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

    Calling In Sick: Dealing With Mental Illness At Work, Part 3

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    RN, I am concerned about you. Please see your doctor or therapist ASAP so this doesn't blow up in your face. It sounds as though you are putting yourself under tremendous pressure and it's already...
  2. VivaLasViejas

    uncooperative residents

    VivaLasViejas replied to glucas985's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Ah, the younger resident. ~sigh~ So many issues, so little time. But no less deserving of compassionate care than any other segment of the nursing home population. I'd be willing to bet that most, if...
  3. VivaLasViejas

    question about "cutters"

    VivaLasViejas replied to sarasmith805's topic in Psychiatric

    I have noticed this phenomenon with several other well-publicized disorders over the years---Hollywood makes something sound glamorous, and next thing you know you've got people "coming out" all over...
  4. VivaLasViejas

    For those with psych history

    VivaLasViejas replied to smoup's topic in Psychiatric

    I've never worked in psych nursing (unless you count dealing with dementia and mental illness in elders) but I would worry that there's too much danger of over-identifying with the patients. I know...
  5. VivaLasViejas

    You know you're a nurse when...

    VivaLasViejas replied to Joe V's topic in Nursing Humor

    You know you're a nurse when you can hold a pot of coffee and two bottles of water for 12 hours without peeing. It's called nurse's bladder, and the thing is the size of a Winnebago's gas
  6. VivaLasViejas

    chronic illness and the dreaded school physical

    VivaLasViejas replied to wayward_pitbulls's topic in General Students

    That's interesting! I wonder if that happens very often? I've been on Lamictal for quite a while and nothing showed up on UDS for my current job. Thanks for the info.....I'm interviewing for a state...
  7. VivaLasViejas

    Calling In Sick: Dealing With Mental Illness At Work, Part 3

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    (((Marshall1))) You said it yourself: if you don't make your mental health a priority, your fears may very well become reality. I pay $124 for a 30-day supply of generic Geodon. (My other BP meds are...
  8. VivaLasViejas

    Slip vs relapse

    VivaLasViejas replied to Blessed_RN2011's topic in Nurses Recovery

    Thank you for sharing this. I had a 'slip' about a month ago, but took measures to prevent a full-blown relapse. I was pretty down on myself for a while there because I'd been sober for almost 22...
  9. VivaLasViejas

    Getting over a bad experience

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

    I'm still working on that one myself, even though it's been nearly six months since I was kicked to the curb. I was the sacrificial lamb, so to speak, because I was fighting severe stress that was...
  10. VivaLasViejas

    Calling In Sick: Dealing With Mental Illness At Work, Part 3

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Quite possibly. Nursing is extremely stressful even under normal circumstances, but when you're dealing with MI, sometimes the stress gets to be too much, and then you tip over and can't do it...
  11. VivaLasViejas

    If we make BSN the entry level degree, we should be paid more

    VivaLasViejas replied to runningcrazy's topic in Activism, Healthcare

    If I could "Like" this post 1,000 times, I would.
  12. VivaLasViejas

    You want us to do what?!?

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

    Good Lord, girl, where do you live that the LPNs only make $11.66 an hour??!! Here in my little corner of the world, they earn anywhere from $17-22/hr depending on work environment and experience....
  13. VivaLasViejas

    chronic illness and the dreaded school physical

    VivaLasViejas replied to wayward_pitbulls's topic in General Students

    I echo what the PPs here have said. Your mental health issues are none of the school's business unless you're requesting some sort of accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Whether...
  14. VivaLasViejas

    A Nurse with POTS Disability: A Great Success Story!

    VivaLasViejas replied to CrazyCoconut's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    CONGRATULATIONS!!! :) I have only heard of POTS within the past couple of years.....I had an assisted-living resident whose diagnosis I figured out before the doctors did, after doing a ton of...
  15. VivaLasViejas

    Calling In Sick: Dealing With Mental Illness At Work, Part 3

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Well, everyone with BP experiences it differently, and each episode can be different as well. It's truly a chameleon; and if WE don't know which way the cookie's going to crumble, how can anyone else?...
  16. VivaLasViejas

    Calling In Sick: Dealing With Mental Illness At Work, Part 3

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Thank you for caring about your staff! Trust me, too many managers wouldn't. You already realize that you have to be very careful when dealing with someone who has MI, but even more so when you...
  17. VivaLasViejas

    Calling In Sick: Dealing With Mental Illness At Work, Part 1

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    You don't have to tell them the exact reason you're calling in sick. Most of the time when I've done it for mental-health reasons, I've told my supervisor that a family emergency came up that I had to...
  18. VivaLasViejas

    Calling In Sick: Dealing With Mental Illness At Work, Part 3

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Have you called your doctor about this? If not, please do it today---I don't have to tell you how dangerous mania can be. Best to catch it before it gets out of control. In the meantime, I would...
  19. VivaLasViejas

    Kicked out of class for a "HIPAA" violation?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Trip_McNeelyRN2b's topic in HIPAA Challenges

    The "piling on", as you put it, is probably happening because you are not putting all of your mistakes together and looking at the big picture. What members are trying to tell you is that they see a...
  20. VivaLasViejas

    Calling In Sick: Dealing With Mental Illness At Work, Part 3

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    You know, it's amazing what we learn about life from dealing with psych issues. I honestly don't believe I would have ever understood (let alone empathized with) people who hear voices, or stand...
  21. VivaLasViejas

    Most unforgettable Halloween costume...

    VivaLasViejas replied to Brian's topic in Nurses Rock

    My most unforgettable costume was my own Pirate Gwyn The Avenger costume, whose skirt was too big for me and fell off as I was pushing my med cart down the hall, giving the residents a great view of...
  22. VivaLasViejas

    Losing my religion

    VivaLasViejas replied to jadelpn's topic in Spirituality, Religion

    So......what does that
  23. VivaLasViejas

    Need advice: Frequent falls of non compliant homebound pt with dementia

    VivaLasViejas replied to autumnlea's topic in Patient Safety Issues

    Elderly people are not children. It is a dignity issue. Remember, people with dementia weren't always this way---even though they may behave like children, they are adults who have lived their lives,...
  24. VivaLasViejas

    Omnicare pharmacy says "We never got the faxed orders"

    VivaLasViejas replied to Blackcat99's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    If I had a dollar for every time I've heard that from an LTC pharmacy like Propac or Omnicare, I'd be retired and living in one of those awesome little stick houses out in the shallow water in Bora...
  25. VivaLasViejas

    "I don't know how you do it"

    VivaLasViejas replied to KelRN215's topic in Pediatric

    You can count me in, on both situations. I'd never be able to handle seriously ill children and I bless the nurses who can do it. By contrast, I get a lot of people who can't understand why I stick...