aehart

5 mg IV Vasotec PRN SBP >160. They don't even give that much at once on monitored units. ::Shakes head::

I know that Mercy Medical and Aultman in Canton are hiring new grads. I know its about two hours from Columbus, but it's not a bad place to live and the hospitals are decent. Then you have Akron that has three major hospital systems right there (though i know Akron General is probably not the best bet). The jobs are there, but relocating might just have to be an option to get some experience.

Pff...I don't even know. Haha. Wanted to be a singer, artist, doctor, teacher, geneticist, novelist, journalist, FBI agent, spy, anthropologist, crime scene investigator, interior designer, handbag designer, boutique owner, bookstore owner, coffee shop owner, lawyer, international relations specialist, blah blah blah Finally, I decided needed some sort of career where I could be all kinds of things at once. The boy I was dating at the time's mom was a nurse as were his aunts, cousins, and grandma. I looked into it and it sounded intriguing. Changed my major the next semester and absolutely fell in love with the field. Now, I get to be a nurse and a teacher and a friend and a life-saver and an investigator and bed bath giver and a IV starter and all these other things that add up to nursing. Honestly, there aren't a lot of fields where you get to be so diverse and have so many options for your career. Its great and I'm so glad I chose it. =)

I am pretty sure I didn't say I demanded it. I'm just saying my job there is not to bend over backwards to make a group of nurses who do not want me there, happy. I'm sorry you don't get paid more, but that isn't my fault either. I just don't think its fair for student nurses to have this stigma that we're lazy and unwilling when it really isn't true. The large majority of my fellow students (and me) WANT to be there and WANT to learn, but the attitudes we receive from the staff nurses makes us reluctant to approach them and to even be there. No one wants to go where there is hostility against them just because of what they represent. I'm sorry that it seems a lot of people on this thread have had poor experiences with student nurses, however, you shouldn't assume we're all bad. Perhaps I have had more bad experiences than good, but I don't think all nurses are mean. I've seen terrible nurses and I've seen amazing nurses. If all nurses are allowed to vary, why can't all nursing students? Maybe some people have forgotten the fear, the anxiety, the shyness, the inability to think on one's feet because of nerves, the lack of knowledge, the lack of experience, the stress, the terror of being on a new floor for the first time, or the large amount of work required of nursing students, but most of us are going on just a few hours of sleep every night because we're up doing loads of work and we're tired too. I wasn't trying to irk anyone even though it seems I did. I was just trying to point out that there are things nurses do that annoy nursing students AND vice versa. I just think people need to realize there are always two sides to a story.

I did not say I wouldn't do them. I do not mind, but please do not give me problems if they do not get done. I am not here only for bathing patients. I am here to learn how to be an RN which involves a lot more than bathing, changing, and obtaining vital signs. I want to do a foley or an IV, hang some bags, learn some meds, practice my assessment, learn about disorders and my patients, interact with the care team, finish my care plan, blood draws, understand my pathophys better. I am NOT there ONLY to do basic things. When I graduate I want to be able to say I feel confident in my skills and that I will be able to fine tune the things I learned in nursing school BECAUSE I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THEM, NOT that I'm a really excellent bather. I am not paying thousands upon thousands of dollars every semester for that. I'm sorry, but I am a STUDENT and I understand that we get annoying and in the way, but I am not there just to make your day easier, though I certainly do not mind helping. My point in this whole post and my previous ones is that respect can go both ways. You're a seasoned professional and I'm a student. That doesn't mean you, as a nurse, get to be unwelcoming to me while I have to go out of my way to please you. Respect is a two way street. I'm there to learn, but it is really hard to WANT to be somewhere when you are obviously unwelcome.

It really bothers me, as a student, that there seems to be a mass opinion that all nursing students don't care, don't want to be there, and don't want to learn. I work my tush off and really don't appreciate the generalization. I don't judge all nurses on the bad ones I've encountered, so I wish people wouldn't judge me because of the bad apples.

I'm a student nurse (May 2011 cannot come soon enough!) and I work as a tech on a busy floor so I see both sides of the spectrum. I think its annoying when students: -DON'T do what they're supposed to do (if you tell me you're getting vitals, then do it AND chart them, because if you don't I'm going to get ******* at). -DON'T ask me if you're allowed to do something. You should know, and if you don't, ask your instructor. -DON'T disappear. We have one school that is often on our floor. They come to clinical and only do about 30 minutes of actual work. The rest of the time is spent in OUR conference room eating chips and doing homework. -DON'T slack. I'm in school too. I work my bottom off at school, clinical, and work. it irks me we're going for the same degree but you loaf around at clinical for 4, 6, 8, 10 hours. As a nursing student I think a lot of nurses need to remember: -We don't know everything so don't get irritated if you ask us a question or ask us to do something and we need assistance. -Don't treat me like a tech/aide. I am hear to learn to be a RN, not to be your b*tch. -Sometimes my teacher makes me wait to do things. I'd rather not and I know you would rather us not wait, but I don't have a choice and I can't change it. -I am not a designated bath-giver. One nurse for my Acute Care of Adults clinical told me I was just there to give baths and get vitals. Um, no. -At the most we are only on your unit for about nine weeks, one (maybe two) days a week for a few hours...that is NOT enough time to know where everything is, how things work, and how situations are handled, please don't get frustrated or angry when I ask questions or don't know where the linen cart is located. -It's annoying for us to have to stack all of our belonging into a corner in the room but that is ALL your managers give us. I can't help that we do not have lockers or anything and you have to step around my belongings. Talk to management about that. -PLEASE let me know when you are going to lunch, because it is very frustrating not to know where you are if I have a question or if my teacher needs an answer and I can't give it because you disappeared without letting me know where you were going, when you would be back, and who was covering your assignment. -If you don't like students, tell our instructor. Most of them will not assign us to your patients then. It's that simple. -Maybe you got your degree in 1976. It is not 1976 so please refrain from telling me, "I know what your books say, but this is how it's really done" and then do something completely against any sort of evidence-based practice I have been taught and would get in major trouble for doing. -Sometimes there just isn't room for us, you, the docs, the respiratory therapists, PT, OT, speech, social workers, med students, aides, managers, secretaries, etc...That isn't my fault either. -Be nice to us and we'll be nice to you in the form of a nice gift of delicious bagels/doughnuts/other dessert and coffee at the end of our rotation. -Remember, how you treat us really does determine what hospitals we will be applying for, so when you complain about not having enough staff remember that there are buttloads of recent graduated who want jobs, but might be wary of accepting an offer on a floor where they had a terrible clinical experience.

First off I want to set up the scenario I have been working with lately (sorry it's so long and involved): I work as a student nursing technician on a very busy med-surg/trauma/neuro/stroke unit. Recently, we have been severely understaffed due to other aides getting injured/sick. That leaves us with two part-time aides, three full-time aides (one for days, one for evenings, and one for nights), and about ten techs who are per diem. On the weekends we usually have six or seven RNs, two LPNs, and anywhere from one to three aides/techs. Because of the nature of the patient population I would venture to guess ninety percent are considered high fall risks. About half of our patients will have bed checks/alarms and it is not uncommon for someone to be in restraints. Yesterday I was working the 3 - 11 shift with two other girls. One was leaving at seven when another tech would come in. We have a large amount of sitter cases right now. It was my turn to sit so I was assigned to a motorcycle accident with CHI and multiple abrasions. He also happened to be detoxing. The night before he had gotten very violent and had to be put in restraints. When I was sitting with him he was unhooked from his restraints because he was sleeping (2 mg of Ativan will do that to you). As I was sitting there was a woman who they also wanted to make "sitter cases." That now left us with six patients who needed sitters/companions. Two of the patients happened to be husband and wife and they were roomed together (NOTE:***This is not the nature of my question, BUT I found this to be extremely unsafe because of their extremely similar first and last names, but I digress). The patient I was sitting with was deemed safe (because he had been knocked out all day) and his sitter/companion case was cancelled. I was then assigned to the husband and wife who really just needed reoriented every once in awhile and told not to get out of bed. One of the other techs had to sit, leaving one aide on the floor. The girl who was supposed to come in at seven called off. As the night went on I kept hearing call lights from in my room. Apparently the other aide sitting in a different had a family emergency and had to leave taking our only other aide off the floor. The call lights went on and on and on and on and on. I even had mine on for over twenty minutes. The nurses would NOT answer the call lights. We have a computer that tells us how long call lights have been ringing. I stepped out of the room while the nurse was in passing meds and I looked at the computer. One call light had been going off for about seven minutes, another for fifteen, another for seventeen, and mine for twenty-three. My question is should I, as a student tech, say something to my manager? I find this to be VERY VERY UNSAFE for patients. twenty-three minutes! Someone could die in that time. W have had a huge increase in our falls and I blame it on the RNs and LPNs who refuse to answer call lights. I don't know if it is because they feel like it isn't THEIR job or what. I think that answering call lights should be everyone's job, not just unlicensed personnel. Should I say something? And, if so, how should I say it. I don't want to be a compainer or a whiner or anything. I just want the patients to be safe. I don't want to compromise my ability to get a job when I graduate in May, but I feel like if something doesn't get said, nothing will change until the worst thing possible happens. Any input would be extremely helpful. I'm sorry this was so long! I should probably also note this is usually only a problem on the weekends as we have different weekend night/day staff from week day night/day staff.

I know this was earlier in the year, but I thought I would respond in case someone was still looking for an answer. I work at Akron City as a tech and I know that they haven't hired any new techs since around last December to March. At least, not on my floor. I haven't even seen it listed under career opportunities. As far as I know what is listed on the career opportunities board is all they're hiring for. Unfortunately, Summa mainly hires from within. Most new grad jobs go to scholarship students or techs first. I know this isn't providing a very positive outlook. I have been told that Akron General still hires a lot of techs, so you may want to try there. However, I have heard its a big mess over there right now....groups buying out doctors, docs and nurses leaving, nurses being asked to take pay cuts. I don't know how true this is, so you may want to ask around before letting it influence your decision. Good luck with everything! I hope you find/found a job! =)

I work as a tech on a very busy Neuroscience and Trauma Med-Surg unit. A nurse was demonstrating to another tech how to start an IV. She pointed to the antecubital area and said, "Feel here. It's just like a rubber band, bouncing all around." The tech felt and said, "Are you sure that isn't an artery?" Nurse assured her it was not and proceeded to start the IV. Needless to say it WAS an artery and then the RN tried to convince us "dumb" techs that it was okay and she had done it plenty of times before. But then she "decided" to remove the IV and squirted HEPATITIS C BLOOD EVERYWHERE. I don't know about your hospitals or agencies, but there is some definite paperwork that has to be filled out, not to mention a pressure dressing when you accidentally hit an artery with a peripheral line. Did the RN do any of that? Um, no.

I know this topic kind of died down, but I just wanted to throw my two cents out there. I live and work in NE Ohio. I'm a tech in a Level 1 Trauma center. A lot of new grads that I know get hired into the ICU's around here Some hospitals I have heard that do hire new grads are Akron City, Cleveland Clinic, Metro, and UH. I think getting in is all a matter of how you did in school, how your clinical instructors saw you (for letters of reference), your ambition, and your ability to impress the heck out of people. It is certainly possible and it certainly does happen in my neck of the woods, it just takes a lot of work.

You've been hit on by more guys with TBIs than without.

I think it is important for everyone to help with incontinence care....from aides to RNs. Of course it gets busy....for everyone, but that doesn't mean anyone should be exempt from helping out. Maybe you could round on the incontinent patients before you start your busy time. That way it cuts down on the people who need cleaned up when you're busiest. Working with each other comes down to two major things: Compromise and prioritize.

When i started nursing school all I heard was how I was going to have at least three job offers when I graduate. Now, I'm going into my senior year, I have a position as a Nursing Student Technician, and I am still scared I won't get a job. I have accepted the fact that I'm going to have to look outside of Ohio to find something. The techs that just graduated in May are having a hard time. And now, I hear they are not replacing techs. I really can't believe in the "nursing shortage" anymore. ::keeping fingers crossed::

I figured that was most likely the answer, but she listed it as the 5 rights in the slides and then asked for six guidelines. I don't know....maybe she can't count?