brookorrn

I am a fairly new RN and I have been working ambulatory surgery since August of 2008. I have been training in OR off and on ever since (probably a total of 6 cases-observing). Is it normal to feel inadequate and like I am totally stupid? I try so hard, but I feel like I just screw up all of the time!

I am a new grad (graduated and got rn in july), but I worked on the floor as an LPN for a year. My love has been OR ever since I was about 6 years old. Now I have been working in Amb Surg since August and have recently started training in OR on days that AS case load isn't too full. Anywhooo, there is a CRNA who hates me. He says he does not want me in OR because I do not have enough experience and he tries to do his best to make me feel 6 inches tall whenever he gets the chance and is trying to "run" me off. I can handle strong personalities, (I used to be a prison guard), but this guy makes me so nervous I can not even think straight. Any suggestions on how to cope? I know I do not have a lot of experience as a nurse, but I want my career to revolve around surgery, so is he right that I should give up on OR for now or am I right in that now is the best time for me to learn OR?

I am hopefully going to be working in a facility that works with geriatric psych patients with Alzheimer's and dementia. This facility takes them in for approximately two months at a time, tweaks their medications, gives them diagnosis, etc. It is operated just like any other psych facility with the team meetings in the morning with the psych docs, etc. I am hoping that my experience with them will count towards just basic psych experience as it deals with geriatric patients that have tried to commit suicide, etc. also.

My true love is alzheimer's and dementia, but any psych medicine would fulfill that desire.........how big of need is there for traveling psych nurses and what kind of experience is needed?

This hospital is very small, approx 33 med-surg beds, so I am not sure about human resources, but I am going in tomorrow to find someone to talk to about it. I just do not want to be labled a "trouble-maker", I need this job. I have typed a letter stating that the DON and I discussed this on the phone, and that she stated that I was going to recieve PRN wages and I am giving a copy of it to personnel. Eventually I want to be a traveling nurse, so perhaps this is a good lesson for me to learn that I need to make sure everything is in writing..........not just rely on someone's word.......I can tend to be gullible sometimes. I will keep you all posted on what happens tomorrow when I approach personnel about it-but I believe this DON is the "last stop" due to it being such a small facility. She does the hiring and firing........

Well, I just got my first GN check, and it was $800 short. I was guaranteed PRN wages as a "scheduled" PRN, but when I recieved my check, I got the same pay as though I was getting benefits, but with no benefits. When I called my DON, she stated that I should have given my preference of "PRN" to her in writing, although we talked about it on the phone and she told me that if I ever decided to change to getting benefits if I need the insurance down the road, to just let her know. When I talked to a House Supervisor about it, I was told the DON "forgot" to turn in the paperwork, so instead of admitting she made a mistake and make it right, she pushed the blame off on me and I am out the $800. I don't know where else to go, except give her a letter stating I want PRN wages and eat the $800 loss. It seems like you can't trust anyone anymore..........not even a fellow nurse.

Some of the best nurses I know did not make it through school the first time. I believe that it is because they had to study harder than everyone else and because a lot of the information they learned twice instead of just once. Kudos to you for your desire to be a nurse, you will do wonderful the second time through and you too, will be a magnificent nurse!:bowingpur

I do not work in OR yet, but I did clinicals in one the other and when the surgeon walked in the door, the first thing he said was "I didn't know they let short, black women scrub in for surgery" and then he kicked me out of his OR room because he is "not there to teach". When I graduate in May, I am supposed to be starting in OR to get trained in as that WAS the area I wanted to devote my career to, but after that, I am seriously reconsidering. I love working MS and I adore alzheimer and dementia patients, so I am thinking about going a different direction. I became a nurse because I am compassionate and I want to help people. I do NOT want to take part in "accommodating" hateful people get their kicks out of being mean to others and hurting them emotionally. If that is what surgery is about, count me out!

i forgot to mention that i have a colostomy, but i still have an anal opening that i produce "mucous plugs" out of. if the anal opening is closed off, then a double barrel ostomy is made so that one opening produces the feces from the all attached intestines, and the second opening produces mucous from the part of colon or intestines that is no longer used for fecal production. what does this patient have a colostomy for?

could the place where the 4x4 is be a second ostomy (such as from a double ostomy for draining mucous)? I know that when the rectum and orifice is sewn shut, a second opening is needed for the mucous drainage that the "left-over" intestines need as they still produce mucous.

well, i got my lpn license, now i am going to be in the process of trying to get my rn. do ya think i will have the same trouble?..........lol

What traveling agency do you use? My husband and I would like to start traveling in 2009 after I get a year experience as an RN in med-surg. We have a 13 year old (who will be 15) and a 10 year old (who will be 12) and we want to have then do online schooling. What extra costs are there in traveling with the family and is it worth it (do you make any more than if you stayed home and worked at the local hospital)? We have talked about doing some sort of traveling for years, but it is just now becoming a reality since I will be getting my RN license in May of 2008. I currently work as an LPN in med-surg and I love it. I hope traveling works out for us......please give us any pointers you may have since you have been doing it for so long. Thank you in advance for any help you may give.

I found that calling whoever interviewed you and aksing if they have everything they need and letting them know you are still interested, works also. I did that when I got my job at the VA. The guy who interviewed me, actually had thought he had called me, so when i called, he was schocked to find that he had not called me in for orientation (which was the very next day). I waited about three weeks to a month before I called and I wish I would have called sooner.

Ostomy care does not bother me either and some day I want to specialize in it due to having a colostomy myself. But I have to agree with those who do not like brushing dentures and suctioning trachs........those two tasks make it to where I struggle to not gag while I am performing them.

You have to do what will make you happy. I have worked so many jobs that I absolutely detested because I was trying to "please" someone else due to prestige or whatever..........life is way tooo short to spend it trying to please someone else......even your mother. I loved my Mom dearly (she is deceased now), and so I did whatever she thought "was best for me", even though I did not like it. Now I am almost 40 years old, and regreting that I did not do something in the past for me. I have wanted to be a nurse since I was about 6 years old, but never pursued it due to my Mom's embarassment about it, now, I am finally fulfilling that longing. My regret.........I did not do it when I was younger. Hang in there, either she will come around and decide she is proud of you, or she will just accept the fact that you are doing what you feel is right, no matter what, she will always be your mom and you will always be her child. If she is a good Mom, she will love you no matter what you do.

Have you ever done that with a Lovenox shot? Those darn caps are hard to get off there, and when you poke yourself with one of those needles, and get the med in your thumb.........it starts to look like your thumb is going to fall off! OUCH!

Just thought I would let you all know I received my license in the mail this past week!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is all taken care of now.......and hopefully I won't have to deal with this on my RN license too. Thanks to everyone for your encouragement, support and replies. It made me feel better having friends to vent to about it all.

I have to agree. I cannot stand people that talk about someone else being "responsible" when it comes to medical care. A person can plan and plan and plan for unforeseen medical emergencies or medical illnesses, but if you have just recently lost a job, or have used up any savings you had for another family emergency.....they may not be prepared. I had three major surgeries in one year.....lost two businesses, a house, and a brand new car. No matter what, we could not have saved up enough money for those surgeries.........not all in one year. And to top it off, my own sister told me "you are irresponsible because you did not plan for it".......how stupid, cold and callous is that??????......needless to say, I will never speak to her again for it.

i am not sure what the brand or name of the machines is, i will find out and let you know. as far as piggybacks are concerned.......anything you can tell me that may help me.......any secrets you may have in remembering which meds don't mix, what lines to use, etc. maybe i am just dumb.........i feel like i know nothing when it comes to this kind of stuff.........am a new grad and feel really stupid.:uhoh21:

HIP HIP HOORAYYYYYYYYYYY! I LANDED A JOB IN A HOSPITAL AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT...........BEST PLACE I HAVE EVER WORKED!:cheers:

Does anyone have any "cheat sheets" or lists or anything like that to help me with making sure I do IV machines right and piggybacks right? I just started a new job in a hospital and I want to be the best I can be and I need HELP! Thanks in advance!

just want to update everyone..........bon told me today that i should be receiving my lisence in the mail anytime now. Have been "cleared" to be a nurse!

Ignore these people and look at the way they are treating you as a pre-requisite to being a nurse..........you need to be strong and realize that you only need one good friend in life and the rest of the people are just people. You are in school for you, your family, your future, etc.......not for them. Half of those people will either not make it as a nurse, wind up before the bon, or other things that will make you glad you did not succumb to their childishness. Hang in there and remember there are a lot of us out here who have dealt with "high school jerks" in nursing school. They are the ones who need to grow up, and you don't have time to help them grow up.........you only have time to become the best nurse you can be! They probably are jealous of your wisdom!

Just an update.......I recieved a phone call from the DFS Office and they stated they cannot help me get a copy of my adoption decree. So, since that was my last resort, I called the BON again and they stated they needed it. I again told them it is sealed records and that I cannot get them. After a few minutes of explaining and re-explaining what it entails and what all I have done to get this paperwork, the BON conceded :smackingfand said that I need to send a notarized letter written by me explaining why I can't get the documents and then a letter from the court stating that the records are sealed. So I have done both of these things today, mailed my letter and the court is also sending them a letter, hopefully I will be able to get my official license soon. :balloons: thanks for all of your replies on here and if anything else changes, I will let you know..........

Just an update..........it was the job! It was getting to where I could not function because I had hives soooooo bad............job was extremely stressful........no true training.......thrown into supervisory position as a new grad........I had to quit...........it was killing me internally as well as externally.............haven't had hives since.....................must have been nerves.........even stressing over bills has not given me the hives.......but bright future, had an interview today at a very reputable hospital with, get this, SIX WEEKS TRAINING........think I can handle this one! Thanks for all the help though, may need it in the future should the hives come back.:sofahider