pwp1289

all the married women did the best in my nursing class--one woman even had 9 kids and was at the top of our class! ! ! ---you'll still be 10 years older in 10 years whether or not you go back to school--so go for it------good luck--I have been working my dream for the past 44years and wouldn't trade it for a second

it "pays" to work weekends where I work--not only do eves and nites get their shift differential but ALL shifts get 25% more for weekends:yeah:

we don't culture the nurses but ALL patients are nares cultured upon admission to any unit for MRSA (we have been doing this for the past 6-8 months) and we have been culturing ALL pts going in and out of ICU for both MRSA and VRE ( nasal, pharngeal,rectum,perineum) for the past 10 YEARS

I have told MDs to go and wash their hands, stethescopes etc--now with acute rise with MRSA --our infection control "spies" are everywhere and all staff members are being reminded to wash hands etc--and we no longer move beds from room to room when needed, we just move parients ! ! takes longer but our incidences of MRSA and CDIFF have dropped drastically

this isn't humorous but I'll never forget it---I work in a VA hospital and after 9-11, we were worried that all the TV coverage would affect some Vets especially those with PTSD--we had one vet, over 75 years old sitting in the hall and he stopped me and asked me to take him to see "the commander " so he could reenlist and "help the guys out", when I explained to him that he had passed the age of enlisting, he got this sad look on his face and said--"theres got to be something I can do around here for the guys"-----

I have been working at a VA hospital for the past 18 years--my nursing career has been in county owned, private and now a VA hospital--and I can say the Vets get the best care around--supplies are bountiful and the Vets get all they need--we have extraordinary ancilliary support and some go out of their way to help the Vets--its most rewarding to help those who have ensured us the freedoms we now enjoy and cherish----and ps the pay is comparable

we have 1 1/2 hr before and after window to pass meds--we have mostly LPNs pass meds and they have no more than 20-23 pts to do both po and iv meds--its especially heavy at the 10am ( our QD time) pass but they can start at 830am--with our computerized system, they can see on the screen the last time the med was given so spacing between meds isn't too close

hospitals are all cutting their ot budgets--so don't count on all that ot--and you'll certainly burn out with all those hours--find a hospital with good flex-time working hours and enjoy life now

I wear a good walking/running shoe/sneaker--I used to balk at the price of really good shoes until I rationalized that I do wear them 5 days a week--every week and I don't let them wear down- I get new shoes often--I also wear support hose--you can get some good knee-hi ones--I've been nursing for over 40 years and my feet/back and legs are still holding up pretty well !!!!!

the nurses can wear any color scrubs--i make my own tops and have some for all the holidays--even columbus day!!!! i have made and worn "costume scrubs" for halloween--

yup ==we've all done it--called a pt and he replied "don't worry my daughter works in a hospital and she took it out"---she works in dietary !!!!!!!!!!

there is nothing wrong with " butt wiping"--I have been a practicing nurse for almost 42 years and ALL of it has been at the bedside--I was never interested in becoming a "clipboard " nurse--I still thoroughly enjoy patient care that includes "butt wiping" --interaction with patients still makes me proud to say "I"M A NURSE"

i work in a veterans hospital and we are totally computerized--all orders must go into the computer. only in real emergencies are we to take verbal orders--med orders go directly to pharmacy, same with labs, diets, xrays, consults etc. we have a back up papersystem in place when computers "go down"--we give irm time to solve problem then we start "downtime"orders after go ahead from admin-- we also have totally barcoded med admin using computers--we have one designated computer that will print out med sheets ( the old-fashioned kind)-even when main computers are down-- and they will also print out pts history,current meds and recent labs as ALL pt info is in computer---we really haven't had any long time down time-- the longest was i think less than 24 hours-- i totally love these systems

we usually collect money for a gift, go to a hall, hire a dj ,enjoy a good meal with all that want to come--have had some pretty good parties, "roasts" and dancing--i have been to some where the DON comes and gives a certificate of "meritorious service" etc from director and gives a speech--each party tries to outdo the last one , so they are really something else !!! can't wait for the one next month !!!!!!

doing mouthcare on someone who is a mouth breather and you have to peel the stuff off !!! it gets me everytime