paddlelady

One of things that happen in nursing is we tend to take on our patient and family emotions and problems internally. There is a term for this and I can t remember. Combine this emotional stuff and our own stuff and the actual work takes alot out of us. They dont tell us these things in nursing school and how to protect our own psyches and souls. I think taking care of ourselves is one key component . Eating well and exercising and sometimes that can be tough in this busy world but we can try. I worked at a hospital that offered meditation during various times of the day. Gosh this helped me so much. Just to quite my mind and some deep breathing. It was like a small holiday for my body and soul. I lasted 42 years in nursing and so many people asked me why I retired @ 62 and it is so hard to explain the many reasons that I had to . It was taking a toll on my body and mind . They say I am too young. True, but I just could not offer my patients good care when I myself needed to take better care of myself. I wish all those in the profession the best of luck and health .

Try exercise and some dietary changes also. These meds will pak on the pounds and give you lo sexual libido Seeing a naturopath helps . Some amino acids work well with depression.

You should go for counseling as the Lexapro has side effects. It will reduce your sexual libido , weight gain . So now that you are in better chemical balance it is time to start dealing with the anxiety this high will not last forever. Taking care of our inner self is very important esp if you want to remain in this profession. I dont like to be negative but have been a nurse for 42 years and listen to the long term complaints of being on this medication. If you have coverage please go see someone. In addition , some of the imbalance can be dietary induced. Just my experience Be Well & start to exercise it helps.

CAn be that he is not toilet trained. He may have some neuro deficit and not feel the urge to go until it is too late. He may be anxious at school . Be nice to interview the parents. There can be something going on at home. He may not like using the toilet at school as someone mentioned. I know one of my sons did not like some bathrooms when we traveled and had a really hard time using some of them or would refuse. If he is constipated what are the parents doing to adjust his diet? Needs more fluids and veges. Is he really that well behaved all the time? Does he urinate in the toilet? What does the peds doc say about all this. Lots of questions and answers needed and then there can be a plan. I have some friends that have autistic children and they are not toliet trained until they are 7 to 10 years old doesnt sound like he is on the autism spectrum. Just to clarify that point.

You are a brave person to work corrections and I applaud you for that. I think if that makes you happy go for it. You will get some very solid experience and will be making critical decisions just as you would med-surg. Go with your heart and you will be happy.

44 years ago when I graduated from a 3 years nursing program things were not that easy procuring a nursing position. Yes folks 44 years ago. I was broke and living with my parents after graduation. No internet. I walked into what they called then the personnel office. No there were not hiring nurses without experience! Leave and application and we will call you. Well my parents had a phone and they barely answered it. I went from hospital to hospital. There was a nursing shortage back then . I finally opened my mouth to someone in the personnel office and said " how do I get experience if no one will hire me." Guess someone had a epiphany and said just one moment and got a nursing supervisor. Guess what she interviewed and I got hired. I could have stayed and been hired on at my nursing school but I did not want to live on the South side of Chicago. So I ended up at Cook County Hospital ER and then transferred to trauma. Wow did I get experience fast. So I totally understand what it means to spend the time and talk with people. I did not go to the floors as they would not let strangers on the floors at the time . So I was limited to the personnel office. So strange the semantics have changed but the process of trying to get hired and the stress is the same. We did not have intern programs back in the day but they were to start soon. I just had to post as the story reminded me of my struggles back in the day. I respect all of the new grads that are trying to start your careers. Best of luck

My doctor's office has 2 very obese medical assistances. She praises their work and their professionalism . They are are their feet most of the day, schedule appointments, draw blood etc. I applaud her for hiring these 2 women. Just wanted to mention this. When I entered nursing school they would not admit obese students and if you gained too much weight they would give you a warning to loose weight.

I hope that this NM does not abuse her power. It is very easy to use Bullying as a pretext to fire someone that this NM may have other reasons. I would watch my back with this manager until she gains your respect and trust. I am wondering if this is even ethical for her to discuss this in an interview. If it was not an interview maybe she was setting boundaries. I am not being critical this just leaves me a little raw with her statement. Guess I have had to be present to hear how she stated these comments. I do agree that bullying in the medical setting or anywhere should not be tolerated. Paddlelady

I think you are just sharing what is in your heart. No matter what our background it is what in our hearts that count and that we practise nursing ethically. Enjoy your nursing career. Paddlelady

I remembered the clysis well. I too was afraid that the needle would fall out. The patients(now clients) would pull them out ! Oh Ice Cream and popsicles are good rememdies and yes most likely can cause an addiction to even the nurse! I love reading this thread esp with the comparisons to what we did years ago and now . Paddlelady

Perhaps if you have time you should volunteer at a homeless shelter. Collect some blankets and deliver them to the homeless, join a program that will give you fulfillment. You can tutor homeless children there are many things that you can do. Yes, the world is full of injustices and if we all are kind to one another and give a bit it would be a better world. Now that you have purged yourself with crying you can see what you need to do to help those that you are talking about.. Be careful that you dont burn yourself out as nurses we tend to give but their are personal and professional boundaries that you need to learn and you will. Stay healthy emotionally and physically and they you will be able to give within your own personal boundaries . Best of luck to you and take a direction that fits your needs as you can see there is so much need out in the world. Paddlelady

I wanted to say a few things about telephonic case management. I worked in that field and loved it. However, I had an employer that would listen in on the conversations to see how you were handing the cases. It did make me a bit nervous at first and added to my stress level. Then I got use to it . I figured they needed to make sure that you were indeed following the protocols of the company. I also worked as a case manager doing UR for an insurance company. That job was the death of me. I got so sick seeing what happens behind the lines. That I had to leave. I hope that you work for a good company one that fosters learning and growth and cares about its staff. Best of luck Paddlelady:o

I am glad that I am retired. However, I miss my paychecks. I seem to have hobbies that are expensive. For instance, traveling even small local trips, riding my motorcycle, playing guitar, knitting and quilting. Then there is the occasional bottle of wine and a good beer and going out to eat. It all adds up. Guitars , yarn, motorcycles, material etc are an addiction. There is nothing better than wonderful yarn and nice material. As the quilters say: "those that die with the most material win." Guitars are a work of art and a good sounding guitar is not inexpensive. Motorcycles can be very beautiful also and can be an addiction also. Traveling and photography are 2 other forms of spending money. Where to stop. There is so much in life to enjoy and so little time and money. In this day and age groceries are more expensive. When I started nursing I made a grande total of 3.05 per hour and that was working Trauma. Yikes that wont even cover a can of good tomato sauce! Hard to save on the lo salaries even back in the day. Now nurses at least make a betty salary and it is probably just as hard to save as life is so expensive. I also read but I over use the library. I use to go and purchase books but now the library is wonderful and I dont mind waiting for the books. I just keep the list on going and just wait. I have tryed to go to more inexpensive yarn but some of those yarns do not wear well. I need safety gear for riding my motorcycle and once you have that it is good but there is maintenance which we try to do ourselves. Then there is one more child in college and that will end next summer. Yeah! But I think kids never really leave home. So for those planning retirement check on those wonderful hobbies and dreams of yours and make sure you can afford. If not then just walking is inexpensive a good form of excercise all you need is good shoes! Even with the expenses and all there is a joy and contentment of being your own boss of your life. You dont have to deal with institutional stuff and bureaucrats . Some nurses miss the learning aspect of medicine. There are still journals you can read. There are so many new things to learn it can be overwhelming. I keep my synapses busy! This post may be a little long but the reality of finances does change unless you have a supply of unlimited funds. I dont know too many retired nurses that are in that boat. Well unless, they have a spouse that has done well then it makes it more comfortable. I just wanted to share some of the things that I have learned being retired from nursing the past 2 years. I wish all of you in the retirement bracket the best of luck and happy days. If you like or this is not the place it would be nice to share what each individual is doing during their retirement or what plans they have and how you are doing with not having that drated alarm clock on! Respectfully, Paddle lady:heartbeat

Hi Isabelle, Sounds like you are ready in your body, mind and soul to retire. I retired @ 62. I was a nurse for 42 years and my body and mind just gave out on me. I love being retired and do massage and reflexology now only part time from my home . Good way to bring in extra income. You will do well working prn as you will find out you can leave things at the office so to speak and will feel much healthier. I wish you a happy and fulling retirement. Enjoy your self and take care. Paddlelady:yeah:

It's never really over. Guess what whatever you learned on that test you might actually use in nursing. But the stress of the test is over. Whew I am glad those days are over.

ctantiques, This is a good thing you are doing. I bet you also have a great knowledge of antiques and have much to offer as a nurse and the antique business. Wish you the bet of luck with your training and returning to work. Paddlelady

I retired @ 62 never had the option of an early retirement. Lasted 42 years as a Registered Nurse. I have been busy running a small business, and doing other things. However, I still have that little urge to go back part time. Well , I did go back full time doing Utilization Review. I got sick again (long story) and had to resign. Guess my adrenals just cant handle the stress. Seems like 42 years of stressful positions is all this old gals body can take. So I had a talk with myself and had to realise that I had a great 42 years stress and all and that I have to listen to my body. Now I can exercise, eat a lot better than I did and do some boating, traveling, reading , biking, riding my motorcycle and bonding with my dog. We have 1 son left doing post graduate work that we are helping along since the economy is so bad the poor kid could not get any entry level job in research. He went back to school so he could be a bit more competitive. He is learning so much but it is a drain on a retirees income. Kudos to all of the nurses who have been able to retire and stay retired . I guess that longing is always there. I miss some of my co-workers and physicians that I worked with and the learning. I decided there are different avenues of learning .:yeah:My husband tells me I am ready to learn other things. I think he is correct. This site is so wonderful to be able to share and get encouragement for other professionals. Paddlelady

Congratulations on your retirement from nursing and starting a new job. I hope you will enjoy your new career. Paddlelady

If you are in good health, maybe you can work part time . Caveat is are you going back for all the right reasons and not just to get away from home? Do you miss being a nurse and are you ready for the stress etc. 2 days a week is a good start and see how you do. Agencies are always looking for nurses . You are still very young and perhaps can be a real asset. Look around and see what suits you. Best of luck Paddlelady

Perfect time to realise how you handle stress and if eating is one of those things then maybe you are lucky. Lucky why because you have the ability to find other ways of handling stress . As you progress in your nursing career you might just find yourself counseling your patients on how to handle stress in other ways rather than eating! So consider this an assignment handling stress. It will come in handy some day. I hope they also told you in orientation how to avoid gaining weight . We are in the business of health care and we need to be role models and stay healthy so we can continue working. I use to work in a place were there were always donuts and sweets around. We all decided that the sweets we needed to start having in the break room were fruits and we all felt alot better and lost weight expcet mindless sugary eating. Try at least to add some exercise in your program and they vege and healthy food from home is the way to go. Best of luck in nursing school Judy

I worked in Seattle for 22 years and rode my bike to work. Commuting is what killed me with my last job. It was too much. It was way too long. I have clients of all ages. I do pregnancy massage. A few of my clients are physicians that travel so I only see them sporadically.

mM son is working on his Masters in Public health in Denmark. No loans for an out of counry school. As a parent we didnt expect to help our kids with post grad tuition etc. However, in this economy he could not find a job. He has a degree in Biology with speciliaty in Molecular and Cellular Biology. No one would hire him as he didnt have any experience. I was talking to my physician about the mater. She was telling me she was seeing alot of younger college grads depressed as they couldnt find work. Well her advice was to do go on for Masters to become more competitive in the work place. His dream was to go back to Scandanvia to study. It was hard to say no and I was doing very well with massage at that time. He only has 1 year left and when he is through he is on his own. There are alot of very educated college grads working as barastias and not using their degrees. It is pretty tough on todays job market. I do offer packages etc. I also do foot reflexology. They charge 90 a session in Seattle mine is only 65 an hours. If you schedule 4 sessions the 4 th is FREE! Cant beat that. I also have a referral system . Etc. I just think that the economy is down and people are saving their money. Thanks for the suggestions.

As far as hospice goes we have 1 hospice in my immediate area. They consider you a volunteer and do not charge the patients for the massage. I worked for them and one lady asked me to massage her shoulders she loved it. One of my massage colleagues did volunteer for them and she never got many calls. She did however, get 1 client from the staff who I use to work with. I know all the chiropractors in town and they know I exist and I do get referrals. Most of the patients do have insurance that will cover massage. Uniformed Medical has now been bought out by Regents . So the therapist on UMP cannot get on with Regents. This system doesnt seem user friendly. A good number of patients on the island that I live are covered by Regents and for years Regents is not letting any of the therapists were I live be a provider. They group us in with the Seattle therapists and we are a 35 min ferry ride from Seattle. They say they have too many massage providers in Seattle. I tryed to give them a geography lesson but they will not add any of us to the network. So we are out of network providers which they dont cover as well. I have applied at some of the chiropractors offices . They email and say they will call me for an interview and it never happens. I do follow up and call and then hear that they have either hired someone or they want to wait. Why advertise. I am hitting a wall these last few years. I think the universe has something else in store for me. I just have to find out what that may be. Thanks again everyone.

to answer all. I have been doing massage for 13 year along with nursing. I marketed quite a bit. I did fairs. Gave freebies at the local senior center. Many of my clients came from the senior center and word of mouth. I have lost 6 seniors that got regular massages. They have passed away. Some of my other massage clients have moved away from the area. I am market again. I think people are saving their money at this point. Some of my regular clients told me that they are cutting back and massage is one. I offer discounts and seniors. I have written letters and stop by the chiropractors . I was an insurance provider but I did drop that as I could not afford the 400 $ for malpractice insurance. I do have some resumes in to local spas but they want you to live nearby and I have to take a ferry to get to these spas and they want to hire local. I have done telephonic nursing, disease management and case management and UR so those are the things are am looking into. What is really hard is we have our younger son still in college and we have to help him. Thanks for all the ideas everyone.

I never thought that I would have to go back into nursing but I am pretty much broke. I have been unemployed since 2008. Well., I have been doing massage and business is so bad that I cant pay my bills. Social security doesnt last too long. I left nursing as I was physically ill as I cannot handle too much stress anymore. Looks like I need to find a job. Any suggestions for those who have had to do this. I actually got a job last month and left as I just couldnt handle the policitics. The nurse who was suppose to train me refused. Said she was too busy. That was the point of hiring me as I was to take her patients. This was a UR position. I would be reviewing some her patient population. She tryed to reel me into talking negatively about the new supervisor who asked her to train me. I had 2 weeks of online training and it was great. Then I was ready to fly so to speak . I literaly got physically ill with all this stuff. I got heart palpitations. My doctor warned me not to do this. So I resigned. Not a good thing. Guess I need a lo stress position but there are no free rides in nursing. Maybe I need to do something else. But what I dont know. Massage is not paying the bills. Grrrr I didnt heed her advise. But I have to survive.