MelBel

MelBel

Geriatric, Medical/Surgical

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All Content by MelBel

  1. Is it just my unit?

    MelBel replied to ninanina07's topic in First Year After Licensure

    I definitely have the opposite problem! One of our secretaries doesn't EVER get out of her chair. She is only there for a couple hours on my shift, but she is the type to page the nurse to the desk,...

  2. If not Nursing, then what????

    MelBel replied to my3kids's topic in First Year After Licensure

    I went to school to become a music teacher before I switched to nursing halfway through. Even though I hate my job somedays, I wouldn't do anything else. People seem to think I'd be happier with...

  3. Best Compliment Ever...

    MelBel posted a topic in First Year After Licensure

    So I've had a patient the last few nights I've worked who happens to be the worst kind....a retired nurse. I always get very nervous when I take care of a nurse or retired nurse. The first two...

  4. Just a Whine :)

    MelBel posted a topic in First Year After Licensure

    There is no purpose of this other than to whine... Last night I had 7 patients. All 7 were incontinent. 3 of the 7 had diarrhea. Frequent diarrhea. 1 was combative and almost fell on the floor...

  5. Still Broke!

    MelBel replied to Happy-ER-RN's topic in First Year After Licensure

    I paid off my credit cards a few months after startin working...and then immediately opened a savings account. I didn't put a whole lot in at first, but then I sat down and got serious...now I pay...

  6. online study

    MelBel replied to hrmgtm's topic in General Nursing

    Slightly off-topic, but related a bit... I really want to start working on my BSN sooner than later, however, I plan to move in the next couple years, possibly a few times over the next 5 years or so....

  7. Can't believe what I heard!

    MelBel posted a topic in General Nursing

    I was out at a restaurant with some friends tonight, and I'm not sure if the man at the next table over heard me mention nursing or if it is irony, but I overheard this comment... "I think nurses are...

  8. Lab and diagnostic test results?

    MelBel replied to ichbinmich7's topic in General Nursing

    I usually don't give any information to the patients...I either tell them the results aren't back, or that the doctor is the one who has to discuss the results with them. Occasionally there are...

  9. How do you deal with working weekends?

    MelBel replied to jensfbay's topic in First Year After Licensure

    I know exactly how you feel! All of my friends/family other than those I met in Nursing school work M-F 9-5s. I don't mind working my schedule myself, but I do miss being with the people I love. I...

  10. Switching Jobs?

    MelBel posted a topic in First Year After Licensure

    While in nursing school, I worked in a group home for adults with developmental disabilities in an aide-type position. I absolutely LOVED my job. And the agency I worked for really truly appreciated...

  11. Switching Jobs?

    MelBel replied to MelBel's topic in First Year After Licensure

    Thank you all for your replies! After much contemplation over the past week, and discussing it with family and fiance, tonight I wrote a nice cover letter and fixed up my resume, and I'm going to drop...

  12. Share why your current job sucks and what you hope will be different in nursing!

    MelBel replied to WantAccel.BSN's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    Had to put my here... I am currently 7 months into my life as an RN. Prior to becoming an RN, I was headed in the Music Education direction, until I woke up and decided to be a nurse instead. I...

  13. What do you think are the current major problems in nursing?

    MelBel replied to Barras's topic in General Nursing

    One thing I am constantly reminded by my boyfriend after a bad night... If a patient goes bad at the beginning of your night, and takes up the first few hours of your shift, the nurse is still...

  14. Removing Vest restraints from our policy

    MelBel replied to Twiget's topic in General Nursing

    We use poseys quite frequently (I work acute geriatrics). The best (and only alternative I see!) is having a sitter 24 hours a day. If someone needs a posey, that is because the bed alarm, etc isn't...

  15. New Nurse (LPN) with no EKG exp. HELP!

    MelBel replied to happynurseinbama's topic in First Year After Licensure

    Our machine has a picture right on it telling you where to place the leads, and everything is labeled. Someone showed me how to do it once, and I've been doing them since, and noone has complained...

  16. 7 Patients Feels like Too Many

    MelBel replied to luv2yoga's topic in First Year After Licensure

    I feel like 6 is my limit too! Although normally, I have 7, 8 or 9. 8 being average. This week we were "overstaffed" and I had 5 patients Mon/Tues and 6 on Wed :) I was happy, my manager was not!...

  17. Charge Nurse Already????

    MelBel replied to tamparn2007's topic in First Year After Licensure

    I've been put in charge about half the nights I've worked since coming off orientation in early September. At first, I HATED it, and was TERRIFIED every night. I can't say that I really enjoy it...

  18. how does sign on bonus work?

    MelBel replied to Ms.RN's topic in General Nursing

    I am getting a $5000 bonus paid out over 2 years. I got the first $1000 after my orientation period (more like $500 after taxes), I'll get $2000 after my 1year anniversary, and $2000 after my 2 year...

  19. Medical shows vs the real thing?

    MelBel replied to pumpkin1984's topic in General Nursing

    As someone else already mentioned, I find they show the doctors doing everything on TV. And actually TALKING to their patients. I don't work in the ER, but I know on the floor they walk in, do a 1...

  20. Help with ER blood draw order and tube color!

    MelBel replied to pedsRN121's topic in First Year After Licensure

    Our labels for the labs tell which tube to use, and our PCAs do most of the blood draws, so I don't remember most of them...I know PT/INR/PTT in blue, BMP in gold, CBC in lavender, etc...as far as the...

  21. Day Shift vs. Night Shift

    MelBel replied to keaton90's topic in General Nursing

    I had oriented on day shift, and work nights now. I wouldn't work days at my job if my life depended on it. I find nights more stressful than I found days, but I also find EVERYONE else in the...

  22. One of those days...*sigh*

    MelBel replied to jnette's topic in General Nursing

    agreed!

  23. What have patients told you that they shouldn't?

    MelBel replied to jessiern's topic in General Nursing

    I work on a geriatric unit...so I hear some pretty interesting things... *I always wear my hair pulled back at work, and am aware it isn't the most flattering look on me, but hey, it's work. A little...

  24. DKAs on the floor?

    MelBel replied to JazzyRN's topic in General Nursing

    Yep, with insulin

  25. DKAs on the floor?

    MelBel replied to JazzyRN's topic in General Nursing

    I don't work peds, but we do get DKA on our floor. We aren't supposed to have anything more frequent than q2 fingersticks, but if someone comes up to us, the order is usually just changed instead of...