wasabiRN

One of the advantages of working 12 hour shifts is having four days off. While working 12 hour shifts, there is limited time to see family, do chores, and sleep so four days off in a row allows you to have a life. In addition I am a night shift worker. My new acting manager wants to limit our days off to three in a row for no reason other than control??. She states to fix staff shortages but there has been an even number of staff on each shift prior to this change. Has as anyone ever heard of this? Is there anything we can do. We are federal RNs so are controlled by Federal guidelines. Thank you.

You've got some good points there. The metoprolol had no parameters. The patient had recieved 50mg PO AM and order changed to 100mg BID. I have no idea what would have happened. Other situations (open heart...) have parameters to hold for systolic below 100. Meds are not held as often in ICU, I've noticed. I did call the dr. the other night for systolic in the 80s and 90s and he did hold the Coreg and Cardizem. Go figure. The charge RN in question does this to most new people. It's like "hazing". I too, am trying to put it all together. The thing I don't like (and I'm not sure if others do this) is when I go home and think I dropped the ball on something. I stress about it until I go back and find it was nothing. Working nights is a little tough because you sometimes have to drop the ball on certain things and choose the things you can take care of with limited personnel. Thanks for the support. Deb :paw:

I too, can relate. I have wanted to be an ICU RN since graduation but chose Telemetry instead. I finally got the chance to train for ICU after 3 years. The first day in ICU I thought "there is SO much I don't know". I was a pretty confident Tele nurse that could handle any situation or know enough to find help when I couldn't. Within the first month in ICU, the "sharks" as some of us call them, start reporting to mgmt the shortcomings of the new people. So much for having a year to feel comfortable. I find my self confidence slipping at times. I am also second guessing my care as I am waiting to hear that I made the wrong decision. I actually had one of the Charge RNs take me aside and lash out at me for holding 100mg of Metroprolol on a pt with a BP of 92/53. She said I should have called the doctor in the middle of the night, or talked to the charge RN. She is one of the most unapproachable charge nurses I have ever encountered. Now I call the doctor night or day anytime I want to hold a med. I am very uncomfortable in this environment. I love the ICU, I love learning and love the challenge. I do not like the working environment I am in. There are many wonderful RNs that make up for the sharks but I still get uncomfortable before shifts and do check the schedule of who I will be working with. The one thing I will take out of this experience: When I am confident and feel like an experienced ICU RN, I will NOT treat new people and new grads in this manner. Thanks for letting me vent.:paw:

Update...I took the PCCN in February and passed. Hard test though. By the 100th question I was ready to go home. I studied Woodruff and Gasparis. Thanks for all the input.

Ya know, that's what I've also been reading in the other posts. I think after school you forget all the knowledge and get into the real world. This brings it all back and ties things together nicely because now we can apply it. Dont'cha think?? Good luck to you, WRN

Thanks for the feedback Wooh. How was the Med Surg certification?

I have read many threads regarding PCCN preparation. I was hoping to start studying for the exam to possibly test in about 3 months. Many people have recommended different study material. I was wondering, since most of those postings were in the past and most of you have probably tested by now, if you could enlighten me on what worked best for you. I have ordered AACN Essentials of Progressive Care Nursing and Critical Care Examination Review. I was hoping to also order a study program and have narrowed it down to David Woodruff's PCCN Review or Laura Gasparis Vonfrolio's CCRN Study Review. I had read in some postings, that there is a difference between studying for the CCRN and PCCN. I have heard only good things about Laura Gasparis Vonfrolios review. Do you think her review is OK for a PCCN study guide. Thank you in advance. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I have read many threads regarding PCCN preparation. I was hoping to start studying for the exam to possibly test in about 3 months. Many people have recommended different study material. I was wondering, since most of those postings were in the past and most of you have probably tested by now, if you could enlighten me on what worked best for you. I have ordered AACN Essentials of Progressive Care Nursing and Critical Care Examination Review. I was hoping to also order a study program and have narrowed it down to David Woodruff's PCCN Review or Laura Gasparis Vonfrolio's CCRN Study Review. I had read in some postings, that there is a difference between studying for the CCRN and PCCN. I have heard only good things about Laura Gasparis Vonfrolios review. Do you think her review is OK for a PCCN study guide. Thank you in advance. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Wow, thanks for the great input. I appreciate it. Wonderful holiday to all.

:uhoh3:I was wondering if anyone could offer some insight into the importance of going from RN to BSN right after graduating with an associate's degree in nursing? Do you think it's something I could put on the back burner for awhile and just get into learning the daily in's and out's of nursing? Or do you think it's important enough to start right away? I have also seen jobs requesting "BSN preferred" and was wondering if this will hurt me later on if I try to move around. I was also thinking of going for my CMSRN after 2 years. Any input would be appreciated.