kjcheno

I'm a seven year RN with mostly cardiac experience. I've recently changed jobs to work in a rural hospital in their ER. I've been on orientation two days a week for almost two months now. Their ER can be very fickle only seeing sometimes very few patients a day. Soon I will be off orientation. My problem is that I will be by myself, the only RN in ER at night. Yes I knew this when I started- but I wasn't super clear on the lack of resources and lack of willing to help from the two inpatient nurses on the floor. I won't see everything on orientation- so how do I handle things? The ER doc is kind of crazy. I guess I need reassurance I'm not going to do something stupid not knowing any better and losing my license.

I would like some opinion on this. I work in a medium community hospital where three units all float staff between the three. One is a med surg floor, entitled 'Intermediate Care Unit' or ICU Stepdown, ICU and CVCU. (CVCU also can take occassional vents and recover open hearts but is rarity). My question is- I am registry staff. I currently work in a cardiologists office. I feel comfortable working on CV because that is where I originally worked and I still keep my knowledge up on CV things. I don't work often but when I do they go by float date and they will float me to ICU! It will always be my turn to float because I don't work as often as everyone else. And I am not familiar with the unit ( I NEVER was ) and how do they expect me to keep my competency on DKA, Sepsis, etc? Its so frustrating and it feels very unsafe to me. My manager told me because I am an employee I am treated like everyone else expected to float, and Registry staff make more money so they should be able to float anywhere.

I feel like I'm at a career fork in the road and I'm not sure where to turn. I have been a nurse for a little over three years.I'm young (26). My first year and a half was a full time night shift RN on a CVCU/ICU floor. When I got pregnant and realized the hospital is not necessarily the life for me, I transferred to the hospitals cardiologists group office. An office nurse is another totally different side of nursing but I feel like its just not enough for me either. But I don't know where to turn. I feel like that where I am not no one every tells me I am valued, I am important to the group- that there is light of moving up and getting more responsibility. I've researched going to NP school- doing a legal nurse consultant thing- but I'm not sure how well either of those are utilized in my area in Illinois either, and don't know if I want to spend all that money to go back to school. I feel like I am meant to do more in nursing- but how do I get there?

Thanks everyone for your words of encouragement and advice. It already seems like such a big hill to climb and such a hard profession to be pregnant in. Not to mention I've been super emotional lately which compounds my work worries.In response to one comment I was doing a google search on some law that it is LEGAL to fire/suspend a pregnant nurse because she could not meet job requirements such as lifting! I think that is horrible! Also I never thought about the pumping issue. Nursing is so hard because you have to be available to your patients at the drop of a hat its not like you are in an office setting that you can sneak away for 5 minutes and be OK. I think I have supportive co-workers but I've never really tested them like this. I'm not sure I will get much support from my charge nurses as far as assignments Like I said before I am hoping that this just the first trimester and and that it will ease up soon. I go to my OB/GYN tomorrow AM so maybe she will have some advice for me too. What I do know is that there is not a lot written that I can find on this topic- maybe I have a book idea! lol

I am a fairly new nurse that is working in a CV unit on night shift. I just recently found out I am pregnant (8 weeks) and am having horrible symptoms which I'm afraid will interfere with my job. The nausea (and vomiting- but only at work never at home), fatigue (I literally find myself falling asleep at work at 3am) and my doctor has put lifting restrictions on me due to my low progesterone. I was reluctant to tell coworkers and manager because I was so early in my pregnancy and have miscarried once before- but my symptoms were giving me away and I don't want anyone to think I am 'lazy' or 'whiny'. I am hoping this only lasts the first trimester but it sounds like I may have another month or so to go of this. I've been to my doctor about the nausea and was prescribed Zofran which calms my nausea some. But lately things that never bothered me like vomit/stool etc I am extremely sensitive to now. Also the fact to which I need to eat every couple of hours to avoid the nausea feeling, can be hard when you are busy with your patients. Any advice, suggestions? I have had a week off of work and am literally DREADING going back in a couple days.