lelafin

I start RN to BSN April 1st too! I have 34 credits... I guess we have an orientation of some sort on Tuesday. And a mentor to be set up with. I'm ready to get started and get this done with.

Wow, those are a LOT of questions. I would suggest you head over to your nearest hospital's ICU with the aforesaid snacks and see if anyone is available to answer. You'd get way better exposure that way, see some things and patients hands on, and maybe even meet some people you could network with. I'm a neuro ICU nurse, but honestly I would be much more receptive to talk about these things face to face instead of typing them up. That's a lonnnnngggg list!

THAT is exactly what goes on on our floor on a daily basis. I don't blame the techs to be honest. But the nurses are left dealing with it as well. I honestly don't see increasing numbers/decreasing pt load as an option! We've been saying that forever. Whenever they ask us what can we do for you to help you/make you happier or what is it going to take to get hcahps up... that is exactly what we say. I guess the funds and the staffing grid will not allow it.

That sounds very promising! I know there was talk for a while many months back about assigning each techs to specific RNs. But it was going to be a random thing each shift. I'm not sure my manager will go for this model of care because management on my floor tends to be VERY autocratic, and I think it would probably have a stroke if it gave us any form of autonomy at all hah! Us doing evaluations! Wow, I think management just peed itself a little bit. Though they do love to pretend they're democratic... bahahahah. We're having a meeting to "discuss" staffing soon, and I'd absolutely LOVE to hear more about this dyad model you're talking about. I feel like if I could present it in a very pleasing way, maybe we'd have a shot!

Hi everyone! I've been a member of allnurses since before I started nursing school, and I've always come here to find answers to questions and see other nurses perspective on things. I sort of got a more realistic view on what nursing might be by reading the boards on here haha! I was not deterred. At least not enough to quit :-p I am writing this post because I'm hoping to get some feedback on how you do staffing of nurse techs on your floor. My manager is tired of having to deal with nurse techs quitting/no shows, and is very interested in going over to primary nursing. I (and most/all nursing on my floor feel this is going to be a disaster). I'm trying to get some ideas on how to utilize techs better, maybe make them more happy in their job... or just be using their time better! Some background: I'm an RN working on a busy surgical trauma floor. We have have a pretty high turnover rate both with RNs and nurse techs... it's understandable. We're very very busy, our patients are dealing with the worst moment of their lives and need someone to take it out on, and we are the only level one trauma hospital in our area. I do love my job, but it is extremely high acuity for a floor. Very very busy and most days we are running all day without a break and lucky if we get a fully 30 min for lunch. Our typical ratio is 5:1 and we are lucky if we get three nurse techs for the whole floor of 30 beds, but often it's just 2 or even 1 because we get a call out. So even right now with the techs we have, the nurses are doing most of the toileting, cleaning up poo/pee/linen disasters, blood sugars, post-op vitals (techs will "forget"), and assist with meals. The techs primarily will do baths and assist quads/head injury pt's with feedings, along with sharing the other duties mentioned above. Depending on the tech, depends on how much you do yourself lol. Manager is thinking of bringing in a "fluff and puff" tech who will come in and just round on pt's rooms, bring ice, be the "extra hands" to help turn pts, sit with suicide pts when their sitter needs a break, etc. She wants one of these techs on either side of the hall mon-fri 8-5, then NOTHING the rest of the time. She says our ratio will be 1:3. Not really.... not when we have call outs all the time, are getting new orientees with preceptors being taken up with only 2 pts, etc. So here are my questions for you: How do you all do techs on your floor? What are their responsibilities? How many pt's are they assigned to? Are they content with their job and is the retention rate high? Anything else helpful you want to add?!? :) I would love any and all feedback!!!

I feel like this post is going viral on my facebook page among all my nursing friends haha. And her entire blog is awesome!

In Columbia, Palmetto Health Richland and Baptist specifically hire a ton of new grads and post positions for new grads specifically. I graduated in December and applied for the new grad position, and got hired right away at Richland. I swear that my entire graduating class is working there now! Lexington hospital will hire new grads, but you have to apply for their fellowship, and usually they only will hire internally.

Last night was my first night on night shift on a busy trauma unit! I felt the same way as you. I've been orienting for about 6 weeks now on days, and finally was getting a rhythm, and feeling like I could handle the time management to a degree. But omg last night felt like I had just stepped onto the floor for the first time (almost), and they threw 6 patients at me all at once! I just wanted to say something because I felt like I could have written your post. I was so behind on both tasks and charting, the morning nurse was giving me nasty looks in report. SORRY!!! Plus I felt like I was going to fall over from exhaustion the entire time. It's hard to do a good job when your mind is running on no sleep! Here's to us getting used to night shift! I feel like I will eventually like it though - the people are the coolest :)

The greys anatomy junior mock wrap scrub top is the best - only one I've found that is actually flattering. I like cherokee long boot leg cut draw string pants because I"m tall and they're the only ones that don't do the high water thing on me!

I'm also curious about advice for this! Also, are traffic tickets a big deal when trying to get licensed? :-/

Hey klj0315! I love that you are 1 semester ahead of me :) Thanks for the update - I'm assuming you mean NUR210, not 215? I've heard that it's easy-breezy compared to 3rd semester! I'm taking it this summer, and I've gotta admit I'm still a little intimidated by all the critical care stuff, esp the IVs and the paper. Your advice about 3rd semester helped SO much! I got through and did really well, but it was definitely the hardest semester I've ever had in any school hands down. How is 210 clinical? Just how involved in patient care are we (how much independence do we have) - like how different is it going to be from 265? How many patients will we have? Any major no-nos to be aware of?

never heard of it before, but looks like it could be really fun AND helpful especially for helping with remembering! How does the game work? Like how in depth are the questions and how do you win? :-p

Wow pajamas????? You've got to be kidding! Thanks for the tips - I like to see it coming from the interviewer's point of view. I'll be a new grad in 2 semesters and I know I'll be extremely nervous when I first go out to interview for my first nursing job! I think pajamas would be the last thing I'd consider wearing hahah!

I've always wondered if 5hr energy works... guess I should go get some!

Yeah it must be all of the above... I think it's most likely the stress that tops it off! The stress of getting a poor mark from your instructor for any little thing you overlooked has you constantly on point - there is actually NO rest even when sitting now that I think about it! I forgot to mention that when I get home, not only do I just want to drop in bed and zone out, I usually just want to stuff my face for a few hours with many different forms of chocolate as well LOL! I guess the solution is to stop planning to study after clinical... it just seems like when you're a nursing student you sort of are required to learn how to study when exhausted if you want to get by.