pcbnurse

I would not work in a SNF as a new grad. There are so many other options out there for you, unless you love working with geriatrics. What is your passion? What is it that you really want to do? Then go for that. As a new grad, most hospitals are willing to train you in the area you want to work in. If you are having to work, and willing to do anything to get experience, work for a doctor, a clinic, or if even an outpatient facility if you can't find work in a hospital.

In the PACU my patient's K+ was low and I let the surgeon know. He said, "give her a banana". (Waited over an hr for food service to bring it, never came, pt discharged) about 2 hrs later, said banana arrived, I ate it!

I lasted 7 weeks. (Should have quit at 3 weeks) What a mess!

Florida

Good for you, What agency are you with now?

I worked for a rather large HHC here in the South. The GM was new, the DON started after I did and the Patient Care Coordinator started one week prior. I was seeing patients all over town, driving 150 miles per day without a gas allowance or mileage, paid salary. They had me going in 5 different directions everyday. One morning, I was home finishing 2 Oasis from the evening prior and was called to "come into the office" to do the paperwork. The office was approx. 45 minutes south of where I needed to do a SOC that morning. (one hour from my house), so it didn't make sense for me to drive all the way to the office. Reluctantly I went into the office and was met with a "meeting" of why I had to start coming into the office everyday if I did not have a patient to see that morning. (Office is one hour from my house) Basically, it went downhill from there. Promises made to me were never kept, and I felt that I was being set up to fail. No one knew their role, and everybody was shouting orders at me without any logic. So now I am unemployed but with license in hand without any blemishes! Thoughts?

I have been a clinical sales nurse for the past two years. I was recently laid off from a large corporation and now find myself seeking employment. I applied at all the local hospitals with no luck, probably due to not having any recent bedside experience. I am to start a per diem job next week working as a product educator, 100% travel. Its very similar to what I have done in the past, however, there are no benefits. Yesterday, a recruiter called wanting me to interview for a Case Manager position, pediatric. They are willing to train me and pay $26 a hr plus $600 car allowance. (This is about $8 less an hr than the per diem job). It has full benefits, its local, no travel. I am really trying to decide which would be best. I love to travel, yet, I know it gets old, however, I do like the flexibility of making my own schedule and hate M-F 9-5 gigs, and taking call at night and weekends. Really torn on what to do!

I would approach the doctor and flat out say "I"M BORED!" What kind of practice is it? Could you possibly do skin care, wound care, teeth whitening? I go to a family practice doctor (on rare occasions) and he has gotten into all kind of stuff. Weight loss, lasers for skin care, he even sells Obagi. Maybe you could suggest some of these things and make your own "clinic". I can relate to the late hours too. I used to work for an orthopedic surgeon. It was "Old Home Week", every afternoon. Friends, family stopping by the office. Wasn't a problem until I had a baby and was breastfeeding. My milk would come in at 5pm, and my uniform would be drenched! lol! He took the hint, obviously, it was time to go! Hang in there if you can. Hospitals are over-rated. Skills, smills. You haven't lost anything. Start taking BP's, if it makes you feel better. Can you do hospital rounds with the doctor? Volunteer to do so if you haven't. Good luck and keep us posted!

The key to not getting the "air in line" is to always prime your tubing slowly. The extra 5 seconds it takes to do this, will avoid all of those annoying allarms!!

You may also want to put a sign on your Med Room Door " Please do not ENTER this room if Nurse is Preparing Medications" or Please do Not Interupt Nurse in Medication Room"

I quit Nursing for 2 years several years ago. It did take awhile for me to get back into hospital nursing. I applied for several jobs and was turned down because I had no recent experience. I worked for a doctors office for a year and then took a travel assignment to get my nursing experience back, and that was lucky in that they were desperate for a nurse and I was willing to work split shifts. If I had to do it again, I would have stayed in it!! Not worth the aggrevation and the begging for a job!

Long story: Background is that I have been a nurse for 24 years. I am currently doing Home Health, Infusions and thought it would be great to be a Nurse Educator! I applied at one of the big companies and actually got the position. Its per diem, contract. I went thru the training and after 3 months, have only gone on 2 assignments, lasting one week each. I love it! However, I want to work more. I contacted the company and they are full of empty promises and basically told me that work is coming, they just don't know when. (, I am perdiem Home Health, making very little $$$ at home while waiting) In the meantime, I applied for another position with another Infusion company, and have an interview tomorrow!! Yeah! Well, wouldn't you know it, the 1st company "Now" wants me to go out the same week this new company has their "training week"! I know I don't have the job yet, but it looks very promising and they "say" they have alot of work.... So the problem is what do I tell the company? They are calling and emailing me wanting to know if I can work. If I turn down the assignment, they may not use me in the future. If I don't get the new job tomorrow, then I will be out of work, period! As a side note, this happened about a month ago. I had a new position all lined up and the training was the next week. However, the Infusion company called with work, so I turned down the position. Subsequently, I have sat at home for over a month now waiting for work, where if I had taken the new position, I would be working every week!! grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.... I am seeing a pattern here that I don't want to repeat!

ER, lots more exciting and you will develop all ICU skills by default

I actually have a friend who's mother is in ICU today, dying. She is 84 years old and is in resp failure, has C Diff, and a host of other problems. She is now a DNR. My friend called me in tears stating that her mother is receiving horrible care, the nurses are chatting at the desk not watching her, not attentive, etc, etc. Basically she is angry and "helpless" because her mom is dying! I listened to her complaints, and tried to reassure her that her mom is in good hands. That nurses generallly do "chat" at the desk and are not in a patients room unless needed. I think the lashing out at "you" is normal and unfortunate for you. If I were you, I would ask for a different assignment tomorrow. This family does not need to target one nurse. They will be angry and find fault. In my opinion, you don't need this at this point in your career. We need you! Stay strong and know you cannot "heal" these patients and you obviously did not cause their dying condition. The bruise, easily could be explained with heparin use. Keep us informed, but keep your distance!

I agree, there is no way I could do home care right out of school! Most of the IV's I start are very difficult and there is no back up nurse if I can't get it first stick. Wound vacs can be tricky too. You are the doctor's eyes and ears. I just sent one of my pts to the ER.... (SOB, Nausea) Family watched her all weekend like this, then called me at home, not the MD) Picc lines clot off, mediports to access, labs to draw... It can be overwhelming!

I don't know if I can top any of these stories, but here goes: I worked for an orthopedic surgeon, one girl office// before I was a nurse. I did everything.. receptionist, assistant, typed all the records, filed insurance. etc. I gave birth to my first child at 35 weeks, on a Saturday night. *lady partsl delivery but with a 3rd degree episiotomy. On Monday Morning, the doc's wife called me at the hospital wanting to know when I was coming back to work. I said, "well, I planned on taking off the usual 6 weeks".. She stated "Well , who's going to do all this work? Who's going to finish all this dictation?" I told her "I have no clue, I am breastfeeding every 2 hrs and taking 6 Sitz baths per day, you may have to get someone else!!! She was appalled!

The "agreement" I have was when I was hired. They came out with a "new" policy several months ago and stated this changed my written agreement. I guess they look at it as I take it or leave it situation. We do not service Medicare or Medicaid patients, all private insurance. And they pay the Pharmacist way over $110K a year.

I have a GREAT job working IV Therapy in the home. I work prn, covering 5 counties. I drive alot and when I was first hired , the current DON made alot of promises, some were put in writing. I would get gas money, visit pay etc. About 2 months ago, she was let go, and a new DON came on board. Now, I do not get gas money, but extra pay for long drives. However, still no gas money, and now my territory has expanded. I make myself available 5 days per week, and am called when needed... generally every day. I take call 2 nights per week, and 1 weekend per month and have worked the last 2 holidays. However, every pay period, my rate of pay changes.. downward! This week, for extra long visits, I will only be paid an hourly rate. (In the past, I was paid for the assessment visit, plus hourly) Out of anger, I turned down a patient yesterday. I feel like I am being taken advantage of! I love the work itself. The driving does get old, but the hours are flexible and suits my lifestyle. I have discussed this situation with my DON at length and she has tried to get some things changed, but upper management is firm, and will not back down on their new policies! My written agreement means nothing. I have applied for other jobs in this area, but none have the flexibility of this position... and some pay even less! I'm just so tired of being angry every day about this, not knowing what they will do next pay period and bowing down to this is driving me crazy! I have begged for written clarification of my pay rate from upper managment with no response. What to do>>>??

I received a job offer like that. I was "hired" in November, but no one could ever give me a start date. I called, emailed, just like you. Nothing. Finally, mid December, I emailed her that January 4th sounded like a great start date and I would see her then, unless otherwise notified. I got an email back within the hour! She had been sick with the flu and had been out for 3 weeks. Only came in to check her email. Said I could definitely start January 4th.

Go back to the old job... 40 minutes in the car is costing you $15/hr x 2 per day $150 per week.. not to mention the gas money. Don't take call. Turn your phones off. Tell them you will not be available 24/7 unless the place is burning to the ground. Hire charge nurses, or someone you can delegate your responsibilities to when you are off. Good luck and please let us know what you decided and how it turned out.

Is there any way you could call the patients doctor and get a PRN order covering the medication you gave? Sounds like the patient needs one ... or could you just write the prn order, torb and get it signed the next time you see the MD?

Do you do any IV Therapy? If not, try to get trained thru your agency, then go to an IV Infusion Center and work prn. After you get more experience, find a hospital that does IV Therapy... get your foot in the door that way, then ask to be cross trained to the ICU, ER, MS, whatever you want. Float Nurses are NOT a dime a dozen!!

My agency is requiring me to give SQ chemo, 2 shots, 1 in each arm to a new patient. I did get checked off by a chemo nurse as to "technique, precautions, etc". However, I am not chemo certified. Do I need to be? Or should I be?

I would look at positions in California... the patients are educated, most use midwives or doulas.

Here is my dream job: I wake up refreshed and ready for a new day. I am called off with pay, due to low census. I check my bank account, well over 100K at this point due to my generous salary of $50/hr with full benefits. I go online and plan my next vacation, one of several I take thruout the year. My manager calls mid day and says they may not need me tomorrow, so go ahead and book that spa appointment. Because I have been so flexible, I receive a cash bonus at the end of the week. My documentation and skill level have been so awesome, that the new DON holds a banquet in my name at a local resort. All my nurse friends come and shower me with gifts. I, in return, give generous favors back. Of course, I have no call, and because of my seniority, I do not work weekends. By Friday, I am bored and I am asked to come in and work 10-2. I do so, knowing my skills are needed and appreciated. I start IV's, insert Foleys, and do all the Picc line dressing changes. A catered lunch is served by our Nursing Department and we are all given massages as a special thank you. On my drive home to my condo on a local island, with the top down in my car the breeze blowing thru my hair, I am so thankful I am a nurse and appreciated by all.