Valerie Salva

I used highlighters to color code on my report sheet various things that needed to done and info about pts. I designated different colors for different things. For example, a pink highlighter dot means the pt is diabetic. A pink check mart next to that means they are scheduled for routine finger sticks. Yellow means pt has a foley. I would make two short yellow lines- one for I, the other for O- and fill in the yellow lines with the amounts for my charting and report. A green mark means wound care/dsg change needed, and so on.

The hours and pay at the SNF do sound really good. A SNF is a really good place to hone your skills- as long as it is a good place to work. Lots of various different kinds of pts @ a SNF. Not all are elderly.

I know two people who have worked there- both left recently. They only had bad things to say.

I was a floor nurse @ an HCA facility, not mgmt, but I agree with your opinion of them. No ethics at all- just a miserable place. I especially agree with this statement:

Parts of Texas have been saturated with nurses for a long time. There were plenty of jobs in the large, metro areas in the past, but that is changing now.

I worked at an HCA in Texas. Worst experience of my career. However, every place is different. Just be careful. Watch your back, CYA, and mind your Ps and Qs. Be friendly, but don't reveal too much about yourself.

I would think that the best thing to do would be to approach your doc again, telling her that this is very important to you, and you really want her to take some action on this. If she is a good doc, she will surely be responsive.

It sounds like the pt had a vasovagal episode. She may need a stool softener to prevent this. I still get teary after all these years when I see a pt suffer. Don't worry- it's normal.

Finally- an accurate article. And this is in Texas- the supposed "land of opportunity" for nurses.

I have been offered travel jobs to HI, but the pay has never been more than $19./hr- less than half of what reg staff makes per hr there. The agencies' take on it is that travel nurses in HI are "paid in sunshine and beach." Sorry, but sunshine and beach don't pay the bills.

Great advice! As a new grad, I had a "preceptor-ship" that was really an after-thought. The "preceptor" had no desire or education to be a preceptor, and was pushed into it by mgmt. She was very resentful. My orientation there was awful. Of course I left.

This morning I was watching HLN news. There was a wonderful story about an American nurse who is there helping the earthquake victims. This nurse has been an amputee since she was 19. She is using her own experience for pt teaching & support to help new amputees in Haiti. Because of the earthquake, the current generation of young peopl in Haiti is being referred to as the "amputee generation." I googled, but could not find any more news about the nurse. Hopefully, something will pop up- I'd love to read more about her.

I showed your list to my dh and he said "Did you write that?" Lol!

I've never met a staff RN making more than $24./hr in Texas.

I agree, but I'd take the $50. !

About 1/3 of new grads leave their new jobs. According to this article, 41% of new nurses (less than 18 mos experience) regret their decision to become a nurse. http://www.nursingcenter.com/Library/JournalArticle.asp?Article_ID=757386

Even travelers make about half that. I did not know any nurse anywhere was making that much, I do know that the cost of living is high where you are, though.

Wonderful. Wishing Katie comfort and peace.

:up::up::yeah::yeah::nurse::nurse:

Exactly!

Not exactly an unbiased opinion. The publisher of this article is the "National Right to Work Legal Defense Fund." As shown on their site, their motto is: "Defending America's workers from the abuses of compulsory unionism since 1968."

On the contrary- my brother (a high ranking cop) tells me that the areas around large, metropolitan hospitals are sought out by specific types of criminals because they know nurses, who are mostly women, will be walking alone to their cars at all hours.

When I worked at a hospital which used those Spectra-Link phones, I did accidentally drop mine in the toilet- because every time you try to take a pee break, some one calls you. I was told by mgmt that if the phone did not work after it dried out, that I would be billed $200. for the phone- which would be deducted from my pay check. Also, these phones are loud as heck- if you enter a sleeping pt's room, the phone is sure to go off and wake them. One of the many reasons I left- I just didn't "have the time" for their brand of BS.

And with fast food restaurants shooting for 5 mins or less, mistakes have sky rocketed. Hmmmm....could the same thing could happen in the hospitals?? Ya think?

Well, you know housekeeping won't touch bio-hazardous stuff. I'm sure they'll tell a nurse to clean it up.