SCDOHJohnRN

Ayrman, If your hospital truly provides masks that are as bad as you say, they are in violation of OSHA rules. You are to fit-tested for the proper fitting mask yearly and that mask must be provided in you work area! If this is not the case go to the hospital safety officer or health service to request fit testing. During a pandemic or not, a sick employee is not an asset.

Seems we have gotten a little off topic but...... If you really think that none of the candidates know much about nursing nor do they care, it is high time WE educate them. Healthcare has become a major issue in th USA. If WE nurses don't stand together and educate the candidates and the general public about the conditions we face daily, we will have no one to blame but ourselves for the further erosion of healthcare. Congress votes on bills based on what each member knows or has heard from their respective constituants. If We let Congress and the President know our concerns we can fulfill one of our tasks, that of patient education. EVERYONE has been or will be a patient. If education is the key to success, it time to turn the key!!! Not eveyone can be a nurse, but everyone should know & understand what we do.

I have 3 scopes Littman Cardio III my favorite, Littman 4100 Electronic for initial assessments, Littman Classic II given to me @ work. Love the 4100 and you are right, you can hear everything!! Even w/ the volume mostly off, heart, breath sounds can be deafening. Wouldn't trade them for anything.

I'm not so sure your b/f could understand what a nurse does or needs to know if you were to give him a guided tour. I don't know where u live but in NY getting into nursing school would not be possible w/o a high school diploma. Maybe she is going to be a CNA. I've been asked many times why I did not go to medical school & my answer has always been that "I'm too smart to be a doctor, that's why I am a nurse." Before you get upset, just think, Who is responsible for continous pt care, order accuracy, info collection, implementing a POC, monitoring results etc..... Most MD's read the chart for info. Who put it there? Good luck with school, welcome to the world of nursing. BTW get a new b/f, one who DESERVES someone as special as a nurse!!

The cited atricles do bring on confusion. 12 weels of anivirals or early symptom Rx w/ Tamiflu? And hope it works! Don't we always "hope" an immunization will work. Since most viruses have many mutations and varients there never is a guarantee. I would still go to work because as it has been pointed out hospitals are understaffed currently. If the majority of nurses stayed home that would only make the situation worse. Stating home and watching my family die would be worse than trying to help those already infected. The only way to stop a pandemic is to contain it! If the hospitals had meds, equipment & staff to do that, a pandemic or worse could be prevented!! If H5N1 ever comes to the US people WILL die. How many depends on how many step up in the crisis!!

X2 for Dickies. I work in Home Care and am in and out of the car all day. I like the Dickies because they last. That little pocket fits a pager perfectly! You can order specific inseam sizes by you usually have to talk to a rep. The fabric is regular wt cotton/poly blend and comfotable to wear. Since no one sells Angelica anymore, I wear Landau tops 1 pocket reversible. Comfy and tough. I get them thru Jasco Uniform Co. Really nice perple, never had a problem. They run sales frequently and the quality is great

First, This article appeared om CNN.. nough said. So much "info" today is more marketing than informing. Just look @ the amount of meds being advetised. Trust between the pt & the nurse is essential. Let your pt know you are their advocate. Answer their questions truthfully and w/o editorial comment. The final decision belongs to the pt!! Give them knowledge to make an informed decision. When the pt trusts you the battle is won. DO NOT abuse that trust. Be proactive in explaining meds, procedures etc. Interpret for the pt. Many MD's explain something to a pt in medicaese and the pt agrees so they don't look dumb to the MD. If possible be in the room when procedures or surguries are explained. A pt will ask their trusted nurse a question before they ask the MD because they know they can trust you to be honestwith them. Accidents do happen and mistakes are made. This ia a fact of life anywhere. In medicine it just gets reported more frequently because of poor outcomes and lawyers advertising to get you "thr money you deserve!". What happened to the young man in the article is truly sad. The fact that none of his nurses advocated for the pt or communicated w/ the family enough for them to remember is sadder. I know, "I have soooooo many pts I can't hold their hands all the time!" This is true, but we are professionals and we need to conduct ourselves as such. I have never heard an investment banker, stock broker, mechanic or plumber say "I'm too busy to help you." Your pt's well being and recovery is your responsibility. Take it seriously and CNN will have fewer stories!!!:twocents:

No question, I would be there. With the currenjt shortage of nurses, not going is not an option. If the government says they will take care of me and my family or not. this is when true professionalism come out. If you don't want to put yourself or family in harms way you should not be a nurse!! A typical shift in the ED exposes me to HIV, TB, MRSA meningitis, pneumonia, staph etc.. If you don't change your usual practice standards, you will be OK. Change clothes before leaving work or outside your home, if you want. I can NOT believe the other posts I'm reading from these "professionals." If you are so slow to respond that a govenment mandate is what it takes to get you into action, get out now!!!!! Remember, we are here for the patients. I love my family and would do anything to protect them. I'll bet the patients we would be caring for would feel the same way!!

You are right. I meant hospital based diploma programs. This is what I graduated from and the BSN schools that also did clinical in out hospital were only allowed to "observe" in the Critical care areas and OR. We did not get our own assifnment in these areas but were to work with the nurses we were assigned to. In later years when I would be assigned a BSN student in the ED, I would ask what they wanted to do after graduation. Most said they wnated to be in management because that was the slant of their instruction, bur many said they wanted mgt because they did not feel comfortable at the bedside. When I asked, many said they did not get as much clinical practice as they would have liked. Maybe my view is slanted but I still say that hospital based education is still the best. To be successful, you MUST be a nurse first and mgt second!!

catlvr, I agree with what others have said. It can't be said enough that just because the doctor said it just do it. NEVER. If the doctor said it QUESTION it. If he/she wants to give the med fine, that is within the scope of his/her practice. You must abide by hospital policy, thats the scope of your practice. It is very difficult to chnage from the go-to person to the can't do person. Don't be so hard on yourself. Nursing expertise comes with time. Orvil and Wilber did not get off the ground on their fist attempt!! Besides communication, documentation is your next best defense. If the pt refuses her meds, chart it! Even if you communicated with the RN she may forget that. Having something in writing is much better then verbal. The best thing is communicate and document. CYA I don't think you will get fired. The RN should be reprimanded for berating you in front of a pt. That is NEVER acceptable!! Sounds like you are the poor tuna who landed in a school of sharks! Remember in a Psych ward the only differance between staff and pt is that staff has keys!! Good luck Oh yea, XOXOXO

You were smart to refuse. Nurses like her are the reason Nursing Homes in the US have a bad name!

pddk87 Codes can be scary if you let them. Dying is a natural part of living. Expected deaths (DNRs) can be just as disturbing as unexpectd ones. I agree that ACLS is a logical step. If possible, have your preceptor do a mock code with you. Learn the differant facets, charting, compressions, preparing/pushing meds, difibrillation, finally directing. The MD usually runs the code. But since he/she may not be present on the unit, you may have to take over for the first few minutes. If you can, go to Central Supply of Pharmacy with your preceptor and learn what is in a crash cart and how to use it. All crash carts in any hospital are the same so anyone from any unit can use one. If you do peds codes learn how to use the Breslow tape. It takes all the guess work out. Like anything else in nursing, the more you know and do, the less scary it becomes! Remember A,B,C Airway, Breathing, Circulation!!! It never gets easy but it is part of the job. Stay calm, think, then react!!! Good luck

Gardengirl, First congtats on passing your boards. That is not easy step! Now that you have a license you MUST protect it. You have worked too hard. As an expierienced ER nurse, we are all adreniline junkies or we would not be there, I can say this is not the first time I have heard this. You need to talk to your preceptor. He/She is reponsible for your orientation. In our hospital, there is an orientation packet that is used to check off skills learned/mastered. This helps toknow what you still need help doing. Does your ER have an Education director? If so talk to that person. Many new grads leave the ER because of poor orientation. It is scary and frustrating. Even properly oriented, you will be shaky at first. Remember your first days as a paramedic. Trust your instincts. If you do NOT feel ready, let your preceptor of NM know. You are a familiar face so everyone just assumes you know how to do the job. We all know what happens when you assume!!! Stay strong, fight for what you need.

Tweety, You are correct. My point, which I did not make clear, was that in a BSN program, much of the slant is toward admin. A good nurse needs the ability to prioritize and be flexable. A hospital based or ADN program teaches this better because there is more clinical time. Organization and flexability, of course, depends on the person. Either course gets you to the same destination

The MOST important piece of gear you need is a good comfotable pair of shoes. I wore sneakers initially but now most have a web type fabric tht is not waterproof. For the last 15 years I've worn Dansko clogs and love them. Aair last me 3-4 years and I never have come home with aching feet, even after a busy 16 hour shift. The quality is good and the fit great!!, and you don't walk out of them because the have a back like a regular shoe. Good Luck in school