bngorn

I recently accepted a position in Oakland at Alta Bates Summit. I am a Med/Surg nurse. Has anyone ever worked at this facility. Please let me know what I am heading into. This will be my very FIRST travel assignment. Let me know the good and also the bad.

Thank you all for the kind and encouraging words and information

I know NICU or any ICU is demanding, but I am just ready for a change. I ave friends that work in NICU and they say that I should at least give it a try. I am up to dealing with the demands, the stress, and anything else that comes my way. I am just praying to God that he places me where he feels that I should be. I appreciate all the advice and encouraging words

I am currently a RN in Med/Surg and have been practicing for 4 1/2 yrs. I am looking for a change. I feel like I would have a unique style of nursing to bring to NICU, because I care. I think it would be exciting to nurse a child from being nearly fatal to well enough to go home with there parents. I am just tired of the stress of MS. I see the NICU and L&D nurses leaving from there shift smiling. Meanwhile, the MS nurses are sore, feet hurting, HA, stressed out:uhoh3: and leaving late more often than not. Please help me. --What advice can you give me? --Do you think my Med/Surg experience would be helpful if I transfer to NICU? --Is there anything I need to know before I decide to make that change?

I worked in LA County Jail for 11 mon, no longer. It's ok, just slow. I am not used to grown men acting worse than my 4 y/o. It's a crazy environment. Remember you are a guest in the Deputies house, they run everything. Make sure you CHART, CHART, AND CHART. Don't get side tracked by the way other nurses chart. It's a good job if you are ready for something slow paced and retirement. Just be careful if you plan to work in the prisons, I heard a lot of crazy stuff about working in there. GOODLUCK

I am a Med/Surg RN with a ASN degree. I have been in this specialty for 4 1/2 yrs. I do not hold any certifications. I plan on going back for my bachelors and Masters degree. I am currently working in a 46 bed Med/Surg/Ortho unit, kind of getting burnt out. Med/Surg is a good place for new grads to start out to develop there nursing skills, but I feel it's time for a change. Don't know when I will make that change, but I am staying hopeful. It's to demanding and stressful working in Med/surg. I personally call Med/Surg the "dump unit," everything gets dumped on us. Until I make that change I am in Med/Surg the most demanding place in the hospital aside from ICU

I have always given advice to new grads espicially while precepting. I have been a RN for 4 yrs in Med/Surg. Yes, you go through demanding times with demanding patients, co workers, doctors, and fellow nurses. Sometimes you feel like giving up and going into another specialty, but I feel that's when you are ready for a change. You impact so many patients and family members. 1) TEAMWORK: Just remember to always practice teamwork. TEAMWORK. The key word that a lot of nurses fail to add to there long list of nursing skills. Don't forget where you came from. 2) CNA's: Remember that your first year of nursing was that of CNA work, give them a break sometimes. I see so many CNA's divided among 4-5 nurses, and some nurses just call them for some of the most smallest of things. If there is something you can do instead of calling your CNA, by all means do it. 3) SPEAK UP: That's right if you don't agree with a charge nurses or doctors decision, patient assignment, staffing issue, or anything else that will jeopardize the health and welfare of your patient SPEAK UP. 4) CHAIN OF COMMAND: Sometimes helpful, but when it becomes a problem you need to take the next step up the CHAIN. 5) TRUST YOUR GUT: If something deep down in your gut tells you something ain't right, then it's not right. You can alleviate a lot of problems on your part. You can look at your patients and tell something doesn't appear right. 6) LISTEN TO YOUR PATIENT'S: That's right listening the most important tool you will need in Med/Surg. If a patient tells you something like "I don't take that pill at home" you need to check the chart and admission history to confirm it's true. Remember some medications are automatically substituted per hospital policy. Patients know more about there health than you think. I call them the professional patients. There are some people who can tell you more about there illness than a book. 7) TAKE TIME: Take time to smile, laugh, and learn. The quote "You learn something new everyday," is most true in nursing. If there's a disease, medication, or treatment you have not heard of. Look it up in books and online. It won't hurt you, but it will help you. 8) CRITICIZISM: Be open to any and all criticisim. Develop you own style of nursing. Be an individual. Chart with a jurt in mind. If it's not charted it's not done. You will learn eventually, that not all nurses do not "Eat there young." There are some nurses that a cool, down to earth, and a good role model. Mold your nursing skills around the "good nurses" you will know those ones by there unique style of nursing. 9) ENJOY LIFE: Pick up a hobby that make you smile. SOmething that takes your mind off work. DON'T ever tke your work home with you.