smiletoday

I came to psych almost two years ago. I love it. I previously worked in post partum, float pool, critical float pool, medical flyer, ICU and the ED. In all of these departments, many of my patients had mental health conditions. Especially the ED and ICU (at my facility). Working in psych allows me to take a holistic approach with the patient. Plus my pay and benefits are the same.

You described the last job that I had in the ED. The stress working in such in environment will take a toll on you. I made the decision a year ago to leave. A lot of people could not believe I gave up an opportunity to be an ED nurse. Yup. My sanity is more important. I feel it was their loss because, I am a damn good nurse. It is pretty ironic the unit is working on ways to prevent nurse to nurse violence. It is not going to work until they first look in the mirror first.

I just happen to be on allnurses.com today. But yes, I am a psych nurse and my son has bipolar. It is one of the things that got me interested in psych. I love my job.

I believe that people are missing the point. The facilities are asking people to return to school and pay a fee to continue to work the job that they are currently working. 1. Are they saying that we are not good enough to do the job that we are doing now. We continue to work and take great care of the patient's even when short staffed. We sacrafice holidays and family events to come to work, join committees, etc. all of this while we are studing for classess to obtain the BSN. I read the evidence based paper and I suggest that other do as well. It looks to me that study also revealed that a smaller nurse patient ration was found to decrease patient mortality as well as having an increase of BSN's in the mix of nurse on the floors. Yet what the hospitals did was to place the responsiblity of the result onto the nurses and of course the nursestook responsilbily of the situation (we always do). This is a snow ball effect, now there are hosptials that are requiring Master degree level nurses. Guess what, the BSN nurses are screaming foul. Until we stand together and stop this bickering we will remain at the mercy of the hospitals. IMO, the requirment to obtain your RN was to pass the NCLEX. What steps that you took to pass the NCLEX was entirely up to you. I am happy for nurses who have obtained whatever level of education that they desire. That is the way it should be.

In the beginning, I did not know what I wanted to do.i copleted the legal secretary program at the community colloge. I remember thinking about the medical secretary prog. But didn't know much about medicine. I took about 20 credits in business. Just didn't know what iwanted to do. I was a single mom of two kids. One child has disabilities. Ended up doing home daycare. I attended a community program and obtained a child development certificate. Oh, I forgot about the classes to become a head start teacher. Anyway,MN I was an accredited lic. Daycare provider for 10 years. Decidef to go back to school. I went back obtained my Lpn continued and recieved my AD in Nursing. Im back in school again for my BSN. Not because iwant it, but I feel that I'm being forced. I have taken A&p twice. I have taken biology three times. I must take a chemistry class for my current program. I have taken nutrition three times. Why does every school want me to take more history courses. Now with my history, I am well roundef and have more than180 credits. With no BSN. Im okay with that. My employer is not. I am happy with my job and have no plans on leaving. The amount of debt, will have me paying my student loans with my SS. This is ridiculus. I am glad for nurses who want to go on back to school and get their BSN. I would recommend new students to go straight to their BSN. But dont discount all the hard work, that I put in and then tell me, I need more education to do the job that im doing, because then I will be more well rounded. Thank you for letting me vent. Oh and there is no such thing as an adult learning programs. Each school requires you to take their class. That is the reason for the repetition. That is how the schools make money.

I am starting 4/1/2013. I am ready to roll.

It does take practice. Start with the smaller ones. The hands are the easist. Then move to the larger needles and other areas. The more you practice. The more IV's you will get in. It is a techniques that you feel. It will soon become second nature. When I first started. I could only get the 22's in. Then I graduated to the 20's in the forearm. Could not get an 18 in the AC no matter how hard I tried. Then one day, I got it into the AC. Now, I am pretty consisitent. But I still have times, the vein is waving at me and I can't get it no matter what.

how long have you been a nurse? 5 years. 2years as a LPN and 3 years as an RN. Age?40 gender?F What was your previous career? Licensed Home Daycare Provider Did you receive a college degree in that specialty? No How long did you work in your previous career? 10 years What was the hardest part about changing careers? Since I worked from home the hardest part was leaving my children to work outside of the home. What was your motivation in changing from your previous career? Benefits and a retirement package did you make more or less money in your previous career compared to nursing? more money What qualities do you possess (if any) from your previous career that help you in the nursing field? Caring for others and teaching Was your first career in the healthcare field? No Is there anything you would change, in regards to your career choices if you could go back in time? Begin Nursing after high school graduation Do you regret choosing the Nursing field as your second career option? NO Rate your previous career, 1-10, or, how happy were you with your previous career vs how happy are you with nursing? 8 what prevented you from becoming a nurse earlier? Never thought of it. On being a nurse: Why the nursing field as opposed to another discipline? I started enrolled in nursing school to go to school with my sister. Are you worried about 'burning out' on being a nurse? Becoming too reliant alcohol or drugs for coping/escape? No. I love my job. I have boundaries How do you feel about the glorious American healthcare system? [rate it 1-10, or RANT!] I think that nurses are undervalued by the administration. I believe that health care is a right. It is right up there with education. On being a nursing student: Did you have another job while in nursing school? yes. I still ran my daycare with 10-14 children and an employee. What obstacles do you/did you face being a student? Nothing as I got my LPN. Money as I earned my RN. Plus nursing school was difficult in regards to the games that the staff played. Which class is most important for student nurses? A and P Which is the least? All of the classes added something. What other classes do you feel student nurses should be required to take? Cultural acceptance.

Set up an appointment during the time that the provider is providing care for the other children. Ask alot of questions. Do not feel that a question can be too personal. For your daycare provider will become part of your family. Assess, yes, assess how the other daycare children act and behave around the provider. Are they afraid to talk or move. Do they stay around the provider and talk to the provider. Do they appear comfortable. Or are they just sittin in one spot on the couch watching tv and afraid to move. How does the provider respond to the activities of the children while trying to pay attention to you. Can they multi task and handling these situations calmly. Also, ask if there is an open door policy. This means can you come and join the children for lunch or activies. Can you just pop up without letting some one know? Then do exactly that.

In 2003 I decided on becoming a nurse. I went to look at several schools and found out that there was a long waiting list. I could of taken two years of generals then waited to see if I was accepted. Instead I begun my nursing career as a LPN. The LPN program took me to 2 years to complete, this was going part time as I owned my own business and had a family to care for. Once I graduated 12/2005, I immediately applie for the LPN-RN bridge program. I was accepted into the RN program beginning that Fall. I complete a few more required generals while I waited to start the official program. I also began to work as a LPN in a LTC/TCU facility. That is were I first gain my confidence. Honed? in my assessment skills. Learned how to write a order, work with the pharmacy, deal with families, death, charting, PT/OT/social workers, and JACHO. I had a real cases to apply the knowledge that I learned in the RN program. I believe that my LPN experience was very valuable in my nursing career. When I graduated as an RN and got my first hospital job. I was not overwhelmed. I already knew what was expected of me. All of this took from 2003-2007. All nurses may not agree with me but, I feel that by going this route it made me a better nurse than if I would have went straight into a BSN program. The BSN program would have recognized my skills more. But I do not feel that I would have been a better nurse.

Does anyone work at Regions Hospital. I live in St. Paul and would love to work there. Do you have any idea if they will be hiring when they complete their new units. If so do you have any idea when this will happen. I am an experienced nurse. Thank you.

What states are hiring and what states are laying off. My state just had a big round of layoff's at a majority of hospitals. There is a current hiring freeze at the hospitals. Darling Husband lost his job this summer. If I lose my job (New grad 07). My family will be homeless and hungry. I was wondering where could I go and get a job if I had to. By the way. I am an AD. Really don't won't to go to school right now because of the lack of funds. Hosp. will reimburse. However, I have to come up with the first 2000.00.

The holidays is one reason the census are low. However, the economy may cause the effect to become bigger. Current article posted today could of been written by the hospital that I work at. I am a new nurse, just over one year and I am scared. I have three children and my husband loss his major job this fall. He is working a part time job just for some type of income. So if I lose my job, we will become homeless. http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081227/meltdown_hospitals.html

When did your nursing school friends start work at North Memorial? I am worried about my job. I work at a different hospital.

I like your reply regarding the type of nurses on each unit. IE: Crital care nurses are in your face. Can anyone tell me what type of nurses are in the labor and delivery and or float pool.