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Hi Scribblz, Yes, it was a lot. I wasn't trying to make a world record. My instinct was just to help the docs and nurses to save as many COVID patient as we can. It was the worst experience. The worst part was placing these lines on your own co-workers and seeing them die before your eyes. Very very sad. May all of them have eternal Rest-In-Peace. I was actually suffering from shoulder and piriformis syndrome. Just pop some Advil, placed some ICY-Hot patches and go back to the battle field.

CN21IVT, thank you for making it clear. That’s what I was trying to say on my previous post. You are 100% correct there. Question, at my full-time, I use BARD PICCs and at my other job, I use ArroW for PICC and PowerWand XL for Midlines. Any intake? I find BARD is more easy to use whereas, ArroW is not and PowerWand is not patient friendly... lots of complications.

Hi Gmilitar, My initial base pay when I first started in NYC 2007 was $36/hr with a BSN for a major teaching hospital in Manhattan. I did not like my position there, so I left after 4 months and took a position in a community teaching hospital in Brooklyn. There, I started $34/hr. Many of the incoming young nurses are complaining about their base pay. They start $46-48/hr with a BSN. At this point of my career, I am content with my salary and I love what I do. I think that is the most important part of nursing and any other job. You must love what you do. Like this girl, she had an MPH and was a social worker, but was so tired of it, that she became a housekeeper. The more you make $$$, the more you spend and the more bills you have, and the more problems you will have. AND because you work a lot to make more $$$, you forget family, friends, and humanity... (this is speaking from my own experience). I am just blessed and humble to be a nurse, especially when many people are unemployed at the moment.

You are completely correct LibraNurse27. I feel like I am missing out that's why, everyone are going back for their NPs, DNPs, etc..., then I ask myself, for what purpose I need it when I have it all good. I know a lot of NPs still working at the bedside because they are afraid or not ready to work independently. School is great, but is also very time consuming. You can't replace time lost. I know, as nurses, we're always looking for ways to improve ourselves by finding that dream job and lots of $$$... agree/disagree???

My condolences to you and to your friend's family. Rest-In-Peace to your sister and to your best friend. I have not experience it, only partially, but YES, life is VERY short. It can disappear in an instant. Enjoy what you have, especially time with your family and friends. Stop arguing and crying for the little things in life. Accept and appreciate what you have.

Hey ALL. Hope everyone are safe and in good health. Seems like we are nearing the end of COVID19. However, I hear a lot of rumors of the possibility of a second wave of COVID19. I just would like to hear other people's feedback regarding venous access of patients with COVID19 in their facility. Many of the facilities in NYC, placed femoral access, then transitioned to something more suitable after. I am a vascular nurse and I was placing mainly PICCs and Midlines for all COVID19 patients. Many doctors didn't want to place IJs because they were too close to the patient's airway and so they fear of getting the virus. For this reason, our vascular access team (consisted only 2 people) were being utilized for majority of central line access for all of these patients. Since the pandemic began, we placed more than 150 PICCs. Many patients were on the vent for weeks, but eventually passed away, and put in our temporary morgue in our parking lot. Anyone reading my post and is also a vascular nurse, can you share your observation on COVID19 positive patients. I found that 90% in positive COVID19 patients have large basilic veins. Another, the medication, Hydroxychloroquine, made patients highly susceptible to blood clots. The pandemic was a nightmare and a nursing experience that will continue to be a conversation topic in the healthcare community. During the peak of the virus, many non-ICU nurses were forced to function as ICU nurses in a couple of hours. For this reason, I observed a lot of medical/medication errors. Many healthcare workers fear of catching the virus that as soon as someone was suspected or confirmed of having COVID19, everyone ran away. And yes, I give A LOT of respect to TRUE frontline heroes, but I discredit many who were so fearful of the virus, abandoned patients and let them die in agony. May ALL the souls taken by COVID19 have eternal rest-in-peace.

Hi DavidFR, Yes, definitely agree with you... "all depends". I brought this topic up because at my hospital, the mother of the fiancé of our hospital CEO was admitted to one of the medical floors. The CEO's fiancé is a Medical Doctor at another facility, and she displayed her work ID proudly at my facility. OK, I get it, you're a doctor. I think it is good in a way, because I was able to speak to her directly in medical terms, without the run arounds, explaining the many "whys". And, she was also calm her mother and explained the procedures being done to her. The daughter was very nice to me, but I have heard a lot of complaints from other staffs (e.g., doctors, nurses, etc...). Apparently, the daughter was commanding the other doctors and was asking a lot of questions. I meant, yes, I would, too, ask a lot of questions if the patient is family or a close relative, but commanding employees how things should be done makes them uncomfortable or fear of going inside the patient's room. As healthcare providers, we shouldn't fear or get intimidated of other healthcare providers, especially when they themselves become patients. I always wonder why. Is it because we don't want to make a mistake/error. I feel like, being a patient with VIP status can have both negs and pos. I still remember when I went for my shoulder surgery. I wrote a letter to my family, place it in a envelope, and instructed them to open it if I don't come out of anesthesia. The letter was all my bank account information and other personal properties. As healthcare workers, we SEE so many things, that's why we, more like me, have fears.

Hi Wuzzie. Same for me as well. One time, I went for a procedure. The anesthesiologist was having a hard time with my veins. I told him, "Doc, go to my right A/C". His eyes became big and ask me, "are you a nurse?" I just told him yes, and that was it. Did not want to entertain it. Plus, he was going to "knock me out", so I got to be nice.

I am not sure if this topic already exist, but I just would like to read other people's response regarding hospital employees presenting their hospital/work I.D. when they become a patient in any healthcare setting, visiting a family/friend, or as the healthcare proxy of the patient. When I become a patient myself, I disclose my profession, only discuss when ask to. My two opinions about this is that (1) you don't get proper service if staff knows you're a healthcare provider because they get intimidated, (2) it is often great for them to know, so that they are aware you understand their "language". VERY vocal family members or friends of a patient can often be harmful for the sick individual and they don't receive proper care (in my opinion and my observation). Health care staffs, especially nurses become highly aware, fear of something will happen, so they avoid pretty much engaging or even going into the patient's room. I have witnessed this a couple of times in small and large, well renowned medical centers. I think it is OK to reveal to healthcare providers that you are also a healthcare worker, if the interaction is not aggressive or very demanding. Many people often forget about this and I feel sad for the "individual" in the bed. I treat all my patients like my own family members. That is the only and best way I can provide upmost care for them. Before entering a patient's room, I often receive warning signs from staffs about the patient. It is wonderful, but sometimes, patient's anger is NOT about the nurses, doctors, or other healthcare workers. We forget they are sick and they are in unfamiliar environments. I had a patient 10 years ago, with pancreatic stage IV cancer. He was nasty to everyone, but I took care of him to the end. We all know that this type of cancer is very aggressive and sometimes, doctors give patient and their family a hope to hold on. They told the guy, he will have 6-months to live, but his prognosis was so rapid, that within 2nd week, he was at the end of his life. He became so nice, apologetic about his behavior and thank me how nice I was to him. He had no family at the bedside, so I held his hands, prayed for him, when he took his last breath. This is the main reason why I love nursing.

Hey WestCoastSunRN. My experience with the pandemic of COVID-19 was an eye opening or game changer for me. I saw how fragile life was and how it can just disappear in a matter of seconds. $$$ is great, but the big question is, "are you happy and maintaining your life healthy?" Time is something that is more valuable than $$$ and is something you can never get it back. As nurses, we work our butts off. Nursing is no easy job. But as nurses, we need to prioritize our life by putting our family, friends, and most of all, ourselves. Bless to all the nurses and doctors, and frontline workers. I pray that this virus or another virus alike will never appear again.

Hi WestCoastSunRN. I believe in faith and majority of my nursing career was preparing myself to get into CRNA school 6 years ago. I got my CCRN and I work in ICU for 7 years, primarily CCU and SICU. I used to work for a very busy city hospital, 28-bed CCU and 14-bed SICU. Did all the works... Swanzs, IABPs, CRRTs, lots of Hypothermia cases (sometimes 6 in one shift) because we were a level 1 trauma hospital. I hardly get report from the ED, majority of my reports are cases from other hospitals that were very sick. The door was so wide for me, applied to CRNA once, injured my shoulder in ICU, then vascular access nursing came to the rescue and I've been doing it since. I strongly believe that vascular access was a calling to me. I love and miss my ICU patients. I love to work because (1) yes, the money was there and help me obtain my other dreams in life, such as home ownership and having my own car, and paying off school loans... something that my parents or anyone can't provide to me; and (2) nursing is an evolving experience and I thirst for knowledge. I learned early in nursing that many nurses fear, especially floating to other units because (1) they are not familiar with the unit/system, and (2) lack of knowledge of the patient population in those units. I didn't like that idea, so I wanted to be comfortable or have a wide knowledge, so that I am ready to face whatever situation I was in when I go to those units. I got my MSN in administration, but I utilize it in educating future nurses, so that when I reach that time of my life, I want these nurses to be able to save me, if I still have 150 years to live (LOL). Venous access is one thing that every patient receive when they enter any healthcare system. My skills and knowledge in vascular nursing help me improve patient care and their satisfaction, and that is why I love my job. During this COVID19 pandemic, I placed majority of the lines in our ICUs, peds, and other floors. I would be inside these confirmed COVID patient rooms for hours placing their PICCs, Midlines, and PIVs. It was a traumatizing experience and I hope it will NEVER happen again. "Let your career guide you. Don't guide your career. Everything will just come into place."

Very interesting thread. While others make very good points, other just seem to have a lot of anger. Some physicians are troubled and don’t like the idea about nurses becoming APRNs and having independence as clinicians. They simply see them as “wanna be” doctors. I admire and respect every health care providers. For one, I don’t have respect for any physicians or nurses that are nasty. I have seen physicians that aren’t as bright, as well as nurses, and just makes me wonder how they manage to through the system. The patient is always our priority.

Hi MforMs. I used to work for ACCESSRN. It’s a big company and covers a lot of states. I left the company due to family obligations. See if you live in a state that they cover. They are always looking, specially for NYC.

He works in real-estate. He makes well over $600,000/year. It is sick, but he is very happy.

I oriented a new RN in our ICU many years ago, but only stayed in nursing for 5 years. He is only 28 y/o and informed me last week, he is already planning his big retirement party at the age of 30. This kid found the secret of wealth. His monthly take home salary is more than $60,000, which is the starting salary for many nurses in other states. I know for sure, money doesn't buy happiness. CRNA are the highest paid nursing salaries that we all know, but reading a lot of them, leaving their jobs because of the stress.