trese

Hi Chenoaspirit, I know where you are. I was there last spring. I worked on a telemetry floor that just could not keep help, and would not hire help to keep the floor staffed. I was somewhat a new nurse (less than 2 years exp), and knew I had to leave before I lost my license. I did not know much about the other floors, no friends on the floors to tell me what was best and I had to finish out 3 years of nursing so that I would not owe the hospital any time. So I went to the float pool. I figured that nothing could be as bad as where I had been. I had already been ran ragged, challenged to the max and worked a solid 12 hours stressed as much as I could be. Atleast I would get a $3 bump to do the same job. Well, good news. I am coming up on my one year of float pool and I love it. Yes, there are times, when I wonder, :what was I thinking?" But the majority of the time, I realize that it was the best move. I am still put back on my home floor which is a nice break( I see all my friends and I actually know the floor). I wish you well with your decision. Just make sure that you are not leaving and having debt held over your head, when the option may very well lie within the same facility. Theresa

Well, I understand your pain. My spouse has been on cocaine for 17 years on and off. I did not know about it the first 10 years and have given up my job, moved to another state, moved back home and he still uses. I test him often, but when he is positive, he says that it is just the strips. We recently was going to separate again, but his brother died of a overdose on Klonopin (bi-polar and Vet). To many drugs, not enough supervision. So here I am, willing to try again and pray that God makes him strong enough to fight the battle. I pray a hedge of protection about him and hope that he stays clean. He has kept this job for 2 1/2, he loves our 4 children and he loves me, but sometimes, love is not enough. I'm not discouraged, just hoping and praying for him to make better choices. Good luck with your family and realize that you cannot make their choices for them. Thanks for letting me share. Trese

I'm going to have to look around our local bookstore does not have much in the nursing section, thanks a lot though, I need all the help I can get and I understand the money situation.

I am in definite agreement about standard prn meds to cover the many different ailments (that may occur with any patient) so that I do not have to call the Md at 0300 and the patient does not have to suffer all night. I have been fussed at for calling the PA at 0620 (her order, her beeper number) because she forgot that she wrote the order, and I did tell her that if she did not want to be called so early, then to put a time.

I know how you feel. I was in the same mess 2 1/2 years ago. My preceptor was the charge nurse, putting in for the Unit Coordinator position and treated me as if I was stupid because I did not understand totally what was going on on this step down unit. I finally started going to other nurses who seemed to know what they were doing and asked them questions and even asked them to precept me. This nurse and I eventually had a huge disagreement about the care of a patient that died (in my care) but her charge. She did not think that the patient was truly having a MI. After 2 years under her management, and going to the Nursing Director twice, I went to float pool. Now I tolerate her just fine. I do not always have direct contact with her, but when on her floor, I respect her position and let her know if any patient is in crisis. I hope that everything works out for you and God Bless.:balloons:

I can understand your stress. This past week I had a patient that threw a clot and may have had a bowel obstruction, which went unnoticed. I acted like a new nurse and treated the symptoms and not the problem. I am so heart broken that I can barely stand it. This was a surgical patient who had a DVT in both legs, had had a huge BM in the am but stomach was still distended and he continued to say he needed to have enema to help with BM (I tried but he was confused with phenergan given for nausea), no signs of PE accept for the sudden death. He was only 41 years old. I had him the equivalent of 9 hours and he had been there for a week. I have such guilt about him maybe having a bowel obstruction and me missing the signs, I cannot stop thinking about how bad of a nurse that I must be. I know that I am not God, but I went into this profession to be a help not a hindrance. I'm heartbroken and sad over a situation that I and everyone else missed.