bigmona

You make a whole lot of assumptions here, most of which are wrong, and then you judge me for it? Like I said before, I'm part time. No benefits. Everyone else is self schedule and works when they want. My schedule is filled in for me and I am the one who has to switch if I need it. I hardly feel like a victim- grateful to have work but wanted some other nurses opinions on sorting out a situation that didn't make sense to me. So like I said, thanks to those that gave mature replies. I just got unlucky in the sense that so many holidays fell on the weekend this year but I know I'll be missing most of them in another year or two (if I stick it out working weekends for that long).

I don't have a choice right now to not work the weekends given the circumstances I'm in. I appreciate the constructive replies. All I was asking for was some perspective (not attitude) and many of you gave it to me. Thanks.

I'm in the weekend program at work, and work every single weekened. I only work Sat & Sun, so I am considered part time. We have 4 weekenders on my unit, and as a result, the rest of the regular staff only end up having to work maybe 1 weekend shift every 1.5-2 months. Since I'm a weekend person, I get the higher weekend rate. If a holiday happens to fall on a weekend, I have to work it, and I do NOT get time and a half like the rest of the staff, because I'm already paid at "a higher rate"- but when you do the math, the regular staff are making more hourly than me on holidays. Not only do I have to work these holidays at my regular rate, I am not allowed to request vacation time if it's a holiday. So basically, I don't make any extra working on a holiday, I don't have an extra holiday requirement because I'm part time weekend staff, but I'm denied any requests to take a holiday off because "that's not allowed". Does that seem right to you? It seems to me that since I don't make holiday pay and don't have an extra holiday requirement like the rest of the staff, I should be allowed to take the holiday off if I request it (not to mention I have #2 seniority on this unit). Also, as a result, a lot of regular staff get out of working a weekend holiday because the weekend people have already filled in most of the slots. I have to admit, I have a "thing" for when a situation seems unfair and get worked up about it- but am open to someone else's input and perspective to tell me I am looking at things incorrectly. My manager does not seem to understand where I'm coming from. It's hard when I have NO family time because I'm working every weekend, and then I miss out on family time during a holiday too because it happens to fall on a weekend. And no, I don't think anyone would willingly switch with me to work on a holiday.

Sure. When I have a full patient assignment, I'm in charge, we have no unit clerk OR nursing assistant, and no staffing coordinator, but somehow I'm expected to successfully and safely carry out all the duties of the aforementioned positions for...wait for it....ONE WHOLE DOLLAR an hour more... it makes me want to RUN back to work the next day!

I'm a female, first born, with an alcoholic dad.

It sounds like you're an excellent teamworker and I'd love to have a coworker like you. I believe you're doing everything a charge nurse *should* be doing. If some people aren't as hardworking and feel like you're making them look bad, that's on them, not you.

the previous poster is right. You'll most likely have to get a bunch of pre-req's out of the way before you even set foot in nursing school. Maybe you can start out by taking online classes while working part-time once you have your baby. See how that goes, and you can ease into regular classroom classes once your babe is a little older and you find childcare. Do you have family and/or support around you who can help with looking after a little one? That can make a big difference. Also, student loans are the best kind of debt you can have- if it's worth it to you to take out loans to achieve this dream for yourself, go for it. And definitely apply for grants, etc. You don't want to kick yourself later on and regret anything. There's never a "perfect" time to go back to school (or to have a kid, for that matter), but you can do it.

GI lab/endoscopy unit is definitely not stressful... paperwork, putting in some IVs, checking a few sets of vitals. EASY compared to ICU.

I know the alphabet and basic words in ASL and have only had to use signing once with a patient in my 4 years as a nurse. I think it depends on where you live, though. Some areas have a larger Deaf community. I know that people who are deaf or have a profound hearing loss greatly appreciate when you're able to communicate with more than writing or relying on reading lips, especially when it comes to their (or a loved one's) medical condition. So even if you rarely get to use it, I still think it's very much worth it to know some basic sign.

We have a 2 patient/1 nurse ratio in our MICU (rarely sometimes 3:1). We've been having some debate/issues in my unit lately about when a patient needs to be put in a 1:1 nurse/patient assignment. Just curious what you do in your unit? Do you have an established set of guidelines, rules or criteria that you use to determine this? Thanks.

The literature shows that taking BP via a lower extremity does run higher than when you take it in an upper extremity. I have certainly found this to be the case in my own practice. Came in once to work and had a patient on a nicardipine gtt that was being titrated for BPs taken in the legs- when I took the pressure in the arm it was much lower and I actually had to shut the drip off. Something to be careful with.

I appreciate all your replies! my hospital does not have OB so no lactation consultant or pumps I can use, and my state does not have a law protecting breastfeeding mothers in the workplace. I try to cut my lunches really short since I do take up other time pumping. Generally my coworkers are understanding about it, but sometimes when we're all so busy it's difficult to get away. My supply definitely takes a hit after working the weekend. I guess I'll just have to figure the childcare thing out... I did call some daycares affiliated with the hospital and none of them were flexible about days so I have no idea how other mommas do it! I guess we all just make sacrifices in one way or another (something I am learning as a new mom :wink2: ).

I'm sorry if this thread isn't appropriate here, feel free to move it to another forum. I just couldn't find another suitable place to put it. I'm curious what other new moms who are nurses do at work who are still breastfeeding. How often do you get to pump in a shift? Are your coworkers understanding? Any issues with cleanliness or access to a clean/private place to pump? My hospital does not provide me a pumping room- I have to do it in my manager's office. Also, what do other RNs do about childcare? I work every weekend and my husband works M-F but I would like to go back to working 3 shifts/week so I have some time back to spend with my husband. However, I haven't found a daycare that's flexible with when you can drop your kid off (and shifts would vary week to week). I have no family or friends in this area who can watch my baby. Just wondering if anyone else has dealt with this and what kind of solution you came up with. thanks!

one night i had spent a good part of my shift attempting to do everything possible to make a vented post-op patient comfortable. finally, when he was starting to settle a bit, he looked at me with tears in his eyes and mouthed "thank you" around his ET tube. a few days later i was back at work, saw that he was extubated and stopped in to say hello and ask how he was feeling. he didn't remember me. but i'll never forget the gratitude i saw in his face and eyes and the feeling that all the hard work was worth something.

I'm going to apply to penn's CNM program and was wondering if you could answer a question for me.. I plan on working as long as I can going through the program (I would be doing it part time) and noticed the website says you can't work when you're on call to go to deliveries. that makes sense, but do you know how long that particular part of the program is? Is it over one semester, one year, or more? Are you at the point where you're lining up jobs for after graduation? Do you think it'll be easy for you to find a place to work? also- I know Penn emphasizes leadership.. what kind of leadership experience did you have when you applied? sorry for the millions of questions but you're a great resource! thanks!

UPenn specifically. They don't specify this on their admissions website (at least that I can find).

Being pregnant has completely renewed my interest in pursuing midwifery for several reasons. It's why I went into nursing school in the first place. However, since graduation, I've only worked telemetry/progressive care (one year) and have been in a combined MICU/SICU/CTICU since then. Is this going to be viewed as a deterrent when I apply to grad school for midwifery? It's not like I've never been exposed to L&D. I spent my final semester in school doing a 3-month practicum in a very busy, high risk L&D unit. However, that was a couple of years ago now. Has anyone been in a similar situation? Anyone in school now that can offer some insight? Thanks for any help/advice you can give me!!

yeah, absolutely i can relate. and many other nurses i know think this way, too. after a while i have learned to laugh at myself with whatever new thing i diagnose myself with, but i'm still not immune to an occasional meltdown where i'll try to convince my husband that i'm suffering from some ailment or syndrome. i think the best way to cope is just to BE healthy- exercise, eat healthy foods, etc. and be thankful for your health and what you've got.

Has anyone worked rotating shifts while pregnant? How did you feel doing it? I recently found out I'm expecting (yay!) but have to rotate b/w days and nights every few weeks. I'm a little worried about it-- it's already somewhat difficult on my body to switch back and forth, but I'm concerned the added physical stressors of being pregnant may be too much. I'm thinking of switching to nights only (either rotating or straight nights are my only options). Has anyone had some personal experience with this?

i'll never forget one little old lady i cared for in nursing school... as a student we were responsible for assisting with ADLs. all this woman wanted was her hair washed, and the whole time she'd been in the hospital, no one had done it for her. another student and i washed her hair together, and she wouldn't stop gushing about how happy and grateful she was. such a small thing to do but it made such a difference to her comfort. now i work in ICU where there's a lot of bleak days, but once in a blue moon a patient will come back after they'd been discharged to say thanks.. i had one patient in particular who was sedated and vented, and it was either extubate or trach the next day.. we woke her up, got her extubated, and i stayed with her that day encouraging her and making sure she didn't poop out-- she ended up doing wonderfully and avoided the trach. that's why i love the ICU in particular- there's key moments where you and everyone around you do your best at a critical time, and every now and then it works out and the patient gets to go back home to their family.

we almost always have at least one, sometimes 2. they help us with turns, restock supply carts, get blood products, etc. thank god they're around, it's a huge help!

I wouldn't necessarily want to make everyone a nurse, but I would *love* to have everyone shadow a nurse just for a few hours to see everything we really do and put up with.

I took a job in ICU after working on a cardiac floor for about a year. I also felt like I hit a "wall" in my orientation...the first month or so was great, then after that, very suddenly, I felt clumsy and dumb and like I couldn't do anything right. The feeling passes... it's hard to start over in a new area... one thing that helped me put things in perspective is to compare my thinking and skills level TODAY to how I was the day I first walked into the unit..and even though I felt like I was learning nothing, that made me realize just how far I'd come. And if your NM singled you out to come with her, that should tell you something about your clinical judgment and skills!

I have nightmares about work so often that it's made me seriously question my career choice. My dreams *always* involve me either forgetting about one (or more) of my patients or being thrown into my assignment without getting report and not knowing a single thing about my patients. I have these dreams up to 4-5 times a week. I do my best to leave work behind but my subconcious mind won't let me! It's exhausting :zzzzz