cupcake25

You should always run 3% NSS through a central line. That is the policy at my hospital.

Midlines are considered a peripheral IV. You should never run TPN or any vesicants through it. Also you should not draw blood from it. Picc lines are central lines because the tip is in the SVC. Port-a-caths are central lines because the tip is in the SVC. Many oncology patients have ports because some chemotherapy agents are vesicants and you need a central access for them. Also for ports you should always have a good blood return before you use them. If you don't then you might need cathflo or a dye study to check the catheter. Since the port is under the skin the catheter can fracture and if this happens the port needs to be removed right away.

I was wondering if this doctor is foreign. We have alot of foreign doctors at the hospital where I work and most treat nurses like dirt.

That's the thing about nursing. You work your butt off all year and think you are doing a great job and then you get your evaluation and it is not how you feel it should be. I feel alot of it has to do with money. The lower your rating the less raise you get. This has happened to me alot the past 30 years. I know I am a good nurse and so do you.

Prior to working on the IV team I worked in CCU and I thought I was pretty good at starting IV's. It took me about a good year to really to be able to get the really hard sticks. I say keep at it and the more you do, the better you will become. One day a patient will say to you "You are so good, I didn't even feel that."

I had a competency that was due this month. I thought that I took it and even checked with my manager and she told me that I took it and that I was ok. Well, come to find out I did not take it and I heard that they want to fire the employees that did not take it. Apparently there are no more classes. Has anyone ever heard of such a thing?

I am an IV nurse. When a patient who is mentally competant refuses an IV, I definitely do not put one in. I could get charged with battery.

I have been working on an IV team for over 11 years. My previous job was working in CCU. When I was hired the only qualification is that you should be a fairly good stick with IV's. I had an 8 hour class at the hospital where I work learning to insert Picc lines. You have to do a couple of Picc's with a preceptor in order to do them by yourself. I do not do chemo at all. The oncology nurses deal with that. As far as ports go, the more you access, the more comfortable you are with them. I enjoy the job. I cover a few floors during the day. I have my phone and kind of work by myself. You have to be able to troubleshoot when there are problems with certain lines. With your critical care background, you would be fine. Good luck!

Maryland

My hospital has been very slow the past few weeks and nurses were put on call. This is the first week where the census has increased. My hospital has a hiring freeze on for new nurses and other ancillary help. I just hope they don't take away my overtime.

Yesterday a nurse working on a med surg floor was so busy that she did not even have time to go to the bathroom and was incontinent of urine. She was very upset. It was after 2 pm until she even had time to have a lunch break. She told the charge nurse who has no patients that she was drowning. The charge nurse offered no help and proceeded to leavethe unit to go work on paperwork. I feel the behavior of this charge nurse was terrible. That is her job to provide an extra pair of hands when needed. No wonder nurses are leaving bedside nursing.

I worked nights full time after I graduated from nursing school. I enjoyed it because it was alot less stressful and quieter than day shift. You have no baths, meals,visitors or doctors to deal with. I think working 11-7 is alot better than working 7p-7a. Eight hours at night seems to go alot faster than a 12 hour shift. Sometimes it is difficult to sleep during the day. You just have to get yourself into a routine. I know nurses that have worked nights for many years that love the shift and would never work days. You could try it and see how you like it for awhile. If things don't work out I'm sure you could probably go back to days.

Today at work on a med surg floor a seasoned nurse was written up for documenting her pain assessment 3 minutes late. Apparently you have a certain amount of time to document the effectiveness of the patient's pain med and she was 3 minutes late doing it. I guess the manager doesn't have enough work to do. This nurses always goes all out for her patients and this feels like a slap in the face. I would never tell anyone these days to become a nurse. Stuff like this is pure ********.

I bet it would be a different story if it was her husband. God forbid she would put on a pair of scrubs and cover you for a few hours. I had a friend who lost both parents in a matter of 2 weeks and her manager never even said a single word to her. It wasn't until someone said something to her that she did not acknowledge this nurse's parents death that she finally said she was sorry to the nurse. I feel that manager's have to acknowledge that nurses have lives with families and that sometimes **** happens and you need to take care of your family.

Yes, somedays I do envy the techs in my hospitals. I see the x-ray techs come up to the floor and shoot an x-ray. I think to myself that looks like a nice job. The starting pay is more than a new nurse. I've been a nurse for almost 30 years now. Sometimes I wish I would of chosen another field in health care. If your heart is really in nursing then go for it. If you have any doubts then go for the ultrasound tech job. Nursing is very demanding. I fequently talk to new nurses and they tell me they absolutely hate nursing.

I have been a nurse a long time and I have never had to deal with this particular issue before. I have worked with this particular nurse for about 8 years and we have become friendly. A few months ago this nurse found out she had terminal cancer. This past week she had to stop working and she told us when the time is right she will go to hospice. Also this week another nurse in my department called me to tell me she had cancer and would be starting radiation and chemotherapy soon. We were both crying on the phone. I lie awake at night thinking about these 2 nurses that I know so well. I just ask for you to say a prayer for my one friend to die peacefully and the other to beat her cancer. Thank you

When I am at work I have certain rules I have to go by. I feel that nurse managers feel that the same rules do not apply to them. Our manager comes in when she feels like it and leaves whenever she wants. Even when we are busy she will say "Oh well, I have to leave now." If her kids are sick she can call in and say "I won't be in today because my child is sick." Do you think we can do that? I feel they have alot of down time where they do absolutely nothing. I would not want the job but somedays I feel I could do it alot better.

I am a vascular access nurse and I totally agree with accessqueen. I rarely use an 18 gauge catheter and I do IV's all day. I see patients wih very poor access and I would never be able to insert an 18 gauge.

Yes, I definitely have to agree 100% with you regarding patient and visitors attitudes. I have beena nurse almost 30 years and it has steadily been getting worse. I really feel that people just don't have respect for anyone these days. It really makes you wonder where this world is heading to. I am fortunate because I do IV therapy and I only have to be with the patients briefly. Somedays almost every room I go to the patients are demanding and th e families are obnoxious. But then i will walk into a patient's room and they will be so kind and thankful for the job I have done it makes me feel good. I will tell them that patients like you are the reason I get up every morning and come to work.

I'm from Maryland. I love your stateTennessee. We go to Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains every chance we can. Hope to live there someday.

When I started in L&D years ago I got about a 3 month orientation. I can honestly say that it took me along time to begin to feel comfortable. There is so much to learn, especially doing c-sections in the OR. I would say just hang in there and in time you will begin to feel better.

YES, if it was me I would quit.

Sorry to hear you are having such a difficult time. I really feel that starting out as a new grad is just too overwhelming in the ICU. I guess I am from the old school where a year of med surg really helps to build a solid foundation in nursing. It doesn't sound like the ER is for you. I think I would look for a job maybe on telemetry or a stepdown unit where you might feel more comfortable. You have made it this far. I hope you stick it out.

I was just wondering if anyone works with any nurses who seem to have one medical problem after another. I work in a small department so we don't have alot of extra staff to help us. My charge nurse comes to work and always seems to have some ailment. She does not have set hours so she can come and go as she pleases. She will come in to work and not feel good and then goes home sometimes leaving us short. I am starting to feel that she just doesn't want to work. What can be done about this problem? I really have never worked with anyone like this before.

I am sorry to tell you that this is the way nursing is these days. There are so many lazy nurses and techs these days it is unbelievable. I find if you want something done right then do it yourself. Team nursing went out the window years ago. Health care in this country is a disaster.