Yosemite, RN ASN, EMT-I

Stevostarko: please just keep that base down when you pull up next to me in traffic!

DoGoodThenGo: It was a joke! I have no "uniforms!" I'm male, wear street clothes! I guess I could starch my undergarments, though... (another joke).

Starch! I miss starch!

Jules A: Wow, much worse now than when I was doing it just a few years ago; I most certainly do NOT doubt your accounts! As to emergency medications for adolescents, one of my last few encounters (assisting the Adolescent RN charge nurse after I'd ...

Nurseladyt: Yes, my last couple of "gigs" were intermittent home health care. Yes, the driving in between visits is enjoyable! For me, though, home health care became untenable. Although it's been decades since I worked for an agency that pays ho...

NurseEryn: I agree; I went part time/per diem with one company and when it was sold, laid off. 2nd company would only give me the worst, last minute desperate and/or those over an hour from home. 3rd company only hired full time. I understand the...

Greater Sacramento area: difficulty (but not impossible) getting foot in the door for acute care; check the job boards for: Kaiser, Sutter, UC Davis, Dignity (Mercy). Google maps for outlaying areas/cities, City-Data.com - Stats about all US cities...

Nurseladyt: Davey Do pretty much says it all. The only point that I might add concerns the mix of personality disorders, those patients who have been through "the system" before KNOW the limits of what they can get away with, your responses/interve...

Yes, find another job, quit without notice and don't look back. If you're spiteful, know that she'll likely stroke out from her own stress and failures.

Greater Sacramento, CA area, 2 agencies worked for: SOC = $120, RV = $60. Mileage I believe was something like $.55 per mile for the SHORTEST route (not the most efficient), $25 per hour for mandatory meetings/in-services and something like $30 per...

Oceanblue52: yes, welcome to home healthcare. Your description is NOT unusual for this niche of the industry. I hate to say it, but you are between a rock and a hard spot. My humble advice would be to stick it out for a full 2 years using what li...

"Thanks for the memories" Wow, really brings me back (other than smoking @ the nursing stations and not being able to speak directly to physicians). One of my fondest memories (so as not to submit a duplicate) was during nursing school, 1st pediatr...

I agree that location, specialty and experience makes quite a difference. Although, likely retired, I keep my eye open for a compatible position. I speak mostly for the Greater Sacramento (CA) area. My observation mirrors many comments previously ...

I don't know about the Bay Area pay, but for the Sacramento area, revisits for a RN is about $60, OASIS start of care $120 or so. The last 2 agencies I worked for, though, were phasing out RN revisits and moving towards the expectation of 3 OASIS st...

Adam: No, I don't think you're "too old." BUT, as an accountant, "run the numbers." You know, cost of program, cost of living while you'll be in school full time (likely, especially with the massive studying/homework, class time, clinical, etc.), ...

Getting older and hearing is going, especially auscultating lungs and heart sounds. It allowed me to continue working!

I have heat intolerance; the older I get, the worse it gets... and it gets hot where I live and work. In home healthcare, the older folks crank their heaters in the winter and wear sweaters; in the summer, the air conditioning is rarely on. I have t...

I have heat intolerance; the older I get, the worse it gets... and it gets hot where I live and work. In home healthcare, the older folks crank their heaters in the winter and wear sweaters; in the summer, the air conditioning is rarely on. I have t...

For a "cheat sheet" on an OASIS visit, I just print out the agency's OASIS form, make photocopies for upcoming visits. I have a self made "cheat sheet" for my revisits. I enter the information @ home on my desktop and can do so fairly quickly.

CMS.gov I use it a LOT.

Help! I need advice on treating pressure ulcers from shear force/friction in a couple of my patients. Both have limited mobility, both are obese, both have limited recourses. Shear force during transfers are tearing up the buttocks and or posterio...

Is this enough "burn out" for you?

Hmmmm, tough situation. I wish I had suggestions of promise but, due to the GLUT of nurses in the U.S., let alone California, most employers will not consider us unless we have RECENT/current experience in what ever specialty of nursing they're look...

Quite a few times, actually. A few "lock downs" where a potential patient showed up at the front door during the night, was let in by unlicensed staff (as per protocol), escorted to the floor of choice only to have a weapon or bizarre, threatening b...

Do NOT leave the hospital. There is NO return (unless you're hospital based and unionized). The pay for the hours worked is abominable. Take my word for it, kid, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.