Andrew, RN

When was the last time one of your med-surg patients ran off of the unit, into the kitchen and began wielding a knife? When was the last time one of your patients bit you and bent your fingers backwards? I have 30 patients and there isn't anything easy about it right now.

Tips that helped me as a new grad: Transcribe orders in a quiet place. Focus on completing one task at a time and don't let things like a phone ringing or a call light distract you. Finish what you were doing and then tackle something else. I still have to remind myself of this from time to time, that way I don't have to be like "Wait... what is it I was going to do?" after I got interrupted. Hopefully your facility does not look down upon self-reporting and is not focused on punishing for errors. They should look at the problem, not the person, and figure out why it happened. This is not your fault, it is a failure of a system. Do not blame yourself. Look up the "Swiss Cheese" model for errors/sentinel events. There are many people and many events that have to happen for an error to occur. I take phone orders all the time because I work weekends when there is not a doctor around. I repeat back to them what I think I heard them say and then they say yes or they clarify it. Then I write it down immediately on a blank order sheet I have in front of me, write the patient's name on it, then fax it to the pharmacy. Once you get a routine down and avoid certain pitfalls like distractions, things will go more smoothly. I hope this helps.

It depends on the cost of living in your area too. It isn't just what you make, it is what you spend that also really counts.

I've spent many nights sleeping in my car or in the lounge on the couch because I was either too tired to drive home and had to be back in the morning anyway, or because I was on call. Ya gotta do what you gotta do.

Want something completely different from any kind of nursing? Work in psych. :)

I graduated two years ago. No way would we bath each other. You do not need training in how to bath someone. It's soap, water, and a washcloth. Seriously. The most invasive contact nursing students/instructors should have with each other should be vital signs/basic assessment. We have mannequins and Sim-Man for the other stuff. Doctors don't do pelvic exams on each other. Their medical school pays someone to come in and let them practice of them. It's time nursing comes out of the dark ages and joins the year 2010.

I'm jealous. Depending on where you live in the country and what the cost of living is.....

I'm making $18.75/hr. I was making $21.50/hr at a hospital. However, I get "Baylor Pay" which is 8 hours of pay per week extra. So that helps it even out.

Mood, affect, facial expressions, body language, posture, what the patient says, how they say it. Their behaviors. etc....

Lots of people are in your shoes. You are not alone. You may have to relocate to find a job. Try the help of some staffing agencies that will give you permanent placement. I know TX and NM are hurting for RNs right now. They will take anyone. Good luck.

How do they figure it is "low stress?" lol

What's inappropriate to some is not by others. It depends on the situation. Generally, you are not supposed to cuss around/to patients, even if they are cussing. That is the rule I go by. Sucks that they got fired but there was probably good reason. Usually someone like that has a track record and many complaints against them.

We have "Black Out Boundaries" The pt can not interact w/ someone they are on BOBs with. They have to be at least 3 feet away from them as well. One male pt is on BOBs w/ all female peers. It is confusing whom is on BOBs with whom and is not evenly enforced by the staff.

Thanks everyone for the support and helpful words. I am waiting on Letters of Recommendation from my previous employer and a date to get my physical.

Hey everyone. I'm talking with a recruiter right now about joining the Army Reserves. He is a Captain that specializes only with medical people. Basically, they are offering me a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant. I will be going to school for my BSN, be non-deployable for two years while I'm doing this, not have to do the "one weekend a month" drill (unless I want to for extra money) and I'll be getting $1,600 a month. The program this falls under is called the STRAP program. After I get my BSN, then I will have to drill and I will be eligible for deployment. Has anyone else done something similar to this? What are your experiences with recruiters and the military? What questions should I ask him?