MoonRN

Wow, I just read through this whole thread (vegging on my day off), and didn't see Joshua one single time! Surprising. That's my oldest son's name, and I have a Lucas (LOVE that name!) and a Daniel. Of course, I had many girls names picked out along the way! I liked Noelle, Madeline, Anna, Carly. My boys are older now, so it's been a while, but now my baby sis is pregnant and trying to choose a name. She likes Fiona for a girl, but some family does NOT.

I had the same problem when I worked nights. Try ginger ale, it works well.

Being understaffed/ pt ratio-acuity too high. Long hours. Non supportive management who have never worked the floor. Too much value placed on profit. To name a few.

It takes time to feel comfortable on a busy med-surg floor, and even then... I have had the hardest time with prioritizing and multi-tasking, and learning not to panic when I'm seriously drowning. Sometimes, you have to just take a deep breath and slow down.

It sounds good in theory to say it's a choice, make sure you take your breaks, ect., but when you are so busy that you can't see the forest through the trees, and you are already going to be there until 8:30 pm regardless to chart, and you are so far behind you are in panic mode, it just doesn't happen. At least not where I work, not most days. It is just so constantly, unrelentingly busy. I have become so disillusioned over my 3.5 years nursing- I am a different person.

I was a waitress for years before becoming a nurse. I used to think it was stressful and physically exhausting- ha! Now I think those were the good ol' days- it wasn't life or death.

It's a great place to gain different perspectives and insight into this unique (among other possible descriptions) career we chose!

I used to wear Sketchers, but I love my New Balance now! And my Crocs are very comfy, too.

Many years ago, I lost a baby at 20 weeks, and the nurse cried with me. I will never forget that.

It would never happen at any hospital around these parts. I understand how you feel, too, because I was an LPN, and I had the same assignments/ pt ratios as the RN's on my floor, but I still had to go get one of them or the charge nurse to do my IV pushes. And that was just a med/surg unit, as opposed to an ICU with cardiac drips, ect. My hospital won't even hire LPN's anymore. (Not saying I agree with that!) Good luck!

Contact Isolation= private room. If you witness an employee not changing gloves between patients again- speak up and be a patient advocate!

Many patients have a history of MRSA, but that doesn't mean an active infection is occurring at present.