  7. VivaLasViejas

    Disabled, but not unable: the rebirth of a nurse!

    VivaLasViejas replied to chiefaics's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    What an incredible post! Your words made me feel that I too still have the potential to do great things, even though I'm disabled by mental illness and can't work right now. Maybe I can find...
  8. VivaLasViejas

    To lock or not to lock the rooms

    VivaLasViejas replied to natalissa's topic in Psychiatric

    I just got home after a week's stay in a psychiatric facility, and must say that I would've been extremely upset if I couldn't have access to my room. The first day I got there, I was too depressed to...
  9. VivaLasViejas

    Things I wish I could tell my patients

    VivaLasViejas replied to vintagemother's topic in Psychiatric

    I just got home after a week in a psych unit, and I'll never forget the nurse who told me that she fights depression too. She didn't elaborate on her meds or therapy (if indeed she was doing any of...
  10. VivaLasViejas

    Bipolar with First Job and Having Difficulties

    VivaLasViejas replied to MMC.RN's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Whatever you do, do NOT disclose your illness to your employer if you can avoid it. It will paint a huge target on your back and they will likely find a way to get rid of you. It happened to me last...
  11. VivaLasViejas

    Did I shoot myself in the foot by disclosing?

    VivaLasViejas replied to ceebeeaitch's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Keep us posted as to how things go, OK? I'm interested in how you fare; I'm bipolar 1 with rapid cycling and am having to disclose it to my state BON with my license renewal because it's had an impact...
  12. VivaLasViejas

    The next step...

    VivaLasViejas replied to KaseyJo's topic in Nurses Recovery

    I was wondering what had happened to you. I'm thankful you are doing so well and am very proud of you!!! I'm glad you came back to tell us where your life has been taking you these past couple of...
  13. VivaLasViejas

    Did I shoot myself in the foot by disclosing?

    VivaLasViejas replied to ceebeeaitch's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    I agree. We should not have to give up our right to privacy when we become healthcare
  14. VivaLasViejas

    Did I shoot myself in the foot by disclosing?

    VivaLasViejas replied to ceebeeaitch's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Hello there, and Welcome to Allnurses! You did the right thing. Lying to the Board of Nursing is never a good idea, and the repercussions if you do can be quite severe, up to and including denial of...
  15. VivaLasViejas

    Need help .... Anxiety at work

    VivaLasViejas replied to vintagemother's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Yep, it's time to nip this in the bud. I am assuming that you have a mental health professional whom you can call or visit when the need arises. If not, find one! You need to be able to talk this out...
  16. VivaLasViejas

    Can't find my niche

    VivaLasViejas replied to hparker522's topic in General Nursing

    I was a nurse for 17 years and never did figure that one out. I couldn't find a work-life balance and came to believe there was no such thing.....for me, anyway. I held 13 different nursing jobs...
  17. VivaLasViejas

    Esme Needs Your Prayers and Well Wishes

    VivaLasViejas replied to tnbutterfly - Mary's topic in General Nursing

    Looks like I'm a little late here, but all my love and good wishes go out to you, dear friend. Praying for a quick and uneventful
  18. VivaLasViejas

    Why do nurses make the worse patients?

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

    I was never a good patient, at least not until I met my psychiatrist, and even then I wasn't all that cooperative. But somewhere along the line, I realized that I pay this man a great deal of money to...
  19. VivaLasViejas

    Ex-employer

    VivaLasViejas replied to indigomoonfury's topic in Nurses Recovery

    Either there's a lot left out of this account, or the employer is full of it and deserves to be investigated for potential conflict of interest. My guess is that it's somewhere in between. If the...
  20. VivaLasViejas

    Keeping License Active?

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in Retired Nurses

    Cognitive issues are part of the reason I shouldn't practice anymore. Between my illness and the meds used to treat it, I have about 5 functioning brain cells left and I'm afraid to burn them up...
  21. VivaLasViejas

    First CNA Job, Asperger's Makes Things Tough.

    VivaLasViejas replied to OswinOswald's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    I wish I had some words of wisdom for you. My older son is 26 and he is a high-functioning Asperger's kid who's never really gotten the hang of picking up on social cues. However, he has managed to...
  22. VivaLasViejas

    What's the highest blood pressure you ever recorded?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Andythepiano's topic in General Nursing

    The highest B/P I ever recorded on a patient was 310/118. I was working in Med/Surg at the time and that reading scared the bejeebus out of both the patient AND me. The MD had ordered PRN Lopressor...
  23. VivaLasViejas

    NEW EBOLA CSZAR Ron Klain

    VivaLasViejas replied to luv2's topic in Disaster Preparation

    In a country of 319 million, they couldn't find an "implementer" who also has some medical
  24. VivaLasViejas

    Fearbola: Irrational Fear Now Sweeping U.S.

    VivaLasViejas replied to mariebailey's topic in Disaster Preparation

    I think some of the hysteria can be attributed to the fact that our so-called government "experts" have been acting like the Keystone Kops ever since Ebola came to our shores. If we can't trust the...
  25. VivaLasViejas

    Help....I Can't Take it Anymore! - Nurses Coping with Stress

    VivaLasViejas replied to tnbutterfly - Mary's topic in Health, Stress Management

    Something similar happened to me a year and a half ago for many of the same reasons, and sad to say, my career never recovered. I did have some mental health issues that factored in, but I got to that...