Lainee

I think those answers are good for a new grad. Always make the patient the priority.

If you don't hear from anyone by Wednesday, call HR

Change staff nurse to clinical nurse.

Hospitals get tons of online applications. Make yourself stand out by calling the nurse recruiter a day or two after you apply online to ensure that she received it. Even better, go to the hospital's HR office in person. It shows initiative and motivation. There are jobs to be had.

Platelets of 5 K? as long as the fever was worked up, yes I'd transfuse the platelets. PRBC depends on the hgb.

There is usually SOME downtime on night shift. My biggest complaint is that since we got rid of chart checks (when we went to a computer systerm), is that the charts are rarely read at all on night shift. If I have time to read the last day of notes on days, they can do the same. Too many times, I've had patients set up for a 9am ambulance/test etc that i knew nothing about but was right there in the notes... Also, IV 72 hour changes are purely dayshift's responsibility (unofficially). I get report that oh, so and so must not have changed it, it was old yesterday. WELL you should have noticed and changed it! There is more but that's enough for now...

ONLY if you explain that you are coming straight from work. I wouldn't do it though.

You wouldn't be human if it didn't have an effect on you. Seek counseling if you need it.

Exactly how I feel.

Use any contacts you have to get in. I think the interview is the key. Show you are competent, motivated and eager to learn. At my hospital, they give you 3 months of orientation regardless of you experience. We want to make sure that you are comfortable working independently as well as that we are comfortable with your skills.

On the flip side, I have lost 3 nurses in the past 5 years from medsurg to NICU and they are all still there and love it!

I am glad we don't have a union where I work. They treat us well. I think I would have ethical difficulties striking unless the mistreatment was glaringly obvious.

Look up area hospital websites. Most have job listing posted. you can send your resume and then follow it up with a call a few days later. It is all sooo much easier nowadays!

I think EVERY nurse should do a year of med/surg. It is a shame that with the shortage people go straight into specialties.

yup. They are social work, they are teachers, they are doctors, they are nursing assistants, they are clergy, they are housekeeping, they are carpenters, they are engineers, they are heating and airconditioning....