babieblue2

also i'd like to add that how long do you think this 'dream team' of coworkers will last. The turn-over is so high in most departments. I don't know the size of your unit and the situation but I wouldn't be surprised if within the next 12 months you would have all new co-workers because the current ones have moved on to bigger/better. You should do that now before you regret staying and realizing 12 months from now everyone moved on but you

Hey everyone! Glad I found this thread. Getting so excited about COT. Does anyone know what the daily exercise entails. I found the fitness charts to pass the fitness test, but on the COT website it says something about being able to run a 5 K without stopping. Is that the morning job or something? What else do we do besides jog and march everyday?

Pain is perception. Tell him if he broke his arm he might say pain is 4/10, and someone else might say 9/10. People have different tolerance and thresholds to pain and response to pain medication. His broken arm might only require some tylenol and ibuprofin, where my broken arm may require vicodin for relief. As nurses it's not our job to decide who is drug seeking. If a pt says they are in pain, and pain medicine is ordered by the physician. GIVE IT. It's not feasable for nurses to cure a narcotic addiction in the 3 days a patient is in the hospital. Trust me, Dr's are aware of how much pain medication they are prescribing, and if a patient is constantly running out early or if they are asking for a higher dose. Let them do their job of prescribing it, our job is only to assess and administer

It would be one thing if baseline was above 100's systolic. becuase baseline was under 100 there's not much wiggle room. I would have checked to make sure, then hold medication if SBP

It's hard to form good relationships with coworkers during the day because you are so busy. It's not that people aren't willing to help or they are cold and distant....it's they gotta get their stuff done first. There's not enough time in the day to do all your stuff, help someone else, AND sit down and chit chat. Yes nights are more fun with a more relaxed workplace and time to engage with coworkers, but to me health and a normal life outside of work are more important. Work to live, don't live to work.

Our policy is like others on this post. 4 episodes in a year, any episode over 3 days requires a Dr note, anything more you can be up for some kind of discipline (written warning, suspension, termination). Management seems to leave good nurses alone on this and only uses it as something to go after nurses that they already have a "bullseye" on there back. I am a union steward and talked with a manager about the policy. They said that 4 sick episodes a year is "industry standard". I asked, "What industry? Car sales?!!!!!" When you're around sick people all day 4 days of being sick yourself seems stricked. Then you add the stress of flipping between day/night shifts, working 12 hour shifts, being asked to double and double back.....Rediculous to me.

If you get your LPN don't expect to get a job unless you want to work in long term care. Most hospitals are getting rid of LPN's and going with only RN's. Mayo is going as far to only hire 4 year RN's. They aren't laying off 2 year RN's yet but rumor is they might soon be told to go back to school and get a BSN or face a layoff......probably years away but the rumor is out there. I would keep the job you have unless you are in it for the long haul and expect to get a BSN. The other thing you have to consider is working weekends, nights, and holidays with a family. Do you really want to give up a cush job in HR that's Mon-Fri no weekends no holidays?

I got med/surg christi. where are you from? I have a bigger dog too. I'm worried about finding a place that will take him and still have a nice yard to be outside. Apartment complexes are pretty much out of the picture i think. All's I know is I could never give him up!

Great news Christi! What department will you be working at Travis? We'll see you at august COT date! can't wait for PT during August in Alabama-HOT-HOT-Hot! I'm curious what your recruiter told you about the bonus. Mine said the bonus isn't for sure. all i can do is apply for it and see if there's still $. I heard the wait for on base housing is long at Travis, and it's mostly reserved for enlistees and high ranking officers. Us newbies get to go find something off base....unless you know something more

Looks like the waiting list for base housing is pretty long at Travis. Anyone know of a good website to find off base housing? Or a specific complex that is under $1200/mo and allows bigger dogs- a lab

Thanks for the websites fly-fight-win! very good info. I have more questions about moving and bonus's 1. The air force will send me to my station end of September. But my spouse can't come until October. Will they pay for my spouse's mileage like they will mine? also if I come in September can my belongings wait till October to be moved? 2. I asked my recruiter about the sign on bonus and loan repayment. The past 12 months they have said the sign on bonus is for sure, but the loan repayment is only if there is $ left when they get to you. Now what I'm being told is the sign on bonus is the same, that neither the sign on bonus or loan repayment are for sure. All I can do is apply for them and see if there is $ still in the budget for them. Anyone else hear different? I applied for ghe sign on bonus and loan repayment when I sent in my original application packet. Do I need to be filling some other paper work out to make sure I get it?

does anyone have pictures of Travis on base housing? I can't find anything on the net. Also does anyone know what the wait time is like to get the on base housing?

Congrats everyone!!! the waiting was worth it. does anyone know anything about travis afb? i've tried to google some but all I get is an old pic of the hospital and youtube videos about how fairfield (the closest town) is in economic ruins

midinphx- what do you mean by your attitude hurt the flight?

here is the link and article about more funding and extension to tricare. my recruitor told me in nov that if more funding came through they would maybe create more nursing jobs, then start selecting from the alternate list. hope this is the funding he was talking about! http://www.military.com/military-report/2011-pay-raise-and-tricare-expansion?esrc=miltrep.nl 2011 pay raise and tricare expansion week of december 27, 2010 thenational defense authorization act for fiscal year 2011 was passed by congress and has been sent to the president for signature. touted as the largest defense budget since wwii, the bill authorizes $725 billion for fiscal year 2011. the bill covers virtually every aspect of military spending including authorization for expanding tricare coverage to include dependents up to age 26, tricare fee protection, family support and care giver programs and a 1.4 percent increase in military pay.