MackNJacks mom

I wouldn't recommend using your own money. IV starts are just something you do and only get better with practice. For me it depends on the kid as to whether I use it or not. If it is a big, well hydrated kid I usually don't use it. But if your patient has been vomiting all day it usually comes in handy to see more clearly if the vein is straight. Sometimes I start IVs by feeling the vein and nothing else. Practice, practice, practice.

We have one for our floor. I love that thing. Really helps.

I work on a neuro floor at a children's hospital. Unfortunately we see this stuff more often than I would like. I have seen quite a few of these types of situations, although rarely knowing the outcome. I am so sorry that you had to find out the outcome of that particular pt. Working at a children's hospital you learn the ugly truth about life. I have seen lacerated livers, cigarette burns, and of course the head injuries (and more). We have our own social worker on our floor. There have been many times I have cried on the way home, but I always come back. There are always more children to take care of right? Even as an employee you don't have resources to help cope with this type of stuff. I would assume all most areas of nursing deal with pain, loss, and tragedy. I had to discharge a pt to DFACS custody when I was pretty sure the parents were innocent too. Watching their faces about killed me. You never really know who did this stuff or if it was an accident, and after a while you just hope for the best and do all that you can do. I always enjoy having a happy family to take care of, and I dread the brain tumors and child abuse. I also focus on the really happy recoveries. We had a football injury kid who was paralized and recovered completely! I don't know what else to say but you may find out you are better equipped to handle this type of stuff than you think if your heart is in it. Good luck and know that the baby is safe now.

I know how you feel. I think it usually ends in April here in GA.

As for the OP blowing the vein, I have found that the "hooded technique" can help with this problem. After you get your flash pull the needle back a little and advance with the catheter sticking out a little. This sometimes prevents blowing the vein. Sometimes you just go through bad days where you can't get an IV started to save your life. I had never heard of these "wheals" interesting idea... I do peds and we use either emla or cold spray but they can make veins disappear so usually I just try to get it over with. Good luck and just keep trying.

Great response!! I have been a pedi nurse on a neuro floor for a little over a year. I love my job and the kids, but I definately struggle with the what ifs when the family reminds me of my own. I feel like I am waiting for my tragedy many times, especially with the cancer and brain tumors that we see. I do my best at work and I can't see myself doing anything else in life, so I guess I will just deal with it. You just have to try to be strong and care for the families and they will be so grateful. Then you definately go home and hug your kids.

Great post llg! I agree. Nurse recruiters at my facility don't have much to offer. I think of them as gate keepers as well. My advice would be to get the job you want at the faciltiy you want, then move toward getting what you want. I didn't know benefits and time off were negotiable ever. I have been a nurse for a little over a year and I have the schedule I want. I think you can get most anything if you make yourself indispensable. I only have experience at this one facility so I could be way off base. Good luck finding the job of your dreams!!

I also have a GED. I couldn't pass high school chemistry, and wouldn't graduate with my class so I got a GED. I went to community college then to the university. I made a's and b's all through college. When I went to get my job, I was worried about that but of my four interviews no one ever mentioned it. I got a great job! In fact not once in my life has the GED been a hinderance to anything. The degree that follows the GED is the only one that matters.

I would give it more time. You will learn a lot and build your confidence. At four months I was usually a basket case. At one year I am still learning. You will get better and it will build a good foundation for your career and then you can move on with a lot of experience in many different things. Just my opinion, if you are truly not happy I would move on. Floor nursing is not for everyone. Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

WeekEnd Option

I work in a pediatric hospital and the only needles we use are for IVs and injections. We use blunt tip plastic needles to draw out of most vials. If you have enough help when starting an IV you will not be stuck. I would think that it would be easier with adults, maybe you don't even need help. When we draw labs we have the cool angel things that transfer which are also needleless.

I got off orientation in December and started WEO in Feb. I work Sat/Sun, but you could make a lot more money working F,S,S.

Weekend Warrior gave you some great insight on the field. I would add that when working with kids it also seems that the parents are your patients as well. The child is just your actual patient. Parents are usually so stressed about their child's condition and or procedures they are not themselves and can be a handfull to deal with. I would assume that is the same with children of adult patients. I love peds and I could not work with adults. My heart wouldn't be in it the way it is with the kids. Kids are so fun to work with, but they can also break your heart.

That is exactly what they started me out at last September when I started working for CHOA. Their shift differentials are really good. $6.50 for nights and I think 3.25 for weekend days. Lots of raises plus a great place to work. I get an extra 13 an hour for WEO nights. Of course I have no life now, but I can pay my bills. It is my understanding that there is no difference in pay for BSN, but it is a plus when/if you go into mgmt.

We give/get report at the nurse's station. I know there are some nurses who don't even think about who is listening to their report, because they just wanna go home. I try to stop or lower my voice if anyone might be listening, but as someone else said that should be common sense anyway for us. Patients and their families definately seem to want to know what is going on with other kids on the unit. There are alot of families who don't know that we can't tell them or let them hear, especially us with all the DFACS stuff we see.