whoofers

You cannot treat all patients the same way, just as you cannot treat all your coworkers the same. The key is to first look and listen, then adapt your interaction to the individual. If you start by introducing yourself and stating the reason you are there, the response will guide you. Some people need humor, some need a hand to hold, others need the facts and information and still others just need to be left alone. There are no clear cut answers to your question. You will just have to learn as you go or take a class in interpersonal communication.

I am just finishing up an 8 week travel assignment. The cons are: staying in an extended stay over an apartment, just getting the hang of things and having to leave, staff does not wish to interact with you because they know you will be leaving soon-so, you also get the crappiest assignments, all work and no play because the schedule is the pits. The pros: only have to be there 2 months, time goes quickly, money is better than the 13 week assignment, you only have to stay 2 months.

Although it seems that this topic has strayed a bit, I would like to bring it back. My last job required that I wear a giant round 'ask me if I washed my hands" button. It was so heavy that it brought down my scrub top to expose my bra. Patients would ask me why was I wearing the button, rather than if I washed my hands. I took the button off and told the manager to fire me after an dirty old man asked me if he could watch me wash my boobs.

Once you discharge the patient they are no longer an emergency room patient. If you were to chart on them, it could be taken that you have accepted them as a patient again and are responsible for them. Don't chart on them after they formally leave the ER. If they decide to stay and loiter in the waiting room or hospital, they become a security issue & it is security's responsibility to handle it, not the ER's staff. Ask your charge nurse to talk to security about this and let security make a policy for it since those that loiter are no longer patients there.

I am from Michigan & just finished my very first travel contract (in NYC). After that terrible experience with horrid nurse patient ratios (in the ED) of no less than 9 patients & being ripped of continually by my agency (begins with an Ll...), I am back in MI, recalling why I felt the need to travel out of here. I have a very good friend that moved to the Dallas area a few years ago and has supplied me with a lot of information in order to get me to move there. The only thing I cannot find is the average rate of pay for certified ER nurses in the area. Also, is there a real need? I am visiting my friend for a couple of weeks around the end of this month and would like to set up interviews during that time. Any suggestions on good and bad hospitals in the Dallas area? Thanks. Oh, by the way, is the area dog friendly? I breed and show big dogs that are acclimated to colder weather so I do not want to keep them as outdoor dogs.

I would think that it is the Union's responsibility to effect this. Don't you agree? At least, the type of campaigns you suggest, is what they used to do in the past and what made Unions strong. Seems like they lost the ability to represent their constituents the same way their forefathers did. Noticed the reply that you should go for it. Scary thought since you aren't the one collecting dues to pay for it. Doesn't say much for 1099SEIU's strength in representation or receptiveness to effect real change on behalf of it's due paying members, does it? [sorry if I am wrong, but it does looks like the 1099SEIU RN poster is in a Union leadership postion & trying to promote the Union here] You did come up with some good sounding ideas, it is a shame that they are being dismissed.

I am in the same boat as you. I'm in NYC and have both state and city taxes taken out. I can't get overtime, either. I am going behind my company's back and doing per diem work with another agency so I can break even. I think the mistake is that when you work for a no income tax State, you have to work in another no tax state to make it pay as a traveler. I hear that New Hampshire pays well (at least $36.00/hour) and has no income tax. Now, if I were able to find my own housing and take the stipend, I think I would do OK.

Don't worry. Some nurses are just old school about paying your dues on the med-surg floor. The ENA has an excellent curriculum [ENCC-Emergency Nurse Core Curriculum] that many level I trauma centers use to educate the newbies. With the right training program, educator and preceptor, you will do very well. Anyway, with the amount of holds in today's ERs (those that are admitted but have no room available), you will get your med-surg, tele and ICU experience. Nowadays, it seems that there are more holds than actual emergency patients.

I can assure you what you describe is hospital-wide and not just on your floor. Have done agency per-diem work there and found it to be quite strange of a place (trying to put it mildly). After my 7th shift there, I realized it wasn't me & told the agency I won't set foot in the place ever again. I don't know what it is like for staff (although I did here them constantly complaining), but with agency work, I felt my license was on the line every time I was there. They are the most apathetic bunch of folks I have ever encountered. Good Luck with your job interview. Hope you get the job and find somewhere where you can flourish.

Nahhh. They'll just have less nurses handling more patients and blame it on the law. I can see nurses turning on nurses. Imagine how you would feel if you started your shift and was told that Nurse X was not agreeing to overtime because her replacement called in sick, so now you would have to take her patients along with your own. They can't force Nurse X to stay because of the law, but nothing is stopping them from giving you an unsafe ratio. Most likely, Nurse X will be looked at as the non team player, not as someone who was well within her rights to leave.

I know I have come across a lot of Turks in the Flushing area of Queens. Certainly avoid Astoria because of he high concentration of Greeks (your husband could tell you why i said that). I found a website that list neighborhoods with the predominant ethnic group. It was too long of a list to look, so I will leave it for you. http://www.walkingaround.com/ If that doesn't help, look up some Turkish American societies and call them. I am sure they would be glad to help.

I would think that anything mandatory would impose hidden resentment. If they want something more cost effective, why don't they just try a giant group hug :hgu:?

Why don't you apply for the night job just to get to the interview with the manager. Human Resource's job is just to screen you through to the manager, anyway. If you seem to hit it off with the manager, and are offered a job, then go and tell about your problem with overnights. Do it in more of a 'can you help me with a problem' way. Nurses, by nature, are problem sovers & if the manager really wants you, I am sure things could be worked out. Anyway, you probably would benefit from the day shift because of your reentry needing a short time with a preceptor (and most new grads are afforded day shift while in their initial training). Maybe you could bring this up when you get that interview with the manager. Best wishes for success

Someone privately emailed me a recommendation sounding very similar. By any chance is the initials of the person you are talking about C.L.? If so, could you tell me more?

Thank you. I will do that. Have you ever worked for them?