Sandwitch883RN

Yay!!!!!!!! I can't wait to find out :)

I'm so anxious that at this point I don't know if I should be excited or not. I really want to be accepted but I worry about whether or not I've made a good choice to return to school at my age. I think I've just had to much time on my hands to think about it!

Any update anyone? I know that the applicants for class 152 received emails around 23 days after the deadline closed. That means that maybe we will hear something by June 10th.

Now that I know the application deadline has passed I feel even more anxious. I hold my breath each day when I check my email!

Hi! I'm also waiting to hear about acceptance to Class 154. I submitted my application in February so It's been a long wait! I hope to hear something soon. I'm looking forward to "meeting" potential classmates while we are all waiting.

Oh and to add one more thing....Each time a new policy is presented or existing policy modified a copy is placed in the charge binder along with the checklis the charge nurse does and each staff member has to read and sign it. That way we all know of the revisions or new policies.

We have a charge nures checklist that it to be completed per shift. On the checklist we assign "housekeeping" duties to each nurse on the floor such as stocking rooms, checking off crash cart ect. On of the checkoff duties for the charge nurse is also a sheet to track that care plans are implemented on each patient upon admission and updated on each shift. We started using a new charting system and we were forgetting to sign care plans. The checklist has corrected that problem because if its not done the charge nurse is "counseled". It's working great for now.

You know the saying "You don't know what you don't know"? I think that folks that think that obtaining an advanced practice nursing degree without the bedside experience don't understand how valuble that experience is because they've never done bedside care. Doing bedside care in nursing school is NOTHING like working on a floor. How do you develop that "gut feeling" about a situation if you have limited experience? My gut feeling has served me well at times, therefore improving pt outcomes.

I've been both a CNA and an RN. There are days when I would love to come to work and do my assigned task and go home. I worked hard as a CNA and was a valuable member of the team. I had no idea then how stressful it is to be an RN. In my eyes at that time I thought my job was just as stressful, if not even more important because I was assigned so many tasks. Now as an RN I realize i'm not only responsible for my own actions but those of the CNA's and LPN's I work with. One of the LPN's I was working with was upset because I did my own assessment before I signed off hers. It's my license on the line and was only done to cover myself. And when I'm charge I not only get written up for my own mistakes or oversights but also everyone elses. We are all part of a team, we do however play different roles.

So much focus is put on a mom being preganant that sometimes providers lose sight of the fact that if mom dies, so does baby. Not to say protecting the fetus is not important, and may call for some modification of tx, but if mom dies so does baby. I had a pt show up to L&D triage with a severe asthma attack. She should have gone to the ED but came to L&D first. We could have treated her if need be, but for non OB related emergencies they go to the ER first in our facility. The ER staff was upset because she was pregnant. Once they stabalized her asthma, we followed up in our triage with and NST and OB focused assessment.

Since posting this I've become employed at Naval Hospital. I've been there almost three years and really like it! I work L&D and we follow AWHONN guidelines. Nurse to pt ratios are usually very good. Like any job there are issues or bad days from time to time but overall I'm very satisfied. Our DIVO (unit manager) goes to bat for us and is very supportive. The only draw back is the huge amount of training, paperwork, and time card issues we have to deal with as nurses. However, in the grand scheme of things most days are good! The pay for this area is great for GS nurses. By far a better job than any i've had!

I love the pt's that want to have a drug/epidural free natural delivery. It's really a rewarding to be at the bedside to coach them through labor, or teach family members how to be effective coaches. Those pt's are so grateful for the support. I also enjoy the first time moms that are scared to death coming in but with emotional support and education become empowered and have great deliveries!

I don't have a crazy story...just something to share. I am an L&D nurse for a Naval Hopspital in coastal North Carolina. Worked a12 hour shift Friday, slept at the hospital Friday night, and worked 12 hours shift Saturday. Friday night we only got 2 hours of sleep d/t noise, relocating sleeping quarters d/t tornado, and being away from home. So many times as nurses we feel unappreciated for what we do, what we sacrifice and how dedicated we are to our profession. After weathering the hurricane and tornado this weekend I feel completely supported and appreciated. My hospital opened it's doors to our employees and community.Our pregnant pts, if term or high risk, were given in house shelter during the hurricane so that they would be there already if they went into labor or had complications. If we were scheduled to work, we were able to bring our families and pets to work with us. Families were given private sleeping quarters and a pet shelter was opened. Those of us who were there without family memebers slept together in a conference room. Our managers and supervisors, even the CO of the hospital stayed in house with us. My unit manager stayed up all night helping move beds, furniture, patients and staff around during the storm. Then we found out we were being payed overtime while we were there during the overnight hours we had to sleep there. Not only that but when weather conditions improved enough to leave, we were given the option to stay if we didnt have power or couldnt make it home with pay! We were told if we left, we would be off the clock, but were always welcome to come back if the conditions at home were not good (such as damage, no power, no water). Also, d/t lack of sleep, for both day and night shift nurses, we were allowed to take turns napping during our work shift. Our unit and our hospital really rallied, pulled together and made the best out of a bad situation. I'm so proud to be part of such a great hospital!

If it makes you feel any better, I also grieved the time I missed with family by working every other weekend. I took a clinc job so that I could work M-F instead. And guess what, I hated that even worse! I never had a day free to go to my kids school activities, or schedule appointments. When I had weekends off I spent them catching up on housework or errands that were neglected all week. I had to commute during peak traffic hours so I ended up being gone almost 10 hours a day anyway. One thing I found very helpful was to go back to my unit and work as PRN staff. We only have to commit to half of the weekends and holidays as full time staff and the schedule is more flexible. Its been a great solution. We are so busy and short staffed getting hours is no problem. I work almost a full time schedule, and the majority of that is week days. Check into part time or PRN if you can afford to financially.

I've been an L&D nurse for 5years and still love it! Somedays I'm more "excited" than others to be present at a delivery. I really enjoy that fact that in L&D you have predictability and high acuity all in the same shift. I feel like i'm just hitting my stride also. I have a level of comfort that even if I don't know the answer, I know the resources to find the answer. I agree with the other posters. Sounds more like you have anxiety about what you do than anything else. Maybe it's the environment in which you work, not the specialty. If you don't feel you have a strong support system it can be scary. As another poster pointed out, all specialties are hard work and have thier own level of stress.