nursval

You do what you have to do to survive. A few things to think about: you can't quit work, and you can't quit school. Not an option. Things that may be an option include cutting down to part time at either one. If not, suck it up and go on. Things are going to be crazy when you first start a job; you will get used to it. There are always going to be other people to help you out. You are a safe, competent nurse, that has been proven by your boards exam. You will find a routine, and this worry will be a thing of the past. I'm in the same boat as you. I work full time, attend an RN program full time, have two kids that go to gymanstics twice and swimming once a week, and try to remember that I have a husband that needs attention and a house that needs the same. The first night I ever worked med-surg, everything bad that could happen did happen, and I went to the bathroom and cried for about 2 minutes before I remembered that my patients were more important than my feeling sorry for myself at the moment, so I got up, wiped off my face, and went to face the shift. I once found a sign that helps me deal with things when I start to feel sorry for myself, and I bought it to put up at my nurse's station: Put on your big girl panties and deal with it! Good Luck! This gets easier, I promise.:heartbeat

I am actually attending a fast track LPN to RN program online through my community college. You really have to do your homework on those bigger companies. There are several of then that are horribly expensive, sometimes cost ten times what you would pay at a community college. Also, some of them aren't as accredited as what they want you to think. There is a big difference between accredited and affiliated. Some of the courses they offer do not transfer to other schools, so if you want to go on with your educatoin, that may be a problem. I think the college network is absolutley nothing more than a scam. They charge you more, and you don't even get to deal with your actual school. No need for a middle man.

Always in the belly. Never the arm. I had to have Lovenox injections BID before I was a nurse, and my husband was actually instructed to give it in my arms. The scary part is, when I went to the ER because of numerous hard knots under my skin ( we thought it was more blood clots, the reason I was on Lovenox to begin with), the ER doc gave us DC instructions to continue injections in the arms. Which of course, resulted in more hemotomas due to wrong injection site.

Just an idea, but Taco Bell has this new Fresco style menu. They basically take off all the fatty stuff like cheese, some sauces, and sour cream, and put that pico stuff (with the tomatoes, onions, cilantro, you know what I mean) on it instead. I love it! You can ask for it to be fresco style instead of regular, and it cuts down on fat and calories. You can even get it with the refried beans. It's great.

Hi everyone! I'm just beginning a new job in home health. I am very excited about it, and was wondering if anyone might have any advice for me. I worked med-surg for about 9 months, and have been working as a postpartum nurse for a year. I decided I needed to refresh my skills, and have been interested in home health for awhile. My company has computerized documentation, which I am happy with, but at the same time, a little apprehensive. I love the thought of being able to get to know my patients; before all I had was 48 hours max, so that will be a refreshing change. So, any advice for a newcomer? By the way, I already know to go to the little girl's room whether I need to or not if I get the chance.:)

I was working on a med-surg floor one night, when 2 of our nurses had to go to the ER to help with a very mad, very drunk patient. Apparently, he had been clean for 7 years, and fell off the wagon with a bottle of crown royal. I knew he was being transferred down to the floor because I could hear "Moooooo"....and "Ba-Ba!" (Very similiar to a sheep or goat, not really sure which one he thought he was) We got him to a room, and he started trying to count to three in Spanish, which he never got past "tres". I was the lucky one to have him as a patient, and he was one on one with his four point leathers. The next morning, I explained to him some of his behavior, and he successfully convinced his entire family that he was possessed. By the devil. I was sure to explain that although his faith would be an excellant way to help him through the crisis, perhaps other ideas for the cause of the episode should be explored as well. Moooooo........

As was stated before, it was probably not the best thing to do (especially since she seems to have a goood relationship with the CNA's, so that might make things harder on you later if they decide to retialiate on drama queen's behalf) BUT...... I can soooo see why you did it. True, if you had perhaps gone to her and told her why you were upset, it might have worked out better for you both, but getting caught up in the heat of the moment is understandable. Not justifiable, but understandable. I would apologize, especially being as if she goes to the DON, you might really start to regret it, no matter how much she deserved it. Something obviously needed to be said to her.

Everyone gets a job and/or furthers their education for better income. It doesn't have to be nursing, it could have been anything else, including jobs that pay a lot more and are a lot less stressful than nursing. So to ask "Who is in it for the money?" is kind of asking a loaded question. However, there are reasons that people pick nursing over those other jobs, which leads me to believe that no one truly does it just for the money. However, if you hate your job bad enough to state that if you could go to school for something else, that you would, I think you need to get out of the nursing field. If you're not happy with your career, it will show to your pt.s and those you work with. I personally would not want anyone who hated their job dealing with me, as I would be a part of something they hate.

Before you complain to anyone, I would request a copy of the all the lab results for tests that were performed. A CBC and a blood alcohol test should be in the results, and if there is no blood alcohol test or the level is under the legal limit, I would take the compliant as far as you can with it. I wasn't there, but I wonder how the doc could have just assumed that there was alcohol in his system, especially since alcohol can be somewhat of a diuretic, which would not support the symptom of swollen feet at all. If any symptom at all, it seems that edema would have the last one to have if he had been drinking.

Just treat them as you would like to be treated. If you need to call a doc in the middle of the night, do yourself a favor and make sure you have ALL information in front of you when you make the call, :heartbeatespecially a recent set of vitals. Some are just grumpy no matter what, but you are only human jst like they are, so just try to be as quick and efficient as possible. They aren't that scary once you get to know them. God Bless!

The more I think about it, the more I really think someone is just being a jerk and trying to make us mad. Seriously, you would have to live in a box to think that nurses are poor, and why else imply that nurses are doctor's little slaves? I think it's just someone being really immature.

I think you have a deep appreciation for nursing. You wouldn't have tried so long if you didn't. However, just someone has an appreciation for nursing doesn't mean that they have to like it. I love being a nurse, and unlike you, I love the clinical aspect of it. I love caring for my patients, and can't think of anything else I would rather do. HOWEVER, I hate, hate, hate paperwork. I don't see how anyone could sit behind behind a desk and do paperwork all day. That being said, all members of the healthcare team are extremely important. Yes, the pt. needs a nurse to physically care for them, but they need their case manager as well. All the nurses that make the huge decisions, but don't really do a lot of physical pt. care are an absolute neccesity. If it were not for them, I wouldn't have any pt.'s to care for. You could be a researcher, a case manager, the possibilities are virtually endless. OR, you could just switch departments. There are units in which you don't really have to deal with the things. I do agree with the above post that if you have truly contemplated suicide, you need to speak with someone on a professional level. And no, although allnurses.com is awesome in every way shape and form, someone a bit more non-nursy would be an excellant idea. God Bless!:heartbeat

KTC: kick to curb

I had wanted to be a nurse since I was about 7. However, the true calling came later. My daughter had a birth defect in which her intestines were on the outside of ther body. (gastroschisis). I had her on July 2nd, 2003, she had the surgery on the third day, and was doing great. July the 5th I was involved in a horrible MVA. A 14 year old kid pulled out in front of us and stopped. His mom was letting him drive, and it was nighttime and he was trying to get on the interstate. I was life flighted along with my son to a Nashville hospital, and eventually found out I had a fractured C-2, both lungs were punctured, one had collapsed and the other was well on it's way. Over half my ribs were broken, and the nurses that saw my breasts (I had been trying to pump milk for my daughter) had that look on their face like you have when you see something truly awful but you are trying not to show it. I was 2 floors below my daughter in the trauma unit for 17 days. My daughter was discharged the day before I was. My son turned out to be ok, but the lifeflight nurse that was with me told she would come back and tell me how he was. She forgot. I actually asked my husband if he was dead. It was truly hell on earth. BUT, the reason I knew I wanted to be a nurse was because of a nurse named Vicki. She was a NICU nurse, and everyday that she worked, she brought my baby down to see me. She was told not to due to infection possibilities, and was told by several different people. She had security called on her because someone thought she was trying to steal a baby. But she never missed a day. Not one. She was my angel in what I find to be the hardest time in my life, and did so without being asked. She could have lost her job for it, but she did it anyway. I went to see her about 6 months after the accident with Stacia, and I called into the NICU and asked for her. I said "My name is Valerie, and my daughter is Stacia. Do you know who I am?" She said "Yes, I do." I gave her a picture of Stacia, and we cried together. I have moved out of state now, but I would love to find her and tell her that I am an LPN, and am in school for RN. I even worked as a well baby/ postpartum nurse fro awhile. She was truly my hero. Thank God for nurses like her. Sorry so long.:heartbeat

I think a common reason why future nurses go for LPN snd then RN is because of the wait to get straight into an RN program. I have only attended 2 different school in two different states, but both were extremely competitive. The RN program I did pre-reqs for in TN had 300 people trying to get into a program that accepted 60 and graduated 30, once a year. I just gained acceptance into a bridge program, and about 90% of the students in my class are fresh from or have not yet graduated from thre LPN program. If I knew I could get straight into an RN program, I probably would have gone that route simply because it would have been less hassle. But, on the other hand, I did lots of experience that I would not have gotten otherwise.