soffy

hey, i can totally relate :heartbeat just the other day, i had this dread at the beginning of my shift that it was gonna be a crappy day. maybe it was self-fulfilling prophecy, but i found myself in a really pressured situation where i took a verbal order to hook up an insulin drip (my first one ever) just as the patient was supposed to be picked up to go to OR. I had to transcribe the order, mix the insulin, make sense of what i was doing.. My coworkers pitched in and helped me a lot. But at the end of it all, someone saw the look on my face and asked "hey, are you Ok?" and i started crying and couldn't stop. I cried for so long in the stockroom while the nurse consoled me. I took a break, got myself together. unfortunately throughout the day, multiple people asked me how i was doing and that just sent the tears running again .. I swear, the best way to make someone cry is to ask if they are ok I hope you hang in there.. it shows that you're conscientious of your work and you want to do the best job you can. Excellent work ethics.. i guess it's just about letting go of the little things. we'll both get the hang of it one day :)

Hi everyone, Being a new nurse, I would love to pick up some good habits for when I chart. For example, what qualities do you appreciate in a well written progress note? Are there things that you find often in progress notes that you find redundant and/or are useless? Do you prefer concise note-form,or full sentences? On my floor, I am not restricted to charting in a specific manner so I'm working on developing my own way of documenting that nurses will appreciate and find helpful.. Any advice would be great! I really would like to work on becoming a "considerate" nurse.. one of those nurses that you like working with or right after.. you know??

that's a great idea! i will definitely see her when i get the chance :)

Hi everyone, I have eczema on my right pinky and normally it's not too bad, a bit rough but no open wounds. However since I started working, about 2 months ago, with ALL that hand-washing, I find my little pinky inflamed and cracked open. Hurts and itches a lot and leaks a small amount of serous-sang discharge. Everytime I get my pinky wet, it gets irritated as u can imagine so hand washing is quite painful :S I was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to protect it at work? Thanks you for your time!

I don't know if i'm fit for this profession... I'm a new grad who started working on an orthopedics unit and i just feel... discouraged! I am so stressed before I start my work day, and when i leave my mind is running around thinking of all the things i might have missed.. The other day, i made a really careless med error giving a higher dose than was needed. I was so disappointed in myself that the 5 R's had eluded me at that one moment i was lucky that there were no adverse effects, but i felt terrible for the patient and myself. The other nurses told me not to worry about it; that they had done many careless things throughout their career... But for me, my day went downhill from there.. i felt like a nervous wreck.. and it hit me: this career holds so much responsibility and there is VERY little room for error. I think the nurses on the unit can see it on my face that I feel anxious, and they are so great! offering me their assistance and letting me know not to be shy to ask for help.. my patient load is on the easy side (5-6 who are relatively stable) to allow me to transition from school to work,.. honestly, i have been told several times that my floor is known for it's kind staff, but I feel that even in such a supportive environment, maybe i'm just not cut out for it... I have read many posts about the ridiculous hours some nurses work, and the catty nurses who make their lives hell, or the condescending Dr's.. i haven't quite experienced that at all! Most of my colleagues have been great, no rude Dr's ..yet, haven't dealt with the "politics" really and the head nurse has given me a really flexible schedule - only days, at the moment. I think what it boils down to is ambiguity of this profession; not being able to read Dr's orders (handwriting), getting used to normal "abnormal" values, encountering new diagnosis, procedures, and meds everyday, different patients with unique and difficult characters, Dr's orders that get slipped in middle of the shift and only noticed at the end of my shift , pt's and families with multiple inquiries that i just can't answer, people in pain, people i have to consult with... the list goes on. I was contemplating quitting and trying the OR where the skills may be more redundant but i might feel more confident in.. but I just feel terrible leaving this job after only 5 weeks, and my pride doesn't make it easier :S I thought nursing was for me because I thought I loved caring for people but now that's it's become a profession i'm payed for and i've become ultimately responsible for pt's lives , i find myself feeling miserable and inadequate and STRESSED out. not healthy! sorry for the long rant! any advice would be greatly appreciated..