missyl670

I completely understand! My first year I felt like such a mean nurse because I would be very short and unsympathetic to the 'frequent flyers' and others I could just tell were faking. I would even tell them to quit coming in so much. Then it was nurse day and some of the teachers had their classes make me a card and I was so shocked at all the comments I got on how nice and caring I was!!! Even from those that I inwardly groaned when I saw them. So their perception is much different than ours I think. I think for some they just need attention and the fact I didn't yell at them they felt I was nice. Sad but true. So now I try to always be nice but firm and say in a cheerful voice-sorry you don't have a fever, have a nice day! On another note, I did a spiritual gifts quiz in church one day and I said to the group I was suprised that mercy or any of the others having to do with nursing didn't come up high and someone said that's because the best nurses are the ones that can emotionally distance themselves from the patient to give the best unbiased care. They had a valid point. I've learned in the several years of doing this that the more you coddle the bigger babies you create-even with your own kids. So don't feel bad-you're doing what's best!

One hospital in my area said I could work afternoon and midnight shifts flex-time. I wasn't sure what flex-time meant since they told me the shifts already. Do you usually get benefits with flex-time? Another hospital said I could work part-time days/afternoons usually two days one week and three the next. I wasn't sure which would be better since I don't understand the flex-time thing. I could call and get more info but I don't want to be pressured to pick their hospital until I hear what you all think about flex-time. Thanks!!

Who watches your kids when you work eve, nights, and weekends? My husband also works shiftwork and it just seems so overwhelming to find a job and have to arrange childcare for crazy hours. Right now I'm a stay-at-home mom but I want to go back to work part-time. Our parents would help out in a pinch but not regularly so I was just wondering how everyone else managed. Thanks!!

What's your opinion? We have two area hospitals with OB units. One hospital you cross-train and rotate working L&D, PP, and nursery. The other hospital you just work one area all the time. Which do you feel would be the best? I used to work at the one where we cross-trained and it was very overwhelming to learn three areas at once. Nursery was my favorite. However, I noticed that if we became swamped in one area it was nice to be able to grab another nurse to help who knew exactly what to do. I also liked the variety but I never did get to feel very comfortable with L&D. When I had my own babies in the other hospital those nurses said it was so nice to have just one area because you became very good and knowlegeable in it, not to mention comfortable, much quicker. I just wondered what you all though. I left the hospital to go to a school nursing job. I did that for 5 years and then quit (the only thing I liked about that job was the hours) and have been raising my own kids for the last nine years. I'm ready to go back but I was told since I've been out so long I have to spend six months on med-surg first-uggh! I'll do it but I just wasn't sure which hospital set-up would be best. Thanks!!!

I have a question. There are two area hospitals with OB units, however, one you have to work all three areas: postpartum, L&D, and nursery and the other hospital you're just assigned to one of these areas permanately. Which do you think would be better? I've already worked at the one where you do all three and it was very hard because you have three times as much to learn. My favorite was the nursery. I've heard other nurses say you do better if you just stick to one. However, I know from experience that when all the nurses on your floor are trained for all three areas it's nice to be able to get help when one of the areas gets crazy because they don't have to be told how to help-they already know what needs done. What is your opinion? I left the hospital to get a job as a school nurse but I missed the excitement of OB and then I haven't worked for 9 years due to raising my own kids. Now I'm ready to get back into it unfortunately since I've been gone so long I have to spend six months back on med-surg-uggh! But I don't know which hospital to apply to-I'm not sure if it would be best to do one area or three in OB so I wanted some other opinions. Thanks!