sample24

Hi! I'm just looking for some help. We are relocating to the Phoenix area, but I'm not getting any call backs from jobs I've applied for. Is anyone out there hiring? I see jobs posted and apply but getting a recruiter to call is like pulling teeth. I have 7 years nursing experience in Women's and Children's health and a hat full of certifications, but can't seem to get my foot in the door. Does anyone have any suggestions?? Thanks! Karen

Ours is the exact same as this w/the exception that if we are placed "on-call" and then get called in, we get call back pay, not regular pay. For instance, today I was regularly scheduled but got placed on-call. 2 hours later I got called in but got to clock in call back for pay purposes which means more $$ for me K

Just passing on what they (our lact. nurses) tell our pts...I'm not saying they are wrong or right, but we have 3 lactation nurses, with stacks and stacks of books, so I tend to lend an ear when they're talking. I'll have to see if they have the book you mention. Thanks.

Our facility has a strict bedrest policy after ROM. Not even to the bathroom. It's bedpan only, or foley if they have an epidural in place. This doesn't mean I completely agree with this policy under the right circumstances, but it's what we have in place now.

According to the certified lactation consultant at my facility, the molecular weight is such that the pain medication (percocet) will/can not cross over into the breast milk, so there is no risk fo sedation for the infant. I hope that helps. K

Thanks for the response OkieICU_RN. I'm really only interested in their 13 week in-house travel position. I had heard something about all of the residents going elsewhere, but wasn't sure. Surely they'd still have work though over the next couple of months which is what I'm interested in. Thanks again, K

It sounds like you need a new preceptor. Not giving you an adequate orientation to the floor and the profession just sets you up for failure. I'd talk first to your preceptor. Let her know your concerns, if that doesn't work, then talk to your director and request another preceptor. There are a lot of people that are great nurses, just not great teachers. Just my

Just to clarify and agree w/the pp, the online program I did is accredited by our SBN, the NLN, and NCSBN otherwise I wouldn't have pursued it for the pp reasons already listed. K

I was an LPN and did my RN online through a local university. It was a pilot LPN to RN program for our state, but we had 100% pass rate on the NCLEX, so they continued it. I worked full-time and did my clinicals on Saturday. Some of my classmates did night shift clinicals. K

NWACC graduates some excellent nurses!! I'm always glad to see them come to work w/us! The local LPN school does a great job as well.

I just had this conversation w/the girls I work w/yesterday. A new grad stated she started out making $19.08/hr +diffs. I have 5 yrs LPN, 1 yr RN and my base is $21, add on diff's ($2/hr for critical care, shift diff's, PRN diff, etc) and my pay is decent. At my facility in the Fayetteville area, we can get offered tip pay for any number of reasons. It doesn't have to be the 7th day worked for the pay period. Also, be leary of any facility offering big sign on bonuses when other facilities aren't. That should be a big red flag!! Trust me on that one. You can PM me about my facility anytime. K

I live in northwest Arkansas, but saw an ad for an in-house traveler position at OSU in Tulsa. The ad posted here in my local paper said $45/hr. Does anyone know anything about these positions, or about working in this facility?? The particular job I am interested in is in Mother-baby nursing. Any information anyone can lend would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!! K

You go girl!! I'm in your situation. I've worked at my current hospital for 3 years, first as an LPN, but only as an RN since December. I'm dreading the day I do my "first catch." I'm always terrified when I get the G7P6 to admit who's already 6cm. It reminds me of when I first started working as a nurse on Peds, I was scared to death of the first time I'd have to code a pt. Once it's done, it's not so bad, it's just the anticipation of it that is. Great job!!

Also LeBonheur Children's is in Memphis. Marion has great schools and affordable housing. We lived there for 5 years and I was very pleased w/the schools and town.

How on earth did the baby get out the door AMA w/a security band on??

also clamping chest tube tubing when looking for a leak....

I'm sure my take on this is most likely controversial. I happen to work in a women's hospital and my view is test EVERYONE that walks in the door. If you have nothing to hide, you won't mind it. As tampagirl stated: you'd be surprised the people that don't "fit the description" and test positive. There are so many people that you can tell by their behavior that 'something is up.' We aren't allowed to test w/o a doctor's order, and there aren't many of our MD's who are willing to let us do it just because we have a gut feeling. It's really hard to catch a baby's first urinary o/p. Many times they void immediately after delivery and you can't catch it. I'd much rather get a speci from mom when she comes in than try to get it from the infant. Just my

I'm going to be a new traveler, and really would like to go to Arkansas Children's Hospital. Does anyone know or has worked there as a traveler? Long story short, my husband got downsized, and my in-law's live in Little Rock so I could pocket the living stipend. This would allow us to stay in the new house we just built where I currently live. I'm just hesitant to go. I've got 7 years of experience in Peds, NSY, Level II Nsy, L&D (a basic hodge podge), but am a little nervous to undertake a new experience. Anyone with any good/bad experience there? Thanks in advance. K

It's a big NO at our facility once the delivery is in progress for anyone to enter or leave. We make sure to tell them prior that they're in for "the long haul" When the table clears the room, then it's the pt's choice to limit visitors.

I know what you mean. We are very short staffed at work right now. Instead of opening up more positions, we're getting a bunch of travel/agency nurses for our busiest season. It just doesn't seem cost effective to me.

I had a similar situ during a pt admission. He tripped over her IV pole, and she was beating the crap out of him when I walked in. I put a stop to it quickly. I told her & him that "this behavior is never appropriate, if it continues, he'll be asked to leave and won't be present for the birth." Ends up we deliver and at some point (prior to admission, baby looked good on the strip) she had a hidden ptl. abruption, baby was bad, lots of blood loss. I documented my rear off. Who knows what had been going on at home prior to admission that contributed to the bad outcome. Abuse is abuse whether it's male or female, hormones don't excuse it.

We carry a maximum of 4 stable couplets each. We have a separate (or two or three, depending) nurse in the nursery to do admissions, level II babies, etc. I agree with the pp's, your situation sounds unsafe.

I did my LPN to RN online through a pilot program here in our state last year. Just as OP said, my clinical time was scheduled, etc but all lectures, assignments were online. The flexibility was great, but you have to be seriously motivated to do the classwork. I was required the first semester to travel 6 weekends to the hospital where my school was based to do clinical time on-site with the instructors. The rest of my time was at a local facility the college had contracted with. It worked great for me (wife, mother to 3, etc) but I can see how it wouldn't be for everyone. Karen

I'm to the point of not even answering the phone now. I learned the hard way my first year out of nursing school. I worked week-end option and would go in any time I was called during the week. I didn't get any appreciation for going in all the time, it just got to where I was always the first they called when short-handed. I got tired of it really quickly, and decided I didn't want to be a burnt-out new nurse! Let me share my bosses latest maniuplative move to try to get me to come in when they needed help. The call was a couple of mornings ago and went like this: My boss: "Is Karen there?" DH: "Yes, but she's asleep." My boss: "Oh, would you wake her up and tell her that so-and-so is requesting that she come to her 1200 c-section today?" (so-and-so is a co-worker I really like working with and we had had no prior conversations as to my attending her delivery) DH: "Well she has a dentist appt at 1030, so I don't think she'll be able to but I'll ask and have her call you." Upon investigation, I discovered that I'm one of 3 people that got the same exact call. If my co-worker had indeed requested that I be the one there for her, I would've gone, but she didn't. I was ticked-off to say the least. Manipulation like that doesn't rank highly on my list of managerial tactics. I'll be hard-pressed to go above and beyond for her anymore after a stunt like that. Thanks for letting me vent!!

I'm getting ready to be in the same boat. I worked nights for 4 yrs, days for 2, upgraded my credentials (LPN to RN) and got put back on nights because I lost my seniority (nice huh?) Now after 4 months on nights, I'm getting switched back to days. I don't know if I'll ever recover. My favorite shift is 3p-3a. Strange I know, but I like it. If you come up with a decent remedy send it my way, as of now, my body doesn't know which end is up.