okchug

had a CNA take a temp on a new admission. The second I laid a hand on him I knew it was not 97.6- he was burning up!! She argued with me that the tympanic was right and I was crazy. I checked it orally- low and behold! it was 102. Remember to treat the patient, not the machine.

it's sad to hear that intimidation and guilt are being used under guise of "baby friendly". This is no better than in the 70s when my mother was given no choice to BF- her breasts were bound with Ace bandages...babies were taken away directly to the nursery.....they also didn't ask for consent to circumcise my brother. Times have changed & they haven't. Before becoming a nurse, I was a doula. I've worked with many women and some really wanted to BF but even with support and time, it just didn't work. They already feel like a failure, the last thing they need is more guilt! I have two kiddos and BF both, actually the 2nd til he was 3 yo!! AND my first baby kept her "wooby" aka pacifier until she was 4- & now has naturally beautiful teeth without braces. I support each mom's choice on feeding, pacifiers, sleeping, diapering. You do what works for your baby and family. Education NOT intimidation should be the approach here. We want people to make an informed decision, but it's their decision. I also agree with many posts about extended families. Geez, moms and babies used to stay in the hospital for a week for a vag delivery! Then they came home to a MIL!

It's the OU School of Nursing. GRE is required for some programs. MCAT is only for medical school. OU does offer a PA.

at my old job there was a STOP LIGHT at the nurse's station .....demeaning as heck You think the Docs were held to the noise level rule- hahaha. they turned the stupid thing off. the stop light is used in elementary school cafeterias for goodness sakes!

true...it just seems a little "off". BTW, my flyer lists Taralynn Mackay, BSN, JD as the speaker. Where did you find Cathy White? That makes it weirder. Thanks for the suggestions :) I'd like it to be legit because it sounds interesting and useful.

Thanks! In OK we are not required to do CE....but I think it's good to have anyway. the flyer states that the activity was approved by the Texas Nurses Association, but I will call and find out about the ANCC.

Just got a mail-out flyer for a seminar covering "Nursing Documentation, Law and Ethics" from a company called Healthcare Enrichment Institute. It sounds very interesting, gives 6 hrs CEU, and is inexpensive. The speaker is a Nurse Attorney. I checked out the website but it is very simple with no "about" section or affliations for this group. It just explains that they produce these educational conferences and such. In their "event" section, the ONLY things listed are the 2 seminars in September, also listed in the flyer- is that odd? shouldn't there be more events at least in this region? Just wondering if anyone has attended a seminar put on by this company? Was is legit? If so, was it worth the time and $$. Thanks for any feedback.

Not to argue a point but the Pass/Fail pressure is still there, except as the nurse, the test is a living person. Everyday is a constant P/F of knowledge and skill. Nursing school is a different animal though, nothing like any other courses i've taken. People are generally shocked once they're actually in the program.

let's see.... school is stressful due to tests, reading, careplans, etc. You are responsible for yourself. & real nursing is nothing like it- no more tests, reading, careplans- yeah. BUT now you've got 8+ total care patients, meds, treatments, charting, docs to answer to, managers breathing down your neck, customer service issues......etc, etc. & YOU are responsible for all of it. school vs job is like comparing apples to oranges..........the stress comes from different sources.

A friend works for an insurance company, 8-5, m-f, no holidays, no wkends ! she makes really good money. With your 8 yrs experience you should be able to move into another area from bedside. good luck.

If the OP has such overbearing parents and is non-social, they may seek anonymous support elsewhere- like AN. they may also need to hear that it's OK to move on. There are many paths in life....my SIL has taken a very different one. She spent many years struggling and trying to fit into "normal" society with college and work- this caused a lot of mental health issues. Finally, after letting go of the pressure to conform, she is healthy and happy. She and her husband live in Europe, work with organic farmers and sustainable living groups. They get to travel all over and mostly do that on bikes! They have no kids, take no govt assistance, and support their own needs. You seem to have an idea of what you want...live the way you want to as long as you don't expect for someone else to pay the bills :)

thanks everyone! I have to agree with the lack of clinical instruction. Many times our instructor was nowhere to be found and we had to rely completely on the RN we followed. Some were not comfortable with giving us patients and tasks. I can't blame them. Also, the nurses are overloaded and stressed and then expected to teach. As a new nurse, I was assigned 2 students during my first week off orientation which was only 5 weeks anyway. It was stressful but I loved working with them and tried to give them an actual "day in the life" experience. Made a point to show them real stuff like organizing pts, taking report on 6 or 8 pts, assessments, talking to docs, etc. Things I wished I had seen in clinicals. All the feedback is great!

wow! thanks everyone for the insightful discussion. I appreciate all the perspectives and honesty.

Including me..... Looking through the posts I see so many new nurses wanting to leave nursing. Now, one might chalk it up to "kids these days" or the instant gratification generation, BUT I am not of this young population. I am in my forties, held different professional positions, chaired organizations, dealt with life and death- not a spring chicken. Many of the posts from new nurses are career changers as well. So it is likely not a generational problem. Believe me, I have reflected on my situation over and over, trying to identify the issues. Was it me? Did I have unrealistic expectations? Did I like some aspects of nursing and gloss over the others thinking I'd get used to it? Or was it the job- short staffing, too many patients, lack of training, lack of support? So, My questions are: 1. Is this a new problem, or has there always been a group that just doesn't "fit" or has trouble transitioning? Maybe it's just the connectedness of the internet that makes it more apparent. 2. Has the shift in education toward NCLEX changed how prepared students are for actual work? You always hear "you learn how to learn" or "you learn critical thinking in school" and the other stuff you learn on the job. BUT 3. Is it the lack of training through preceptors, residencies, etc.? Many new grads are going into regular positions with very little orientation time and no support system. SO they aren't being "taught" but thrown in to learn on their own. 4. Have the conditions on the floor changed for the new grad> more patients, low staff, high acuity, etc.? How does it compare to conditions 5, 10, 15 years ago? 5. Has the average nursing student changed? Is the motivation to go into nursing different than before? I was not motivated by "a dream" but by the interest in science, psychology and working with people. Does this affect our ability to "stick with it"? 6. Has there been a shift of mentality? "life is too short" kind of thing. Are we more likely to change when things don't go as expected or don't meet our needs? This could be good or bad. There are probably many more things to ask. Any input is appreciated. Just interested, not writing a thesis. Although, it would be a good project topic.

so, how's it going? have you talked with the attorney? Hope things are working out okay.