SDA3694

Thanks for your advice! I have four more 12 hour shifts.

Thanks everyone for the positive feedback! Its 2:26 am and I have to be up in 2 hours and I havent even been able to sleep because Ive been so scared Im gonna lose my job when I go in today. He let me go early yesterday after that happened (about an hour and half before my shift ended). I can deal with someone yelling at me...it just really get to you when someone makes you feel like you've harmed your patient ...im glad to know that other people have seen blood draws done this way and that I didnt just pull that out of left field. OHH this is another question he got mad one time and came and got me because I stopped blood to give protonix ...he told me that it was compatible with blood and that I shouldnt have stopped it ...which I had another nurse come and in the room w/ me to make sure I was doing it right ...he came back and kinda got heated w/ he said did you stop the blood on so and so I was like no I clamped it off for a minute to give her protonix and he was like why??? and I was like because I didnt think I could give it while the blood was going he was like yesss you can ...its compatible and I was like well I asked another nurse and she said she didnt think so either and he was like dont ask her she's not very knowledgeable I know you dont know who to ask yet but dont ask her. The thing is ...I dont know where to go with all of this, he is one of the charge nurses and everyone seems to like him (even management) for some reason he just does NOT seem to like me. Now Im not trying to make myself sound perfect because I have asked alot of dumb questions, I am slow on my work there are plenty of things that I do wrong. It just seems like the things that he blows up on ...are things that he shouldnt...thats why I wanted to get some other advice. Thanks everyone...please pray for me as I head in to work this morning I am a nervous wreck!!!!

I am a new graduate working in the ER...Today marks my 16th 12 hour shift and I am having such a hard time...I knew going into this that it would be a little tough because after all I am a new graduate and Im still learning BUT I am really struggling...last week I felt really good, I felt like I could keep up got my IV's and didnt have to ask for any help ..come back today WHOLE new story felt like I was back tracking couldnt do anything right on top of that my preceptor got on to me really bad and alll I can do now is cry....(which is basically all Ive been able to do since I started this job)...the deal is I went into a patients room was starting an IV and what I've been doing is starting the IV ,connecting the lock and then drawing my blood through the lock before flushing it with saline but he told me that I should insert the iv then connect the syringe to the the little knub before even connecting the lock ...anyways this conversation took place like 30-45 mins after it even happened but he yelled at me in front of everyone at the nurses station told me that I was playing around with patients lives and that I could have caused an air embolism but what I dont understand is how his way makes any difference he wants me to connect a 10 cc syringe to the end of the hub and I have been connecting it to the end of the lock if I were gonna cause an air embolism would it not cause one either way. His deal was that he wasnt as concerned that I was in the vein but that I was putting an empty syringe to the end of the lock ...instead of the empty syringe to the end of the needle hub??? I only have 4 more 12's before Im suppose to be on my own I just dont know what to do It just seems like everytime I do something he always calls me out in front of everybody, I just feel so stupid. I have prayed and prayed that this situation will get better I feel like Im trying as hard as I can I DO NOT know what else to do. I have so many times walked up and heard him saying stuff that I know was about me. Any advice for me??? Thanks God Bless!!

How is it that D5w and dextrose5% sodium chloride 0.9% differ?

Good Question. I would like to know the answer to this as well.

I am a new graduate working in the ER, and I feel like I am having major trouble catching on ....First things first, I went to a school where we had TERRIBLE clinicals I dont feel like I learned any clinical skills (and most of the students that went to my school feel the same). I know that you can look them up in the text but it just doesnt really help any when you're standing in front of the patient and you havent actually performed the skill...Im terrible @ IV's but I am getting a little better thank GOD ( I was having to go and get my preceptor to start alllll of my IV'S which I know he was not happy about) not to mention if I dont get the IV it totally throws me off ...just about everything the MD orders in the ER depends on the patient having an IV, THEN you are suppose to make sure you chart everything in the computer and on paper and keep up with time the patient goes to x-ray,CT, OR Where ever they may be going which is really hard because most days I feel like im just trying to stay caught up w/ the actual work itself so the MD's and preceptor dont get mad that I dont really have time to chart as I go ...so then Im stuck @ the end with alll of that paper work to get caught up on and by then here comes a new patient. I am really starting to second guess if this is even for me ... I hate feeling this way. Everyone who prays please please pray that I will start picking things up better. I want to do this job and I want to do it well ...Im just having trouble believing that its ever going to get to that place.

I am a new graduate and I am having MAJOR trouble starting IV's. Im working in the ER and allll of my work is taking forever because I cant really complete any of the orders until the IV is in....it's just to the point of ridiculous. Can anyone tell me anything that I can do to get any better at starting IV's...any outside help, class, certification...whatever it takes! Thanks in advance for any help/advice that you are willing to provide me with!

OHH my gosh I am so glad to hear this....I've been on orientation for about 4 days in the ER ...I feel like I know nothing. I can barely get an IV started, cannot remember ANY drugs, cant read the md orders, feel like I depend on my preceptor to tell me everything...I just feel like I am NEVER going to get it. I just keep praying and hopefully things will change and it really stinks when you "feel" like things that you do are being talked about when you're not around not to mention im having trouble with charting...so this has to make you feel better you couldnt possibly be doing any worse than I am right now

Thank you!

I am so glad you asked this question... I am in the same situation. I am licensed in Alabama and endorsing into Oklahoma, my question is (probably something I should know) can you use the same CE's that you submit for Alabama that you do in Oklahoma to keep your license active ( I know Im making this confusing) like if you go to a cont. edu. class, can you swipe your license 2x (once for OK and then AL)? My next question is .....I know that you have to work a certain amount of hours to keep your license active ...so in order to keep my license in Alabama, will I have to work a certain amount of hours here as well?

Hi! Im excited to say I will be relocating to Lawton soon, and I was wondering if anyone can tell me some apartments that are safe,nice,etc. I really liked St. James apartments, however they dont have any apartments available

I know that must have been frustrating. I think when the general public thinks of nurses ....they ONLY think "care taker" which is ONE side of it but by far not the only thing nurses are good for. I hope this image of nursing changes in the future. When I did my preceptorship in ICU, I saw alot of nurses save the doctor from making mistakes...(to be honest it kind-of shocked me too...I dont know why).

If you arent ever rude to your patients or co-workers then this thread isnt even about you...BTW you are in for a rude awakening if you expect a new grad or anyone for that matter to not "alienate" themselves from the kind of nurse that I was describing (the one who trained my friend...which is what this whole thread is about). Why make a bad situation worse? Then again they do say misery loves company.

Thank you, because that is allll Im trying to say.

Who said quit when things get tough?

Totally agree! Still Im shocked at some of these responses...whether she knew or not, I just dont think, that was an appropriate way to handle the situation.

I can totally see your side.

Thank you, Im glad that there are nurses out there that new graduates CAN look up to!

Tweety, you have 18 years of experience, I think you have an awesome attitude! Here's just one example of where I am coming from, a new graduate shows up for her first day of work the, unit manager goes on the floor and finds someone to place the new graduate with, goes up to the nurse introduces the new graduate to her new preceptor (who obviously had no clue that she was going to be training her that day) and says "this is Adrianna a new graduate im going to put her with you today " the nurse who is going to train her then says "WHO ME...NO YOU AINT" ( although she acts like its a joke to the unit manager ...she was serious) because when the unit manager left the nurse walks to the back w/ several other nurses and says what the **** is she thinking putting that girl w/ me, is she crazy, shes lost her mind...either she got to go or I do one" my friend thought about going to the unit manager because she didnt want to be placed with anyone she felt intimidated to learn with and she also didnt want to be a burden to anyone...but she knew how hard it was to actually find a job and didnt want to be seen as a complainer either...so she decided to ignore it (even though she was in tears and was nervous even before she got there) so she walks up to the nurse and she said COME ON, lets get report...on the way to find the nurse reporting off she said LORD, I dont wanna be here, I cant stand this place. So I'll spare you everything that went on that day...but heres the part that really gets me....the nurse left her on her own to care for the patients and she was saying that she didnt want to bother her too much she only asked her to do one thing ( turn a patient) because it was a pt she couldnt turn herself...she said that even getting her to do that was like pulling teeth, when they get in the room the nurse makes the comment " he too big, im ready for him to go...he's killin me, I cant be breaking my back" when they turned him...he had gone to the bathroom...she told my friend oh dont worry about him he does that all day ...my friend said "well I think Im just gonna change him anyway...Im caught up anyways" The nurse says well do what you wanna do then, thats on you...im not gonna keep coming in here changin that man, and you're gonna have to find somebody else to help you he's too big for me to keep coming here pullin on...so my friend decides to do it herself and when she walks back up to the desk the nurse it sitting up there on her cellphone. This is just one example. Both in my experience working as a cna/pca and during my clinicals I am seeing more and more of this...when I heard my friend tell me about her day it just made me sick to know that there are people out there like this who have jobs and could care less and then there are those of us who would love to have a job. Not to say that some days I may not feel the same as the nurse (hopefully not) but I sure hope that I can control myself better than that.

WOW, calm down! First of all, if you read then you would've noticed that I have worked in a hospital for 3 years, also when I was doing my clinicals this was something that we constantly faced as students and not only that alot of the nurses were just irritated w/ students in general...this is just an issue that came up in conversation w/ me and a friend of mine who just started a job as a new nurse and was just talking about the attitude the nurses had w/ all the new graduates and about having to work in general. IF you read you would have also noticed that I did say that since I read some of the previous post I kept and open mind and changed my outlook a little, I have always said that I KNOW that w/ nursing comes frustration....what I dont understand or agree with is people who hate their job...make everybody around them miserable with their bad attitude and constant complaints of what they have to do and what patient they cant stand ...SO WHAT everybody deals with stuff they dont want to sometimes but I always thought nurses were suppose to act like a professional and to me complaining about a job that you are getting paid for OUT loud at the desk, taking it out on your patient, taking it out on your co-workers is not acting like a professional

WOW! Im glad that I had encouraging teachers.

Thanks to everyone for responding (whether you agree or disagree) I definitely do believe, that from some of the previous post I have changed my outlook. However, I still dont think that just because your miserable or burnout that you should be so vocal while your on a job that you're getting paid to do, and for goodness sake when (students) clinical groups come through please dont tell them how much you hate being there and tell them to "get out now...you wish that you had!" but still I do see that alot of nurses out there are overworked and underpaid...I appreciate what you do & I am sorry if I offended anyone.

yeah, I was a little confused.

Im sorry, I guess I didnt make myself clear:wink2:...I understand having frustrations, its when its continuously...and when your thoughts of hating what you do consume you, your conversations, and attitude toward other people thats the problem ( at least it is for me...I know this doesnt apply to everyone, NOW). I never said that I thought anyone should quit for having a moment of frustration... I even said that in my first post that only in 3 years of working in the hospital I have been frustrated at times but when it comes to the point when you HATE IT and you spend your whole shift making those miserable around you then YES ...I think you should quit (obviously im a horrible person for thinking that these patients deserve someone who cares about being there to care for them) Not saying this to you...but according to some.

\This really isnt about me or you. Its about the patient. ALL I was trying to say was that I understand that nurses have days when they become frustrated because they are overworked or what not BUT on the otherhand there are nurses who EVERYDAY talk about how they HATE nursing and believe me it shows ...it is frustrating for me because I do love nursing and I havent been able to find a job and then you hear SOME nurses who have jobs that dont even want to be there....that isnt fair for the patients that they are caring for nor to the ones who would like to be there.