Valhalla_Pure

Hi Everyone, Right now the British Columbia Nurses Union (BCNU) is currently driving to have LPNs become members of the union in addition to RNs. How do other BC nurses view this move? It seems to be met with some reluctance to other staff I have sp...

I just posted about feeling stressed out and socially isolated from my friends and partner in a recent thread, so I know exactly how you feel! Sometimes the reality of the medical unit can be a real wake up call. However, like xtxrn said, you will ge...

Take it. Almost all work for new nurses in Vancouver, BC is casual work. I worked casual for almost a 8 months before getting a full-time position. You can always pick up extra shifts on top of your part-time hours, provided extra shifts are availabl...

BSN grad here. Finished last June in BC, Canada. I felt clinically that my school prepared me well for almost all my skills except for IV insertion (which they don't teach you as many hospitals have dedicated IV teams) and central dressing changes an...

I feel for you, Catch22. I think some changes need to be made here, and the first one is "shut off your phone". My work calls me ALL THE TIME post night shift. They don't care that you just stayed up all night. What is work calling you for? Extra shi...

Hi Nurses! I have been a lurker here fore years. I don't post very often, but read the forums all the time. Hoping you could offer me some tips! I have been an RN for a year now. Things are going well at work, but the one challenge I seem to have is ...

Thanks for the reply xtxrn! Yes, I alternate two days, followed by two nights, then 4 days off before I do it all again. After my second night shift I usually wake up around noon, then spend most of the day being tired, and sleep well that night in ...

If you feel comfortable enough, I would have a discussion with her about it again. When she was your preceptor, did you have a good relationship? Was this outburst out of character for her? You said she apologized, but it sounded like it wasn't a tru...

At least KNOWING there are others in the same boat as me is comforting. I just get a little sad sometimes when I see my other nursing friends planning events I can't go to Things I try to do to keep busy: Clean my apartment (a never ending task) Co...

Congrats to you! I celebrated my first year on August 17th - there is a big difference between how I feel now compared to when I first started :)

We use 10 cc flushes at our hospital. I haven't had a problem yet. If you meet resistance while flushing, something might be the problem, not the volume of your flush.

I am now 9 months into my first year as an RN, and I am not sure how I feel. I know I love NURSING itself, but I think its my workplace that is bringing me down. We are chronically short staffed, none of our equipment works, and I spend most of my da...

Oh man. For me, its C.Diff/GI Bleed stool, with GI bleeds being grosser. I also really hate doing mouth care. People's mouths are disgusting - food bits left in there for weeks, bleeding gums, etc. Obviously this demonstrates the need for good mouth ...

I love this post. The thoughts from Aeterna especially resonated with me. Our floor has low morale, but we get through the day working as a team. Being a new grad nurse in my first year of practice, this is part of what gets me through my shift. Than...

I think it depends on your workplace. At my workplace, if there is an outbreak of a disease such as measles or the flu, and you are not vaccinated, you cannot report for work. You are not eligible for reimbursement for money lost due to being off of ...

I think I would have been speechless after a talk like that. Holy smokes, its a code blue. These are loud events. Codes on our floor usually have 10 people attending, along with students watching from doors if its a day shift. These are not quiet eve...

I have been an RN for 7 months now, and I remember when my orientation was over how nervous I was for my first set of shifts on my own! My first shift on my own was a night, and I actually think that helped a lot, as the pace was slower. I found my h...

I work with a physician from South Africa named Dr. Raath (pronounced "Wrath"). He did yell at me on the phone a few times...lol.

I always wash the patient, and put a clean gown on if their current one is soiled. I never place them in a bag without some form of covering. It just wouldn't seem right to me.

Don't answer your phone and don't feel guilty about it. It is not your fault there is chronic short staffing. I got phoned 5 times to work a shift on my days off just the other day. I never answer unless I am looking to pickup. It is none of the hosp...

So it turns out the rumor mill was true: The medical unit I completed my preceptorship on this past winter has told all their RNs to find new jobs. The unit will be now staffed by LPNs and care aides only. Another friend of mine also stated similar ...

Hi mva2, I am just finishing up at BCIT (and so excited to be graduating next spring) so I might be able to offer some insight. It is very competitive to get in, that is for sure. Some of the other students have commented that the more post-secondar...

Thanks for your response Ogopogo. After continuing to ask around, apparently the fear (or reality) is RNs are being laid off and replaced with LPNs. I am not really sure how this could take place, as our scope of practice is similar, but also differe...

Hi Yoanna1105, I currently reside in BC and attend BCIT, but I grew up in New Brunswick and know several students (past and current) who attended nursing school at UNBF. I have heard no complaints about the program from them whatsoever. Of course the...

H-Dog, Something else you may want to consider is the commute and possible clinical placements. Clinical placements at BCIT take place all over, including Surrey, New West, Burnaby, Richmond, North Van, and Vancouver. Its a little bit of a drag to li...