jjensen

The other night I shook my husband and told him to get that call light for me... :)

My first husband died of this brain tumor 6 years ago; he was 30... Our neuro-oncologist was wonderful. We understood that all treatments were to prolong his life; not cure it... He did debulking surgery twice with chemo waffers the last time and also did radiation treatments for about three months... He tried oral chemo and did this until he got too sick to enjoy what time he had left... Then we went the hospice route and he lived 6 more months being able to eat, sleep and make memories with me and our children. I am sorry for the diagnosis and it is going to be a hard long road of many MRI's to see how the tumor has advanced or if it did not grow the past month... That was the hardest, longest and saddest 18 months of my life... I would not have traded them for anything, however. Once you know that you are going to die; you get a different look on life. I now work with cancer patients and have lots to offer them and use my personal experience with my husband dying... Good luck and remember to "Live each day like you were dying..."

I have a 35 minute drive to work and home... I work 3 12 hours shifts and love the 4 days off... I would do what you want to do, but I have found that the drive is actually nice. It makes me prepare for work and on the way home, I can relax before dealing with being a wife and mom again... Good luck in whatever you decide...

I don't have a paper proof anymore. When I renew, I get nothing... It is all online now... Don't worry.

Key issues to me are that I don't give the RN's a bad assigment; meaning 3 of the 4 are discharges (Leaving them open for all the admissions). I also try to keep the rooms close together so the nurses are not running from one hall to the other... I try to look at acuity of the patients and if they are going to be getting blood, chemo etc. because they are very time consuming... I also look at who has a student nurse for the day or who is orientating because they need a little lesser load too... 2. We don't have any LPN's or such. We have CNA's and they do vitals and chems and help with what is needed, so our RN's are essentially responsible for all the other things that the patient needs... It never fails that I get somebody upset or someone is not happy with the assignment. I had to get thick skin and have told other RN's that they cannot really complain until the are a charge RN and have to make assigments... I do put lots of effort into who I assign to what RN. I believe that continuity of care is essential and that is one of my main priorities when doing assigments... Hope this helped a bit...

I have been a RN for 14 years and still have days like that... The only difference now is that I really don't let it bother me... Tomorrow is another day and if you did not kill anyone; life is good... lol

Sure makes a great shift, doesn't it? I think we need to brag and compliment the good; not just talk about the bad...

You will find that there is school book nursing and 'real world' nursing... You have witnessed the real part... It is up to you on how you decide to practice; Good luck...

I always get a Dr note so if there is ever an issue, I have proof that I was really sick. It is sad that we are the ones to take care of sick people and sometimes, I am more sick than the patients that I take care of. I have had many instances where the patients say to me that I am too sick to be at work; but feel guilty for taking time off... Is that just part of being a RN?

It can be dormant in a person's system for years too, so he may not have cheated on her either.

You can put a tegaderm on the patches too...

I was transfering a patient from the bed to the wheelchair and he had his arms around my neck. When moving him, he became limp and I said for him to please help me and stand as tall as possible. He was 300 pounds, 6 foot and I am 175 pounds, 5 foot 3... I looked at his face and eyes were rolled in the back of his head. He fell on top of me and I heard his legs brake. I screamed for help and of course he was in the last room at the end of the hall. RN's came in and said; is he a code? I said, no a DNR, but get him off of me. He actually died on top of me. I will never forget this. I hurt my back and it was not fun. The wife came after I called her and she was worried he died all alone. I told her that I was right with him and saw him take his last breath. I did not tell her that he died on top of me...

I work 12 hour nights and the night before I work, I sleep from about 10-4; get up to cook and be with my family before work... Then I go to work all night. When I get home, I sleep from about 9-3 if I don't have to work that night; otherwise I try to sleep until 4-5... I can still sleep all day and go to bed with my husband at night. But, I am lucky and have no trouble falling asleep no matter time of the day... Good luck to you and the crazy schedule...

My husband is a computer programmer and we met online... He knows not much medically and I know nothing about computers... We fit great.

I work 12 hour nights and usually go by pretty quick. Most patients don't sleep like the world thinks. I spend a lot of quality time teaching and talking with patients and their families... Love nursing.