MelBel

MelBel

Geriatric, Medical/Surgical

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All Content by MelBel

  1. A year in...and trust me, it gets better

    MelBel posted a topic in First Year After Licensure

    So I'm just a few days shy of my one-year anniversary. I can't possibly write everything here that I have learned in the past year, or explain just how much my life has changed because of nursing. In...

  2. Graduate nurse asks: What is a "weekend" off?

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

    I work 12s (7p-7a) and our weekend is sat/sun night (sat/sun for days). I have learned to make an effort and when I put in my schedule request, I will work Fri/Sat/Sun on "my" weekend, so then I can...

  3. Being fired...long and weepy

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

    I would NOT do it if it was against the policy, unless it was a truly life or death matter for the patient. If something had been wrong with the meds, you would have gotten in a lot more trouble for...

  4. First arterial bleed

    MelBel replied to jessi1106's topic in First Year After Licensure

    I'm glad you posted this, because I've had several patients with pretty bad stage IVs, and NEVER considered that this might happen to me! I expect some bleeding at times, but not like that! At least...

  5. School Questions for recent grads

    MelBel replied to Marie-SC's topic in First Year After Licensure

    Short answer...everyone is different. I completed my entire RN in 2 years, doing nursing and gen eds at the same time. I worked full-time during the second year (part-time the first), and actually...

  6. Young Nurses?

    MelBel posted a topic in First Year After Licensure

    I'm just wondering if anyone else has or has had this problem, and can give me any advice! I'm young (22) and look ever younger (people tell me I'll appreciate it later). I'm an RN, and I get a mix of...

  7. Adequate Staffing = I Love my Job

    MelBel posted a topic in First Year After Licensure

    So for some unknown reason, this past week my unit was more OVERstaffed than understaffed. I averaged 5 pts/night this week, and no more than 6. (8-9 is our norm) Things that happen when we have...

  8. Adequate Staffing = I Love my Job

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

    The other interesting part of this is that last night I had 4 patients. We only had 1 PCA, but it didn't make too much of a difference because every nurse had few enough patients to do their own total...

  9. Vacation! :)

    MelBel posted a topic in First Year After Licensure

    I just wanted to share that I am now officially on my first vacation after starting nursing! Started in June, have worked a 36+ hr week since then, and now I have no work for 2 full weeks. Just wanted...

  10. NEW RNs!!!!

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

    I'm 22, was 21 when I started working....another new nurse is 23, but besides us, everyone on my floor is over 30. I was used to working jobs where everyone was about the same age as me, but it didn't...

  11. Potential fallout of refusing additional pts

    MelBel replied to PurrRN's topic in General Nursing

    On nights we can get up to 8-9 patients per nurse. If the ER tries to send more, I always call the supervisor before accepting to see if they are aware. If we are having a good night, I tell them...

  12. 7 months in...not what I expected

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

    We just hired a nurse on my unit who has been a nurse for about a year, but mostly in long term care. She is entitled to the same length orientation as the new grad we just hired. But that has to do...

  13. ....becomming the charge nurse???

    MelBel replied to jessi1106's topic in First Year After Licensure

    I've been charge since coming off orientation...on our floor SOMEONE has to take charge, and we only have 4 staff nurses on nights...3 of us started at the same time last June. If the more...

  14. Top Five Tips for Night Shift? For a new nurse?

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

    I've realized that everyone needs a different kind of schedule...so experiment and find what works for you! On my first day on, I go to sleep about 2am the night before, wake up at 8, run some...

  15. students! they have no sympathy!

    MelBel replied to labrador4122's topic in First Year After Licensure

    My second preceptor had the style of "do it for yourself, come find me when you need to". But she was ALWAYS available, and she also always knew what was going on with my patients. She made me think...

  16. fluid overload ,sepsis, Pneumonia what?!?

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

    I think if you notified the MD and documented, you did all you can. I probably would have asked the MD if they would want some Lasix given...but other than that, exactly what you

  17. The "TRUE" Blue Bloater on Oprah

    MelBel replied to mcknis's topic in General Nursing

    I thought he was more gray than blue....but that is just me

  18. How do Nurses handle the DEMANDING Work Hours?!?

    MelBel replied to gbarrera2's topic in General Nursing

    I personally love the hours! I work every 3rd weekend, and 1 out of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years; and then 1 out of Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day. Other than that, the schedule...

  19. Is it true nurses dont like their job?

    MelBel replied to ThePretender's topic in General Nursing

    I hate my job somedays, but I really do like what I'm doing. I enjoy caring for people. I enjoy the challenge of a difficult patient. I find many medical diagnoses incredibly interesting, and I...

  20. SURVEY: What degree did you get for nursing and other questions

    MelBel replied to ThePretender's topic in General Nursing

    1. What degree did you get? Eg: AA, BSN.. Have you had other degrees in different fields? Associates...planning on the BSN and MSN eventually 2. Why did you pursue this career (demand, family...

  21. Can someone explain to me what mandatory overtime means?

    MelBel replied to beachbum3's topic in General Nursing

    I don't have mandatory overtime...which is nice because I can pass my report to whoever shows up, and I can leave. The bad part being the same thing also happens to me on occasion. We do end up...

  22. What a wonderful weekend...first code

    MelBel posted a topic in First Year After Licensure

    I worked Fri/Sat this weekend, and have to go back tonight. Friday night was BUSY BUSY...9pts, charge, transfusion going, 1admission...things were ALMOST under control when at 0445 my patient who...

  23. OMG...32 pts!

    MelBel replied to jessiern's topic in General Nursing

    8-9 pts on my med surg floor is pretty typical (nights). This weekend I've had 8 or 9 along with charge. I've been a nurse 8 months. The other 2 nurses I've been working with are travelers. Friday...

  24. Dealing with death

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

    Working geriatrics, we get a lot of "expected" deaths. We also have a hospice room...people come to that room to die. We also get younger patients who die young for one reason or another. I thought...

  25. How long is too long to wait to work???

    MelBel replied to henrysgirl72302's topic in First Year After Licensure

    I know of someone who just moved to be with her boyfriend after about 8 months at her first job. I know that she had NO problem finding a new one, and from my experience, being about 8 months in, it...