Dalzac

And the non-nurses get up and leave

I worked as a CCU tech and rode on a mobile Coronary care unit as an asst to the team leader which was an RN for 5 years in the meantime I went to LPN school and stayed in the same CCU I worked for another 3 yrs. I have heard I don't belong in any ICU or CCU or ER because I was an LPN. But listened to every thing the RN's taught me I took every CCU course that came around the bend. Even EKG's. I asked questions until I knew it hands down. I taught EKG classes. I heard all the time that LPN's don't belong in critical care unit and yet When I retired I was working in a large urban ER. After a while, when you show them you know it, they will leave you alone. Prove them wrong. I worked in Critical care units for 38 yrs

I used to go home and drink any kind of liquor I had around, but then I had to quit drinking (AA) and I then started watching cartoons when I came home from work. What a stress reliever! Esp. Looney Tunes I loved them. My grandkids would crack up watching me and they loved the fact that granma knew what were all the cool cartoons.

I wrote that letter a year and a half ago. All the insecurities are gone like the wind! I still love this job! The nurses on the floor I normally watch know me. They know I was a unit nurse and have told me they just don't worry about their patients any more. I just feel "Part of now." I would recommend to all nurses who don't want to retire but feel they have to do this. Even be a unit clerk. Work in staffing. Be a monitor tech. I have even been thinking about working full time I know if I lose my disability I can work full time there.

I did used to swear like a sailor and did in fromt of my kids. This was a horrible thing because now they do the same thing in front of their kids. Twenty years ago the first time I saw my oldest grandchild get punished for it I quit immediately and "Egads" became the word of choice. I use it at work for the most part except when a pt codes then the "Oh s#$t" will come out. I have to admit when I would have to work in ER I would occassionally fall in to the darkside language.

I was a LPN for 38 yrs all in critical care units and ER's. I did my job, didn't complain about not being a RN. I respected the chain of command and who was in charge, i worked as a team member I was never ever lazy. I loved my job... every job. I am still close friends with the RN's I worked with They respected me as well. As for the nurses who have such low opinions for LPN's You apparently have never met a good one.

wow just wow What bitterness.

This has been one of the most interesting reads. How do I go out with my old nursing friends and not talk about things that have happened like the ancient LOL who told me whle I was trying to put a foley in there hadn't been anything up there since 1969? It will happen as sure as the sun will come up tomorrow. It isn't a HIPAA violation I can't even remember her name or when it even happened. It was just a story of experience that happened a long time ago that was funny as hell.

I had a hsterectomy over 30 yrs ago and what could go wrong did go wrong. After 2 days they took my foley out and didn't check to se if I had peed I had told them many times I hadn't, my bladder flap tore and after about 3 days my belly started getting big and as an ICU nurse I told them I was bleeding They didn't believe me and ignored me until the doc checked all my labs by then I was confused and scared. The bad thing about being a nurse and confused is you still have your nursing knowledge, but you can't do anything about it. In the end I arrested and woke up in ICU on a vent. Knowing all along I was in bad bad shape and in a pitch black room, still confused and now restrained. Enough about that. Now I know to never, ever ignore anything your patient says, frequently check urine output after foley removal, if the bp is very low and heart rate is fast it better be the first thing you don't ignore. Tell your patient what is going on. Constantly reassure your patient they are going to be okay and leave a night light on and a call button close even if they are confused. All basic nursing 101 stuff. These simple little things are so very important and I never forgot them. I almost died because there was no compassion, patience, or tolerance in many of that facilities nurses

I hate Christmas! my mother died on 12-23-85 and my Dad died on 12-28-2007 It is so hard to celebrate without them. I didn't get along with my stepmother on any holiday good or ba. She loved to embarrassed me at the dinner table with a couple dozen relatives mostly hers. About all my past sins. Now I spend it with my kids and my sisters I love thanksgiving espiecially with my kids

When I worked FT we had to put down the 5 holidays in order of how we wanted them off. We always had to work either Christmas eve or day I have never minded working New years eve so I would always work that and New years day. I also work for others on both those days now. Thankisgiving has always been my fave off. I will work on Christmas Eve for mom's woth little kids too

I once took care of a very prominent lawyer. He was soooo nice and yeah he did have a entourage, but the nicest part was his cardiologist told my head nurse he wanted only certain nurses to take care of him and I was the night shift nurse. I even came in on my days off to take care of him and got an extra 4 days off with pay. He sent the nurses who took care of him chocolate covered strawbarries and a dozen roses each.

I retired from critical care several yrs ago and HATED retirement. I have severe rhematoid arthritis(the reason I had to retire) Actually was doing okay with my retirement benefits. But I just hated being home all the time and I did miss the occassional adrenalin rush. About a yr ago I got a job watching heart monitors and I even let my license lapse. I just wanted to check in and tel you guys I just love this job! I only work weekends and take one weekend a month off. I still get a tiny little adrenaline rush now and again and I have made a great rappoir (sic) with the nurses on the floors. I have to say though every now and again I think I could go back to the ICU and be a young blood. My family AND my new work family just laugh and laugh! but I have to say this is the most perfect job for an old retiree from ICU.

They only holiday I want off is Thanksgiving. I will work the rest of them. The kids are grown and do their own deals at Christmas, I don't drink or party so new years Eve is fine to work and so is NY Day. ad we get Visa cards to work them

When I would come home after a really nasty night I would watch cartoons the sillier the better. When I first got married my hubby would ask why someone with such a high IQ would watch cartoons. You don't have to think with cartoons. it is all slapstick and fart jokes. It is the best thing in the world to shut off the brain. And my grandkids think it is killer that Granma knows which cartoon is the best.

When I worked ICU I always got the overdoses I guess because I am a recovering addict and understand those patients better than most. When they become coherant I will ask them if they think drug rehab might help them and then refer our social workers to interveiw if they are open about it. IF they ask I will tell them about recovery and where they can go to meetings. and IF they ask how I know about this I will tell them. I have never had any backlash about this in 25 yrs. Plus, I have seen many patients I had in a meeting. But i never told any where I live or any other personal info. Even though telling anyone I am in recovery is very personal, I would rather see them take a stab at recovery and live a better life. Then if they stick around and become a friend They get as much info as they need.

When I first started hospital work Imy kids were pre-school and I worked 3-11 and had a good baby sitter. I wasn't a fan of evenings I thought it messed up your whole day couldn't do anything before or after my shift. When they were in school I worked days I hated it just hated working day I never had enough time to complete any of my patients care. Then I went to 11-7 I just loved it. No sleep diprivation nothing I slept while the kids went to school Since they were old enough to take care of themselves.......Wrong. I had to go to days again because my house was party central!!!LOL But after that I went back to nights and stayed there for 20 something years. I have worked all shifts and nights will always be my preferred shift. I can't sleep at night but I can sleep in the bright sunny days. My body is attuned to nights even after retiring in 2005.

My husband and our snowstorms only last a day or so but the ice storms are the pits but still even then it is the hubby. Sorry I live in Oklahoma

I have been doing the monitor tech thing now for 9 months. I just love it! Sometimes I miss hands on care, but I just can't physically do it. They have gotten sick of me saying how much I love coming in to work. But in my first evaluation I was told I have made a difference in morale and got a nice fat raise

I go to NA and to me I can better relate to the NA program 12 steps.I also served on the BON peer assistance program. We tell our nurses either program must be attended, which ever is more comfortable to them NA covers all addictions including alchohol. AA primarily covers alchohol. Those same 12 steps covers anything from food to sex. it is more of a social context between NA to AA

When your daughter calls you in the middle of the night to come over to her house and clean and change the sheets to your grandkid that just threw up every where.

Every job I have ever had came from knowing someone. Even my first job as a CCU tech.

Well I have been at my new job for 2 months now I still love it The people for the most part are glad to have me there is one that has an issue with the fact I used to be a nurse. Not sure why. I just feel useful now. My friends have told me it has made a huge difference in me. So has the family. Man some things have really changed. The acuity of the patients on the floor is unreal I can only imagine how high it is in the units. Some of the monitor techs watch bp's, cvp lines, and artlines for patients on the floor

I sweat too much to wear foundation and it comes off when I have to wipe my face but I do wear eyeliner and shadow and lipstick when I first come in.

After 35 yrs of critical care nursing, I found myself disabled and forced into retiring. I hated it! There some things I loved in some areas and one of those was rhythm interpretations. I found a job as a monitor tech and I love it! No walking, no patients, and no visitors. I work 11-7 so no bosses either. It kinda felt weird not having nursing responsibilties but I like it. The pay isn't much less than what I had when I was a nurse 6 yrs ago. I only work 3 days a week, so I don't lose my disability. It is so much nicer to have a little money in the middle of the month too.