Icare4u2

hey, i have been there and done that. i actually had someone accuse me of playing "games" on my pda (i was looking up drug reactions on a 3rd party program) and then go to my manager. i was actually written up for it. when i showed them my pda, i asked them to go to the games section and to find a game. at that time, i didn't know how to download them, so there were none on my pda. my point: i wrote a rebuttal to address the accusation and made sure to keep a copy, had my manager sign and date it, and place it in my personnel file. i kept the copy in the event it "got lost." i also keep copies of all of my evaluations, all letters of commendations written by patients or staff and all awards received. i have been burned enough times to know-no one is going to stand up for you except you. this is the nature of nursing; we say we support one another, yet you get stabbed in the back. you took an oath to provide your patients with the best care within your ability and in the safest environment possible. you were the patient's advocate-just what you are supposed to be. you should be commended, not reprimanded. let me commend on a job well done in horrible circumstances. shame on management for what they have done.!!! good luck to you in the future and keep up the good work!!!

seems like no matter what king of hearing aids i use, i always have issues with background noise, noisy environments, etc. they took me awhile to get used to and, no matter what, i will never "hear" like i did before. i would love to learn something about the implantable aids you are describing. wonder what the cost is? good hearing devices certainly aren't cheap!!

i have had many patients report near death experiences to me and i have had one myself. i reported many of the same phenomena that my patients reported to me. i do think nursing schools should address the near death experience issue, but i am not sure where it would fit best (oncology, icu, etc.) in the school's curricula. i also believe other professionals would benefit from some type of class or training to better understand nde's as well. hope this helps:wink2:

why did i become a nurse? i have always wanted to help others, especially those who cannot help themselves. i was the kid who would hang out with the kids no one else wanted to hang out with, like the "differently abled" kids. (who knew i would one day have a special needs kid of my own) i always felt i needed to be a voice for those who couldn't speak up for themselves. i think that is one of the reasons i wanted to become a nurse. i really enjoy being a patient advocate, even if i have to take an unpopular stand. in my current postition, ( i work in a clinic where we take all patients, regardless of ability to pay) i have the opportunity every day to help someone who otherwise would have no one else to help them, or no one else to care. i care about what happens to others. don't you think the world would be a better place if everyone did? (time to sit around the campfire and sing kumbaya while hand holding:d) kim

oh, please! i work in a clinic (public health) and we have many patients who come in with mrsa. their charts are flagged so we know to take extra care to clean the exam room after they leave. they sit in the common waiting room with all the other non-mrsa patients. many of us carry mrsa and don't know it because, as stated previously, we aren't cultured. i think the tech just didn't want to have to do the isolation thing with the gowns and gloves because it is a pain. but that is no excuse-they need to be educated and written up!!

no, i don't feel i am adequately compensated as a nurse. i have been in this proffession for over 20 years and i have had many ups and downs as far as salary is concerned. when i worked on the west coast, i worked for a union organization. i was paid over $35 per hour and salary was based on years of experience, not area in which you worked. my last job in california was as a case manager. when i had to move to the east coast (virginia) to help care for an elderly family member, my salary dropped to less than $ 30 per hour and the cost of living is actually a little bit more than on the west coast. also, because i can no longer do bedside nursing, i work in an outpatient clinic area and the pay is less than at the bedside. come on!! i'm still a nurse!! i still use the same assessment and critical thinking skills i used when i worked at the bedside. am i suddenly worth 25% less because i don't work in the icu or on an inpatient floor? i truly love what i do for a living and money certainly isn't what motivates me, but salaries really need to be a little more level across the country.

i see that purple is not included and that is my favorite color. i suppose rainbow would be good because purple is in the rainbow. as a team player, though, i can be whatever color is needed at the time:lol2:. kim

you should have received a copy of a skills check list and other expectations during your orientation. it's probably in that huge pile of stuff somewhere by your computer:lol2:. your manager should evaluate you on that written set of criteria. he or she should also ask you for some goals and what you think you have accomplished and if you think you got a good orientation. the eval is the time to discuss with your manager if what you are doing has met your expectations as well. there should be some areas you need to focus on and some areas where you do well. the important thing to remember is that it is not something to fear, though we all do come evaluation time. it is a tool to help us identify areas of strengths and weaknesses and a opportunity to set goals for ourselves. good luck!! kim

rich?...well, let's see.....moved across the country, pay the same amount of money for gas, higher rent, food the same, took almost $10/ hour cut in pay, get nothing for having a bsn, but still have to pay back those student loans, oh yes, i,m rich!! (i am, but not monetarily) i have to say i am a bit discouraged by the low pay. my brother, who doesn't even have a high school diploma (i love him, of course) makes more money an hour than my husband (who has a masters) and i put together. he has to work in the heat and he works hard, but come on!! i love what i do, but it's really hard when young people tell me that they would love to be a nurse, but can't believe the low pay. ok, off my soap box, now. no, i'm not rich, but at least i love my job!!

been there-and now, 25 years later, my eldest daughter writes in one of her last college classes about her heros: my mom-she taught me that it takes a lot of work and sacrifice-but you can be a great parent and still work and go to school. i have asked my kids many times if they felt cheated and they've said to me, in a word, no. yes, i felt guilty, yes, i looked like something the cat hocked up on the rug, yes, i was exhausted. yes, it was worth it!!! so here i am 25 years later-kids grown and gone-and they have told me how it was worth it-they have told me they feel they were better prepared for life because they knew things weren't a cake walk. you will be great!! your kids will thank you some day. they will know you did it so they could have a better life. it will be worth it!! best of luck to you and feel free to send me a pm anythime! kim

hi all!! i , too am hard of hearing and wear bilateral aids. i lost my hearing due to an extended illness. i do not know sign, but really do need to learn. there is an organization out there called the association of medical professionals with hearing loss, of which i am a member. we really need to become verbal so that others can see we are out there working, going to school, etc. there are agreat many people who would love to become nurses who fear their disability limits them. i would love to "hear" from anyone who would like to e-mail me!! lets get together and start a revolution!! kim

yep, my hubby is a nurse also and he's heard them all too...why didn't you keep teaching english? you have a masters in social work but you still became a nurse?!? why didn't you just go to med school?? he has now gotten to the point where he basically ignores people who make judgements about him and concentrates on doing what he does best-being an excellent, caring person who happens to be a rn.

yup, know exactly what you mean. i invested in good shoes and inserts in the shoes especially for plantar fasciitis. mine had all but disappeared until i went back to working the clinic. that first step to the bathroom is a killer, 4 sure.... good luck!!

anytime!!

ok, you guys are gonna do great!!! i'm so thankful there are so many of you out there who were willing to make the sacrifices, work so hard, put social and family lives basically on hold to become nurses. my hat is off to you!!! good luck and welcome new rn's!!!:welcome: unofficial nursing cheerleader:lol2: nursing-not just a job-it's an adventure!! rn for more than 20 years and counting!!

dutchgirl is right, too. interventional radiology, specials can be really good so long as you don't have to do the weekend call thing.

welcome!!!! pay for days and no weekends or holidays really depends on geographic area and what it is you are doing. i work in a clinic and i am on the east coast, but i work no weekends or holidays and 8-430 with one late day per week to cover late patients. we all take turns. all the nurses are salaried, so there is no overtime, but you can also take a day off here and there without using any vacation time if you need to, or go to a dr, appointment, etc. unfortunately, i took a really big pay cut to go to the clinic, but it was because i moved from the other side of the country. if you want to e-mail me privately, i can tell you where i work and give you other info. welcome to allnurses!! it's a great forum!!! we tend to vent to one another about work, etc, but it is a great place just to meet other nurses and network and receive feedback, suggestions, etc. :welcome:

nope , i wouldn't do it either. it's that whole policy thing and the fact that you would be responsible if you do give it. sounds like someone thinks a little too highly of himself. good luck!!

oh, please give me a break!! you would think that with as much help that is neeed in healthcare they would allow you to work!! seems to me that it is their loss. ah, well, live and learn. if it were me they could call me back and beg me and i wouldn't go now...of course, that is just me:lol2:. good luck!! you will do gr8!!!

i just moved from california and it is indeed illegal to call oneself a nurse in the state of california if you are not, in fact, a nurse. i spent a great deal of time trying to explain to a physician friend that an ma was not allowed to call themselves a nurse and, any telephone triage done in her office had to be done by licensed staff (nurse or physician: all of this is written in the nurse practice act.)the problem is, most physicians run their practices this way and nothing will change unless some one enforces the rules. i have since moved across the country and work in a clinic and we must prominently display our bright orange badge with rn on it. i now work in a magnet facility and nurses are very respected here (a rarity). i still find physicians who still can't seem to identify the differences and it's up to us to educate them, i guess....you can see this frosts my water, too:angryfire

i didn't always know i wanted to be a nurse. in fact, i tried to avoid any classes in high school that had anything to do with science, i did always want to do something to help others and eventually realized nursing was for me but i was in my mid 20's when i made that decision. it was the best thing i have ever done!! i wouldn't change a thing. personally, i am very happy you are considering nursing-we need more great, caring people to look at how rewarding nursing is. best of luck to you!!:welcome:

blyn: you will do gr8!! you've come this far and will ace it! i'm pulling 4 u!!:yelclap:

i totally relate to this because i've been in the same situation. some days you wonder what the heck you were thinking. it's also hard when you can't get people to understand you just care about what happens to them and aren't trying to be the bad guy. my husband, who is also a nurse, are fortunate as we can vent to each other when this stuff happens and we both know we aren't jaded-we are frustrated!! it's ok and i think changing the scenery by floating out to different units is a great idea. that's one of the great things about nursing-you can change from one area to another. oh, by the way, you are totally normal!! just remember the only behavior you can control is your own. good luck and if you need to vent more, i'll listen

yup, i gotta go with what everyone else says here. sounds to me like there is someone bent on moving you out.:angryfire i say find another job and tell them hasta la vista, baby!

interesting you ask because i just realized that at my new job we give tb tests all the time and never ask any questions!! you're right-i do remember asking: have you ever had a positive tb test? did you ever receive the tb vaccine? (this was given way back in the 60's; i don't recall the name) do you live with anyone who has tb? do you have night sweats? do you have an unexplained cough? are you immunocompromised or taking steroids? i think that covers most of the questions. hope this helps! if i think of others i will post again! good luck!