Erin RN

I really never got bored doing it. The pay was okay..basically either similar to the hospital with benes or pay per visit which was lucrative when the visits were 1 hour or under but if they were long infusions like Cytogam or IVIG and it took 3 hours you basically didn't make much. Usually the long visits didn't happen much. We made 30 a visit and 60 a visit for an admit plus we were remimbursed for our mileage..it was a pretty fun job. The best day I ever had was a 8 hour day in which I did 12 visits and drove about 120 miles the usual was 8 visits a day so not too bad..:)

I have not had the surgery although I do have a mild case of it. I am currently a worker's comp case manager and have 3 files of workers who have had the surgery and several others that I have closed and they have been released. If you have bilateral, the MD will operate on them one at a time. The first wrist is done and you will be off work for about 10 days, until the stitches are taken out. Then you can return to light duty ie; limited use of that hand. One month after the first one is done then the other will be operated on, again you will be off work for approx 10 days and be able to return light duty..usually a full work release is 4-6 weeks after the last procedure with a full medical release at 1 yr post op. Of the 6 claimants I have managed, all have done well and the release has been successsful. If you do it I would recommend you go to a hand specialist that does a lot of these procedures. Have you had an emg done? If you are having problems even holding something you probably should. You can do permenant damage to your ulnar nerve if it being compressed too severely and yes, it will get worse especially if you are still doing whatever repetition that has caused it in the first place..

ITA!!! very good post! I remember early on in my career not taking breaks since I was "too busy" and the patients "need me" to much. I think that good nurses learn that we must take care of ourselves in order to take care of others..that is a healthy balance. Of course there are always the ones that take breaks frequently and leave their work for the rest of the staff (the lazy I am only here for a paycheck nurse) then on the flipside you have the ones that never take breaks even though it is feasible and then proceed to bi*** about it loudly and constantly (the martyr nurse). There were times in the ED when we were running behind but our nurse mgr stood firm on us taking our breaks and our charge nurses made sure it happened..we all need pit stops, if we don't get them we will either run out of gas or blow a tire and hit the wall...

I agree with Teeny... I spoke with one of my friends tonight who is an OR nurse and this is how things are run in the hospitals here also. She has very little clinical type contact with the patients. I guess it is different everywhere. The point I was trying to make is that is ANY speciality you will be faced day in and day out with similar challenges and then once in awhile you will have to deal with a skill that is not as common to you and not second nature. In my opinion that is why they are called specialties..you know "jack of all trades master of none"... The good news is most skills are like riding a bike...even if you feel nervous and are not doing them by rote, they do come back to you...:) Erin

I agree with you, Jemb. Critical thinking is monumental to being competent as a nurse. I also noticed that most of the OPs threads were "help" questions. I think a better way to phrase these would be; this is the scenario this is what I think..critique me. When you don't know something looking around for the info will teach you the resources that are out there for when you are practicing not to mention finding different sources and reviewing them will not only give the answer, you will learn..what for, why, when, how... all of this information is critical to your success. If we answer each individual question for you we are not doing you any favors when it comes time for your boards and also when you get into the real world of nursing. If critical thinking is your weak point NOW is the time to work towards developing it..part of being able to do that is getting questions wrong.

HOme IV infusion..as a dialysis and ICU nurse you have great experience. The perks..autonomy, one patient at a time, limited contact with your co workers (just enough to be friends) and you will make a difference from the chemo patient to the pain management patient to the ABX infected incision patient they will welcome you into their homes (here is the only downfall..some of these homes are less than clean ). You will get to deal with all types of lines..SQ, PIV, Ports, jugulars, piccs ,subclavians. You will also get to do a huge amt of teaching as many times the families flush these lines when you aren't there. Days mon thru Fri with usually one weekend a month call and maybe one eve a week call but they usually have a PM nurse so you would only get called out if she was swamped. Anyways just a thought..Erin

Yes, I would have. I really would have liked to of been a plastic surgeon..working on burn pts, birth defects etc..too late now though, I am looking at putting 2 kiddos through college. Erin

I think whatever specialty you go in to you are going to "lose" some skills but you will become incredibly proficient at others. It really just depends on the focus of your speciality. For instance, I did ER nursing..did I remember how to read fetal heart tones?? No! I could however read an ekg quite well. I would guess that most L and D nurses can read the FHT and deliver a baby without a thought but that an EKG or cardiac enzymes or lavage might be a little more difficult since they aren't faced with it daily. Conversely..give me a laboring mom and I was running with her to the elevator to get her up to those L and D nurses..Good luck to you!! Erin

12 hour shifts in the ED go incredibly fast!! I worked 10 hours "officially" but inevitably something "bad " would come through the door right beofre it was time to go home (I worked 5pm to 3:30 am)..I can honestly say I was never tired when I was there and ran my a** off the whole time..I worked at the busiest ED in our city. I did however wake up the next AM feeling like a train ran over me most of the time. It was fun and exciting and I learned more in a month in the busy ED than I did in 6 months on the floor. On the floor I would perhaps start a couple of IVs a night in the ED it was more like 25 to 35 a night. We usually each had between 4-7 pts which of course were constantly changing and rotating...overall I liked the longer shifts since I had more days off of course I needed an extra day just to recover after my nights on..Erin

Thanks guys!! I know it is a stupid and question and I am in total agreement with all of the posters. When I worked in the hospital, many times the CNAs or nurses would place the new linens in the chair then go room to room and change beds. I have also seen extra pillows (that the pt is using) in the chair. Heck, we used to put pillows in the chair for the pt to sit on if they requested or to put them up higher to eat their meals. Now it is a question of safety but common sense is not a pre req for all of the pts and/or visitors in the hospital. I was just curious if in anyones facility putting pillows on the chairs is an absolute no no..:) Erin

Do you ever have extra pillows that are in the chair in the room..I am trying to gather some information on safety in the pt's rooms and whether or not having pillows on the chair that someone might sit on would constitute a safety risk..another question, pillows on the heat register I would assume that would be a big no no but you know what they say about assuming things! Erin

Quick question for all of you hospital nurses. Do you have specific policy on where linens, specifically extra pillows can be kept in patient rooms? Is it okay to have spare pillows sitting on the chair in the room? Thanks

Just for the heck of it, I did a salary wizard search on OT and PT salaries in my area..the median salaries are 52k to 54k..I, as an ADN nurse, will well exceed both of those salaries this year and did exceed them last year. I guess I am just not convinced that the BSN will be of benefit to me, personally. Again, I am not against continuing education as I have stated over and over BUT as I move forward the BSN will NOT be the degree that I seek. IMO education is a personal decision as to what will benefit the student most and which way they want their life to take them. I know nurses who have their bachelors in Health promotion, business admin, biology..all of them attained those degrees for a purpose, to move in a specific direction. The BSN by itself will do little for me professionally. I am not saying that further education would not benefit me only that the BSN would not. As I believe I stated previously, I am currently a case manager with a legal nursing business. I have already done the legal nurse certification, I am working on the life care planning certification then on to the case Management certification..eventually since I would like to do all independently, I am thinking more about a degree in marketing or business...That would be a degree that would round me out much better. Community Health nursing and management classes will not as I never plan on doing hands on nursing again in my lifetime..

I agree Deb..if you look at the article the reasoning behind making the BSN mandatory states nothing about elevating our profession rather it is thought to be necessary due to the increasing complexity of nursing and that BSNs tend to be able to advance further. I am not sure how additional general ed classes would make a new nurse more able to deal with the complexities of nursing pratice and I think we have all agreed that those that have just graduated have only the basic knowledge, BSN and ADN alike. Are they going to change the curriculums to teach more about nursing/ critical thinking and the like? Also as far as advancement, although it has brought up over and over, in my experience I have been able to advance to whereever I have wanted without the BSN..If we all aspired to climbing the ladder who in the he** is going to actually be a nurse in the traditional sense? Advancement is a personal choice and if additonal schooling, classes or training is needed ti should be left up to the individual to attain the necessary skills etc to go where they want. Eventually I would like to do case management independently..in order for me to do so, I will need to take the CCM exam. I am also doing the life care planning year long course and will sit for that exam....if I had the BSN I would STILL have to do these things in order to achieve my goals so please tell me HOW the BSN would benefit me???

In my opinion nursing probably won't land you on the "most wealthy list" but I have no complaints.. I have been in it for 13 years started at 14.50 and hour. I am now salary plus bonus..and awesome benefits that my company pays for as well as a 401k which they match to 6% AND a pension that they put into for me. I'll make around 60-65k this year..plus I do the med mal review and usually bill out between 6-12 hours a month on that so another 5-7k...I am more than happy with my lifestyle. My hubby makes close to what I make so we do fine and although it is sooo tempting to go out and buy that big dream home we live in a middle class split level in a nice neighborhood..our house is very nice but again..it is tempting!! We drive nice vehicles..new accord and newer chevy truck, have a nice boat and vacation once a year. We could really go crazy and get into some real debt since we are over double what we were 7 years ago when we bought our house but instead we have decided to become debt free and have paid double house pmts..the house will be paid for in 7 years and I will only be 45..I have nurse friends that live much more extravagantly than we do but they are in debt..personally, I would rather be able to go out and buy what I want when I want and pay cash...

So basically there would still be ADNs/ Diplomas and BSNs.. the entry to begin practice would remain the same as it is now only those that graduate after the initiative passed would have to go on and get their BSN within the 10 year time frame? I guess now I am really confused..apparently ADNs and Diploma RNs will be considered RNs for 10 years and then if they have not completed the BSN they are "inactive" as RNs and can work as LPNs. The different degrees will still be existence, I don't see how this is going to lend us a more professional image. It will also keep the ADN / Diploma vs BSN division going. Even though I still do not agree with it, if they are going to implement it for professional reasons seems like they should make BSN the entry level standard otherwise I don't see much benefit to the profession ..of course there is the monetary benefit to the universities, I suppose.

This is so true! There are so many nurses out there that graduate and then unless forced to never truly expand on their knowledge base again. I think we have all agreed time and time again (for the most part) that the ADN and the BSN get out of school with nearly identical NURSING knowledge we are not talking about history or general ed here..therefore as far as nursing these individuals are on a even playing field. Which again, we have all pretty much decided is basically ground zero. I think we have all went through the "what am I doing here" on the first day of "real work". The real travesty is our profession is that so many graduate and then sit back and don't ask those why, when, where questions. I know we all know these type of individuals. One of my biggest obstacles with the BSN is the fact that additional general ed classes are not going to make me more competent nor more professional. If they do institute the BSN they ouught make the last year a "focus" year much like the MD residency..we can choose an area and have focused study in regards to it...now that would turn out some awesome practitioners in my opinion..of course I am just dreaming here.

I agree with you wholly on this post and I DO see the importance of a nurse knowing where anatomical parts are located...It wouldn't matter if an individual had a PhD in nursing if a MD were aware that this nurse did not know basic anatomy and physiology no degree in existence would make him or her a professional in the eyes of the higher ups. I also see Suzy's point about broad generalizations and agree that they aren't credible when looking at entire profession but by the same token the broad generalization that the BSN will provide us the "professional" title we all seem to need so badly isn't all that credible either, this problem is multi faceted, in my opinion. I agree with Deb regarding access to education and in my opinion there is just no way you can compare nursing with journalism, law or medicine just based on the sheer numbers of nurses required in order for our healthcare system to survive. I do think that Jane Doe from Podunk wherever needs to be taken into consideration..chances are there are several hundred other people (patients) living right there with her. Who is going to staff that little community hospital? There was another poster here who indicated if we all take the same boards why not make the entry level BSN? We could look at this from the opposite as well..if we all take the same boards and ADNs and Diploma nurses have managed to pass them and go onto rewarding/ competent careers in nursing why do we NEED to make the BSN mandatory?

The problem with this argument is that while yes, these other professions are not concened with accessability, nursing educators have to be concerned just due to the fact that the ratio of nurses to ancillary staff and MDs is incredible. When I was at the hospital our social work dept had a dozen employees, the nursing dept had hundreds of staffmembers. If we decrease the accessability then the supply will go down, of course then the demand will go up further which would probably make nursing a more lucrative profession but then you have to ask..who is going to take care of the patients? Will we then be forced to have CNAs and techs expand their roles? Nurses are already burning out in record numbers due to staffing, OT and overwork..do you not think that this would make more people leave and quicker??

Congratulations!! As far as your attitude not taking you anywhere as someone else posted..hogwash!! Look where it has brought you this far!! You are about to embark on the great adventure of being a nurse. Bedside or any other job description we are all needed and necessary!! You can do great things with the degree you just received...I was at the bedside for several years but now do case management...I am autonomous, work from home and make a very good living..not too shabby for an ADN...you already have more doors waiting to open than you realize..just have to know where to find the key. Be the best you can be, join organizations, meet as many people in the healthcare industry as you can and you will go far. Again, congrats and welcome to nursing!

This is from the Canadian nurses forum: I also went straight to the US after grad and it was a great experience. I got my critical care program done for free and with pay . I worked in critical care immediantly and gained a ton of experience. When I came back to canada I had over 10 job offers. I would encourage all new grads to go and get the experience and all the extra qualifications that canadian hospitals refuse to pay for. In the US nurses are very well respected by all professions, the culture shock when I returned to cnada was bad. It took along time to break alot of doctors out of the habit of being disrespectful. The families are a perfect horror here after the US. In the US patients and families were deeply respectful. Here in canada nurses are not valued so expect a real shock when you come back. The other thing about working in the US is your nursing collegues are respectful too..they do not believe in eating their young there. When I came back I couldn't believe the attitude of senior nurses...thats another thing..no unions..so nobody calling you junior. I look back at my US experience as the best thing I ever did. There are many comments such as this posted..It does not appear that having an all BSN RN workforce has benefitted them professionally, now does it..

Well actually what I meant is "What if all of a sudden the entry level to being an RN was a Master's level education" I know that many nurses aspire to obtaining their Masters to go into advanced practice but what if a masters level was required to even be a bedside nurse? God knows there is enough education to be had even by the general practicing nurse to fill up 6 years of classes, since obviously further certifications, CEUs and even "other" university classes/ degrees are not considered to be adequate to define the professional nurse in the BSN manadated scenario. What then? There are plenty of professions that require more than the bachelors before one is considered to be a professional..ie: Law, Medicine. I undersatnd this is a "what if" however, the manadatory BSN was a "what if" when I was in school. I am just trying to have some put this in perspective..ie: This is what it feels like to the ADN/Diploma nurses when this argument comes up over and over. "Yes, we know that you have been an ER nurse for 15 years that you have your CEN, TNCC, PALS and ACLS BUT until you take a few additional general education classes you are neither fully competent nor are you a professional...it is like a slap in the face. Again, I am NOT against furthering ones education however I am against someone dictating to me that I have to have a specific degree to do what I have been doing for the last 13 years. Over the years I have taken a multitude of classes, CEUs certifications and the like to remain on top of "my game" does this count for mothing?? To me the least professional nurses are those that graduate with either the BSN or the ADN and never pursue any of these. Are we truly not seen as professionals? I don't know. I think many of us within our own ranks do not see us as professionals and that is somewhat of the problem. Do you honestly think that by all of us obtaining the BSN that is going to change? "Okay guys, the last ADN/diploma nurse graduated with a BSN..now nurses are professionals"..I don't see it. Again , in my opinion much of this misguided perception has to do with the overwhelming majority of nurses being female and the fact that a huge number of people see us as "caretakers" rather than what we truly are. Yes..I will be furthering my education and no, I will probably not do the BSN..still can't decide what degree would benefit me professionally and personally the most..however, once I obtain it I will not look down on the ADN / Diploma nurses..that is the part that makes me so angry. Now think I will agree to disagree..I'm done. Currently I am a RN and a knowledgable one at that..I will continue to expand upon my knowledge and further my career in whatever arena I choose.I consider myself a professional and that is all that really matters to me..:) Erin

So for those of you that do have your BSN: If the state you are working in implemented a reuqirement that you must have your MSN, not any Masters but your MSN..what kind of reaction would you have? I am just curious.

i think it is all about which school you are attending. i graduated from cc with 93 credit hours and a 3.9 cumm gpa with my adn since that time i have taken another 12 credit hours at the university level with a 4.0 gpa. i actually found that the classes i took from the university were much less demanding than those i took for the adn...

Good for you!! I have not yet been able to decide which degree I want to get. I have taken additional classes and am currently at right around 105 credits which means I really don't have far to go for a bachelors in something?? I have done additional general ed requirements and although some were interesting since I was able to choose what I wanted, they in no way made me a better nurse. I am currently on hiatus from college classes since I am enrolled in a year long life care planning certification program..once I finish that, I will be working toward my CCM (Certification in case management). Besides being a workers compensation case manager I have my own business reviewing medical malpractice as a certified legal nurse consultant. Eventually, I plan to just work for myself doing case management, life care planning and legal nursing. Do I consider myself a professional..He** yes, I do! Apparently all of the attorneys, insurance companies and employers do as well...as I am a pretty busy gal! I may end up just getting a generalized Bachelors so I can take classes that I want to take for my own personal growth but I do know I will not be doing the BSN..I have looked into it several times and I have no desire to go back to school to be a nurse...Why? because I am already a nurse and it seems rather pointless. For those that go that route..more power to them. I believe it is a personal decision. Now if it ever becomes mandated (which I highly doubt since these rumors were foating about 25 years ago). If everyone does become BSNs I am curious what we will have to fight about next? I am sure it will be something..:) Erin