rngolfer53

My experience is that, more often than not, the patient knows, or has a pretty darn good idea of what's going on. When it's not a cultural issue, I've often seen a daughter or son, who was mommy's or daddy's little prince or princess (and has not ma...

Training and orientation are different things. Orientation is to familiarize the new employee with the particulars of the agency, not train them in intrinsic requirements of the job. If you were building a house, would you hire an electrician who wan...

If I read your post correctly, you're about one year out of school. With your limited hospital experience, that may be "new grad" in terms of experience if not exactly time. I wouldn't hesitate to apply for "new grad" jobs, making it plain the partic...

An axiom of used car dealers is "there's a 'posterior' for every seat." The many roles and setting nurses work in approximates the fit of "seats" in seats. There is no such thing as a perfect job or perfect employer. All have their strong points and ...

I recently had a confused gentleman whose normal home routine was watching a couple old TV programs and a game show. He knew the channel numbers on his cable at home....but ours was naturally different, and with fewer channels. Anyway my first mornin...

The general media is little but a repeater of press releases and other sculpted messages put out by institutions such as schools. They typically rely on the same few "experts" for their analysis, and never seem to bother to check whether the expert k...

I work 12 hour days in a hospice IPU. I will, with a late call-out or some other emergency stay an extra six hours but only if I don't work the next day. I live close to work, so I run home to feed the dog and let him out at shift change (I don't ha...

As a hospice nurse, I always think that un/undercontrolled pain is a cardinal sin.

I work inpatient hospice, and I get a good % of people who will respond with "uncomfortable" when I ask about pain, and I ask directly. Without getting into a lexicography debate, I try to dig to get at what they're communicating. I alway ask if I ca...

I agree with this. What is the downside of asking a post-op Pt if they're having pain? If they say "yes" and there are orders for meds, then you give the meds. In some small number of people, I may end up feeding their addiction. (OK, so be it. That...

Was this person A&O? Competent? If so, what ever happened to autonomy? I'm getting to be old and perhaps crotchety (depending on who you talk to ), but if someone tried to send me to a hospital because sleep seemed like a better idea than break...

Job descriptions should never be confused with the actual job assignment, in nursing or anywhere else for that matter. I'm pretty convinced that job descriptions are written as broadly as possible so HR folks don't have to trouble themselves with wr...

Why add complexity to a word when the addition provides no benefit? "Orientated" and similar constructs are often used by bureaucrats trying to sound important. A pox on all their houses.

The only thing I'd add is that you really found how much you miss LTC when you weren't around it.

Several months ago, I took care of a wonderful, and feisty LOL who needed to poop. Really needed to poop. She had tried Senna, PEG, the usual suspects with no joy. Finally the doc talked her into a Dulcolax suppository, which the patient viewed with ...

I know your "never" may not be literal, but what would be your position if strong evidence showed that 12 hour shifts put patients at significantly more risk of harm from nursing mistakes?

The link is to a editorial, not a study, but it brings up some serious safety drawbacks to both nurse and patients (not to speak of innocent motorists) as a result of 12s. American Nurse Today

If older women in black dresses are looking at you and muttering under their breath, your scrubs may be too obviously flattering. If old men with a history of prostate dz are asking your for a date, your scrubs are way too flattering. If someone ask...

The short answer to the OP's question is: No, I don't think there should be a mandatory retirement age for nurses or just about anyone else. That said, people should recognize their own limitations. I hear better than some younger people who seemingl...

In nursing, any shortage of staff is immediately felt by everyone. The sick people can't get better or need less care because Nurse X is out. Every workplace, not just health care, has people who are chronic call-outs. Some legitimate, many not. For ...

Only providing dates of employment is quite common. Employers grew tired of being sued by those who got a perceived poor reference.

Some employment applications ask for any licenses an applicant has held, and whether they're in good standing. To the OP, I would say that it's a good idea to have your response to a question about a license well-rehearsed. Dispassionately state wha...

I think that it will be difficult to fine one place that allows switching back and forth between per diem and full time. Keeping track of your benefit status could be a headache for HR and payroll, for instance. Smaller outfits might be more flexibl...

You're not the only one....even among your classmates. It can be very scary dealing with sick, vulnerable people. One can feel like any slight misstep can cause serious harm.....which it usually does NOT. Is there an instructor you feel comfortable...

This post is riddled with assumptions which would seem to be an error in critical thinking by the self-congratulatory holder of a BSN. While the OP assuredly didn't compose his post with "How To Win Friends and Influence People" next to his keyboard,...