70sCat

I'm sorry, but I don't understand this line of reasoning, i.e., you'll take the time to teach 'one of (y)our own nurses' new skills, but won't afford an agency nurse the same courtesy?

I think this has more to do with who's assigning the nurses to their work areas than who's qualified to do the job. Aren't the agency assignments done by someone within your hospital like the Nursing Supervisor or Administrator? My agency never did our floor/unit assignments. The hospital's Nursing Supervisor or Administrator on Duty did.

Amen to that. Agency nurses are called in to fill for a staffing shortage, yet it surprises me how poorly agency nurses are often treated by hospital staff. Speaking as a former agency nurse, we were often 'dumped on', given the worst and most difficult patients on the floor. The staff were often resentful for whatever reason and hesitant to help when requested. It's very difficult and unnerving for agency nurses going into an unfamiliar facility, not knowing where anything is located, unfamiliar with the rounding docs, unfamiliar with the staff nurses and floor routines. Also, it's a given that no matter how long you've been a nurse, there are still some things/procedures that you've never done or haven't done often and need some assistance with. I believe I'd much rather an unsure nurse ask how to do something than for her to just go and do it anyway because she's met with resistance from the staff when asking for help. After all, isn't working together in the patient's best interest? The pay isn't always better than staff pay either. I had to work per diem for a variety of reasons and my agency would, without fail, cancel me enough during the month to prevent me from getting health insurance and other benefits through them. Not good when you have SLE and are trying to support a family. Things aren't always as they appear from the outside.

You guys are GROSS!!!! Hahaha Anything to do with the mouth grosses me out, I don't know why. Cleaning dentures and doing any measure of mouth care {{{shudder}}} I absolutely positively DETEST doing bowel routines! Phlegm {gag} gets me worst of all though.

I was finally offered a job in Home Health/Case Management, yay! The company knows of my lack of experience (but huge desire to learn the job!) and is willing to spend the time training me. The pay and bennies are better than anything I've had up-to-date.

It's been my personal experience that Florida pay rates suck, at least where I live. For nearly every job I've applied to the hourly rate has been around $21. I was making that as a new nurse back in 2003 in So. Dakota. The cost of living is pretty high in Florida as well.

What do IC's do in regards to personal health insurance? I'm usually covered under any hospital or agency I've worked for, but since I have SLE and some kidney issues I have been turned down when I've tried to get coverage independently.

I taught in an LPN program here and really disliked it. The program itself was chaotic and completely unorganized with clinicals of several areas done before the specific class for that clinical area was taught. I was given a very difficult clinical group (was the 5th nurse/teacher to be given this group and resign in less than a year). 5 out of the 12 in the group were completely off the chain - poor ethics, balked authority at every turn, agressive with hospital staff during clinicals, were caught cheating on tests and plagiarizing papers, etc. Nursing staff received NO support whatsoever. We were told to write the students up and did so, but nothing was ever done by administration, I suppose because the county/technical school wanted to keep the $$ flowing in. They were reported to the Florida Board of Nursing, but I don't know if anything ever came of it. I finally resigned when one of the students keyed my car and put something nasty in my coffee one day (can't prove it but all the staff, including myself, suggested this gal was probably the one). I gave her a bad grade that morning for plagiarizing a paper. I returned to floor nursing (12-hr shifts) which physically I can no longer do, but what choice did I have? I love caring for patients, but in hindsight I wish I had chosen a different career. (Off my soapbox now...sorry for the rant!)

I've applied for several case management jobs in this area (St. Petersburg, FL) and don't even get a bite (except to tell me that they have a floor RN position open in such n such dept). I'm told from other CM's that all the employers here want someone with CM experience, but how do you get experience if no one will hire you?? My BSN degree has gotten me nowhere pay-wise or opportunity-wise.

I have been a hospital Med-Surg nurse for about 5 years now and have my BSN. I have SLE and am finding that I cannot hold up to 12-hr shifts (99% of it on my feet) any longer and have been considering case management. CM is something I've been interested in from the beginning. Any recommendations on getting certified? I am going to be starting my Master's soon and was wondering if I should concentrate it on CM or get my MSN and take a CM certification course instead? Any ideas? I will be working as a home health nurse as I work on my degree. TIA, Susan

Definitely get the accomodations you need for school, etc., Heather. If you do decide to finish school, know that there are many things you can do as a nurse without having to be a floor nurse. Whether you stay with nursing or not, either way it's your choice. Only you can decide what's best for you and what you will be able to handle. Either way, best of luck to ya. hugs, Susan

Yikes. Pt's can be really hurtful sometimes. They're feeling cruddy and strike out. Of course they don't realize that we're often feeling pretty cruddy too, and it takes a lot of patience and will power on our part not to snap back an equally hurtful response. I know I've bit my tongue many times. I'm sorry that pt was nasty to you. take good care, Susan

It's great that you have supportive co-workers! It sure makes a huge difference doesn't it? Good luck to ya! hugs, Susan

Yes, I have encountered difficulties with employers and occasionally co-workers as well. Before I divorced and relocated to a different state, I had a nasty Lupus flare and had to take 6 weeks medical leave. Before that I was working full time. After I returned from leave I primarily worked part-time, but often picked up extra shifts when I felt energetic (lol). Anyway, when I started through the divorce stuff I asked my nurse manager if she would schedule me for full time (now that I was having to pay apartment rent plus 1/2 of the house payment until the house sold) and she refused. She said she couldn't rely on me being able to work full time now since I had to take the 6 week medical leave previously. Because Rapid City, SD really doesn't have much of a nursing shortage, I ultimately had to relocate to a different state in order to work full time.

I, too, have had problems with depression for years. I've pretty much attributed it to dealing with the Lupus over the years. I have tried many different antidepressants which usually work, but unfortunately my body won't tolerate them for more than a few months and then I have to go off them for awhile. I'm reading a book, "The Zen Path through Depression," (author Philip Martin) that has really helped in dealing with it without drugs. Good luck to ya and {{{{hugs}}}}! Susan