NursKris82

Thank you so much for your response! I thought of a couple others... -Are the nurses in a union? -What are the ratios? Thanks in advance for the info!

Hello all! I am a RN with 3 years experience and am relocating to the Orlando area within the next couple of months. I am looking for a FT night shift position, preferable in critical care. I see the pay is low, especially compared to that of MI pay, but relocation is a must. I just have a couple questions if anyone can help... -Can anybody give me any ideas of the best hospitals to work? Why? - Do hospitals in this area do computerized charting? - Any other tidbit you could add would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!

I work in a 300 bed hospital and usually pacu and er does not hold pts during shift change, but we wish they would. It makes report very difficult to get thru when you have to take report from pacu too and then you have a brand new post op rolling up before you've even hit the floor! It's terrible! The way you do it now is MUCH safer, trust me!

1. Nights- 5 pts typically, max at 6. Days- 4 for days, max at 5. 2. Night shift 3. Michigan 4. 6 pts about 50% of the time for me. I don't know how you could actually give safe care to many more than this, espeically if they are acute care pts. : /

At my hospital we are almost completely computerized, including med administration and orders!! It's great! I absolutely love it!! I don't know how I would ever go back to doing it in paper!!

In my opinion, initially, compassion, safety and intelligence is key to being a good new nurse. You need to care about your pts, have a solid foundation in your chosen specialty and practice cautiously. After you get to know these basics, the ability to think ahead and see the whole picture will be key, but this does not come right away. I always tell new nurses to find a good nurse that you know you can come to and ask questions!! Never be afraid to ask- it could save a life! Being a new nurse can be scary, but it's awesome!! You'll learn so much!!

Hello there!

I know this is probably a venting post and that's cool, but as a fairly new nurse myself I want to remind everybody that often times a new nurse cannot see the big picture yet. When I first started a year ago, all I could do was tasks and the questions I was asked by more experienced nurses blew my mind. I didn't have the experience or practical knowledge yet to see a bigger picture. Now, I'm able to see things on a much larger scale and connect dots that I never knew existed. :) I so appreciate the team I work with and all the experienced nurses that helped me to really learn to think like a nurse.

High acuity med- surg tele: RN 5:1 typically, max 6 for nights and 4:1, max 5 for days. CNAs typically have 8-10 pts and max out at 14.

I wouldn't say that! I work in LTC and 28 or more patients on a bunch of meds plus medicare charting plus treatments. Your patients are more stable but there is a lot more of them. I also work in Med surg, but like it. On our floor tho we max out at 6, typically have 5 patients on nights and 4 on days and 1 cna maxes out at 14. Maybe it's not med surg but the hospital you work for. Anyway, I hope you find something you love! :)

Yes! I never thought I'd work med-surg but got hired there after I graduated and I love it! No plans to leave anytime soon.

I work at a nursing home a couple times a pay period. They usually work only 8 hour shifts, need the help and the work is different, so it's not the same as you always do. It's not easy, but I enjoy it.

OMG! I was advancing an NG one day and it started to coil up in the mouth! I was sure I had done something awful and I took it out QUICK and went to tell the charge nurse. I was like "I have a serious problem, the pt's ok now, but something real strange just happened." She just laughed at me. She said she's seen that happen before and that it was wasn't a huge deal. The way I looked and felt was like I almost made the pt code! She couldn't stop laughing at me!

This is actually an old school way of charting. If you go to any seminars on charting they teach that you CAN use I. They also suggest you use the names of any other healthcare professional you speak with by first and last name and title, which is taboo to nurses who've been taught otherwise. I say if you're on orientation or precepting do what they tell you, if not do it the way you were taught in nursing school or what's the latest information. Be leery (sp?) anytime a nurse tells you that you do something "just because". Hope I've helped. :)

Our facility doesn't do last names either, but it's supposed to be for our protection. That way if a patient has an issue with you, like in the ER or something, they ccan't go look you up in the phone and drop by. I think it's a good idea. We don't do credentials either, but probably will start since we're trying to get Magnet status.