elgin1962

Interesting website ---I did check it out and what a surprise! Welcome to America's Career InfoNet In my state I did a search for all undergraduate scholarships with the broadest criteria possible. Out of 44 available, a full 27 were specifically for the LBGT individual "Purpose: To provide scholarship to the students who have been stigmatized, isolated or closeted because of sexual identity issues."I'm not questioning the value of these but as a 50 y/o straight woman who can't afford nor justify the debt returning to college would require, I am disappointed. However, as I read further I found I may meet the criteria after all. Qualifications: Applicants must be lesbians who have completed their sophomore year of college; must be a resident of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon or Washington but may study elsewhere. Criteria: Preference will be given to students who are self-identified LGBTQ, members of LGBTQ families or straight-allies who have been strongly supportive of the LGBTQ community.

Please don't flame me, not trying to stoke the fires or beat any long dead horses. When I was a scrub tech it initially was a matter of practicality when I decided RN over LPN school. Because specifically in OR terms that meant unless I became an RN, I still could not circulate and would still be only a little better off than I was before except for a slight increase in pay but no additional responsibilities in spite of new knowledge that I would learn as an LPN. So RN school was something for me that was not as limiting career-wise, financially and if I left the OR, other doors would be opened. I assume this is an AORN recommendation which all hospitals follow and that is only an RN can circulate and being in charge of an OR. I'm not going to address how it's done in the military, only civilian world because they are different. Whether we like it or not, hierarchy in healthcare has and always will exist. Respect and appreciation of each person's role and responsibilities is the essence of what being part of the kind of teamwork which makes for excellent patient are. We all have unique and special talents but as job roles evolve they blur our previous understanding of what it means to be a nurse, a tech, and the rest of the alphabet soup initials that make up healthcare.

Can't top any of these, been there done that and feel your pain all too well. I'm in a really good place now but.....1) surgeon's phone rings and a certain cardiologist always gives a 20 min dissertation about a consult she wants said surgeon to see. Are you serious? I'm circulating a CABG and I don't have the time or inclination to listen to this non urgent blather that can be summed up in a few words like "please have Dr so and so contact my office about a consult" Better yet, tell his appt secretary at his office---geez!2) staff who never clock in on time and still others who don't mind letting the rest of us rush around to set the OR up while they stop at Starbucks to get coffee and breakfast because they overslept--again--"and it was quicker that eating at home" Seriously? The only way that's going to fly is if you're buying all of us breakfast and serve it with profuse apologies and this cannot happen routinely.3) the nurse manager who gets a wild hair and rearranges the instrument room--AGAIN-- with a new and improved way of arranging things. New and improved? Not when I come flying in on call and can't quickly find something because it's been moved 3 times in 6 months from its usual place4) Having to now spend so much time on the computer doing data entry for inventory control that I feel more like a checker at the local market than an RN who is supposed to be focused on advocating for my patient and patient care than data processing But ya know, despite my whining, I wouldn't trade places with anyone else because I am exactly where I should be, doing what I love to do. We all need to vent once in awhile and I have enjoyed this thread and found myself nodding my head in agreement with nearly every post!

I found this same attitude with a previous employer but decided to trust my gut and get my ACLS and CNOR anyway. Several years later it added to the qualifications I could offer when applying for a job 1500 miles away. What does this kind of initiative show to a potential employer? What kind of person do you want on your OR team? Someone constantly open to improvement and learning or only doing just enough to get by? I was flown cross country and hired for an open heart surgery position despite having many years lapse since my last exposure to this specialty. I also received relocation reimbursement and live and work in the beautiful pacific NW. I'm sure my 21 years of OR experience was key but my certifications didn't hurt. I do not have a BSN however this is next on the list. I agree with everyone who's said that everything you do to improve yourself and your marketability is valuable. For me the personal satisfaction is also extremely important.

Thanks for the words of wisdom and support. My lawyer seem intimidated by the board. Being too aggressive can be counterproductive but I believe this recent development of their witnesses backing down could justify a request to dismiss the complaint altogether. I am also checking if there is a conflict of interest because of the psychologist's affiliation with the very hospital I was terminated from. His office is across the street and he is aware they are afraid of getting hit with a lawsuit for wrongful discharge.This is due to discrimination R/T my medical condition which qualifies as a disability.

Has anyone here had the experience of being investigated by the board after your employer files a complaint then neither the former supervisor and head of HR both refuse to answer questions and return phone calls to the PhD evaluator doing your psych eval? I have maintained my innocence from the beginning and face the possibility of a severe reprimand, 2 years of probation, random DSUA, weekly CODA meetings, etc. All objective testing has resulted in no evidence of drug abuse, these recommendations are made entirely due to the examiners personal feelings. He even told me, "I'm just not sure whether or not you're an addict but you should consider stopping all habit-forming medications if you want to keep your license, would you be willing to do that?" I don't regularly take habit forming meds and when I have, I am at home, sick in bed with a migraine. I'm at the phase of the investigation where I've received a stipulated order, haven't been able to work for 5 months and was denied unemployment benefits. My former employer terminated me for symptoms I displayed due to a medical condition but instead was accused of being impaired and intoxicated and now am being treated like an addict in denial. The evaluator spent over 20 minutes online googling my medication and my medical condition after I pointed out about half a dozen presumptions he made which were wrong. For instance he incorrectly assumed I did something to alter the DSUA to make it negative for amphetamines because he did not know the medication I take isn't an amphetamine at all. He never bothered to do fact-checking of any of this before writing the eval and recommendations. I watched him google information in front of me while he re-wrote his report. He didnt even know what one of my meds were that's been around for over 30 years and I had to tell him the composition of the medication. In spite of these last minute major changes he refused to change his recommendations and I refused to sign a release to give this report to the board til I speak with my lawyer. There is no such thing as innocent until proven guilty if you're a nurse, is there?

Nearly 19 years ago I attempted suicide with meds I acquired from my job as an RN. I subsequently checked myself into a psych unit after being terminated as I felt this was my best chance to get the help I needed and maintain my nursing licensure. I subsequently was reported to the BON who put me on probation for a period of 2 years which I successfully completed. This consisted of group therapy and random DSUA and a quarterly written report by my supervisor. Since then I've had no other issues besides this isolated incident. However I now have been offered a terrific new position with a hospital out of state and am expected to fill out a pre-employment health history form with a follow-up phone call with an employee health nurse tomorrow. One of the questions I've never seen before puts me in a really difficult predicament. The question is "have you ever been in a monitoring program?" I am assuming this refers to a chemical dependancy type of monitoring and in my case, although it did involve drugs, it did not have anything to do with addiction. This was a one time incident but I was put on probation by the BON in my home state for 2 years and that was completed in '96. However in spite of this questionnaire supposedly being an employee health file and separate from my HR file, I have no faith whatsoever that this will stay confidential. I'm not asking for legal advice, I am just asking what most nurses would do in my shoes when it comes to answering a question so remote in time and which had nothing to do with addiction. I am not one to lie but am afraid that telling about this will jeopardize my employment if I am seen as too big of a risk. I realize I have to answer questions about this in order to complete the background check for licensure endorsement. I am expecting a call any day now from the BON where I have applied for licensure. There is no question whether I have to disclose this with the board, that's a no-brainer. I've never been asked to disclose this information before on a pre-employment physical form and feel very uncomfortable opening this can of worms especially if there was no way the hospital could verify it one way or the other. The attempted suicide was so remote in time that I wonder how relevant it is now to my health except to red flag my file should anything come up as suspicious in the future. I am concerned that my history will be revealed somehow later and then I'll find myself without a job. Either way, it feels like I was already punished enough and shouldn't have to disclose something that was long ago resolved and put to bed. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

A week ago tomorrow I was flown cross country to interview for a position I am well-qualified for, having 20+ years of O.R. experience under my belt. The meeting with mgr. and staff went very well and ended with the statement that she would love to have me come work there. I agreed and said I'd love to as well. I was taken to their HR office. Expecting to fill out more paperwork I was quite surprised to be told none was necessary. All that was wanted from me was a pre-employment urine drug screen so I took my lab requisition and drove straight to employee health, filled out that paperwork,got it done. Since returning home, my test was done within 2 days, got the expected call and the negative results were reported to the prospective employer. I should say that this hospital's nurses are part of the Oregon nurses union and this is my first experience with that so am not sure what to anticipate next. I live nearly 2000 miles away but assume I would not have been sent for pre-employment drug screen unless the interest in hiring me was pretty high. I mailed the manager I interviewed with a thank you note before I flew back home Suday and tomorrow(Fri.) marks a week since our meeting. Since posting my updated resume online, I've been contacted several times a day from recruiters interested in talking to me about both travel and permanent positions. I am not sure whether to take myself off the market because I am sincerely interested in this job I just interviewed for and am trying to be patient for a call or a written offer of employment. A verbal "we'd love to have you be a part of the team" is encouraging but I need something concrete. Since I emailed the hospital I interviewed at an application over 2 months ago, I've lost the job I was at for several years only 2 weeks ago. This turn of events has given me a sense of urgency I didn't have before. Now I need to move in with a friend to save money and give 30 days notice to get out of my month to month lease. What I don't want to do is pester HR or the manager I interviewed with. I'm feeling between a rock and a hard place because I am passing up other opportunities without a solid offer of employment from the place I just did the drug screen for. Those of you who've dealt with the business of negotiating relocation assistance may be able to give me some insight here as to what I should anticipate. I know this has been a very difficult position to fill, it's been vacant 4 months, it is a surgical specialty and moving a nurse halfway across the country is no small investment. I've not asked about salary range yet, nor was it brought up. Am I foolish to not make myself available to interview for these other positions or am I expecting too much too soon? I was not given any indication as to how long it would be before I would hear back from the hospital I just flew out to interview with. This is a very large corporation that manages facilities in 3 states so I realize these things take time. Should I just sit tight and give this a few more days? I was just terminated from my previous position but did not discuss nor was asked about any of my previous employers during this interview. It was a situation where due to the small medical community I am in, my previous employer was inadvertently made aware that I was job hunting. For the past year I had been trying to transfer to another dept. but was blocked at every turn. It was a very contentious relationship and I am very happy to be out of it. I'm unsure now as to whether I should inform the prospective employer that I am no longer working at the previous one and am in fact unemployed.My former employer is known locally to tell employees who give a 2 week notice to resign that it's better if they just go ahead and leave immediately. Thinking all is well, then the former employee is labelled as "not eligible for re-hire" in spite of giving the 2 week notice and finds out much later when references are checked and there's nothing that can be done. I had made my mind up to relocate to the area I just interviewed at, years ago so resigning wouldn't be seen as something unusual, being terminated never looks good. I had a friend who is a recruiter check my references to see what info being released and it was quite an ordeal to even verify dates of employment. This is outsourced to a 3rd party which asked her for my social security number, in order to get any info at all. My resume reflects my updated dates of employment, however the online job application, though correct 2 months ago, is not accurate now regarding when I left my last employer. I don't want to be dishonest, I'm not sure whether or not to call HR and update them with this new info or just assume that the updated resume I emailed and brought to the interview is going to cover that. Sorry this is so long, but having never relocated across the country for a new job I'm not familiar with this process. Locally the timeframe from interview to start date is much shorter, paperwork is filled out in anticipation of that tentative start date. I am afraid to invest any more time or money or even start the licensure ball rolling in case this all falls through and I end up working in a completey different state since my home state is not part of a compact. Any insight from other nurses in OR. or anywhere, for that matter, would be very appreciated. I've never been unemployed long enough to need to file for unemployment compensation so this vague state of uncertainty is challenging, yet I don't want to do anything to set myself up for losing this or another job opportunity.

Speaking from personal experience, if you knew the credentials (or lack of) of the people working in some private plastic surgery centers, you'd be asking a lot of questions before A) interviewing at one B) having a procedure at one. I briefly had a position where the M.A. was circulating, recovering, filling out signed scripts and basically doing everything an RN does. I was told it was all legal because she was working under the plastic surgeons medical license. Really? I mean really? The narc counts were a joke and when I brought this up, within 24 hours I was fired for "not fitting in." My experience is not an isolated one. I don't believe all are like this but this was in a major city, with a well-known surgeon and a very busy $$ practice. If I ever have any plastic procedures done, I will go into having done lots of homework ahead of time. I don't want an RN immediately available, I want an RN who is in the room and is the one circulating, recovering and assessing me.

Surgeons love to make comments and see if they can ruffle your feathers. I was in your shoes about 20 yrs ago and in spite of having 9 yrs exp. as a scrub tech in open heart, learning to circulate was enough to make me really feel like a newbie all over again. I've had surgeons kick my prep stand across the room while I'm prepping and I just calmly say, "so, I guess we're done prepping?" I've had them scream "get me somebody in here who knows what they're doing!" You get all kinds and many are just gruff and impatient no matter who is in the room. Over the years I found it was just a matter of time, when everything clicks for a new grad. It takes a minimum of a year to feel competent and more than that before I felt I could handle anything that came through the door. As you become a familiar face, the crew will trust you, trust that you know what you're doing and back off. Best advice I ever got from a preceptor was to remember that when the surgeon is yelling and you know you've done your very best, it's about HIM, not about you. Get feedback whenever possible, after the fact, so you can see where you have room to improve. As I got more and more years under my belt in the OR, I found that as the stress level of the room became higher, the more focused and quiet I got, so that I could anticipate what the needs of the team would be and have these things ready. The OR is truly a team environment and as you begin to understand how it all works you will find your place, the day will come whe you know what to do without having to think so hard. You'll go home never more exhausted but never more proud of yourself for sticking it out. It's all downhill from there. There will always be new things to learn and days you feel like you're starting all over again. But once you get over this hump, new things will be so much easier to learn. How you feel right now is exactly where you should be. Hang in there.

The graveyard comment is because pre-op is littered with nurses who have done their years in ER, ICU, etc and are looking for what Pre-op offers. I don't want to scare you but you should understand what you are going into right off the bat. It is extremely fast-paced, there are times you will only be able to watch and ask questions later. Due to the demands of the position our department will not even interview someone with less than 5 years of experience unless they already have pre-op nursing experience. You must have really impressed them and I do hope someone will take you under her wing and give you a chance. Focus on learning how this particular department runs and what they need from you as opposed to anything you read in a textbook. We have no educational opportunities for new orientees either. Everything you learn will be OJT and if it helps to write yourself some notes, then bring something that will fit in your pocket. I routinely have days I start 20+ IV's, draw lab, get consents signed, call errant surgeons to sign orders, interface with X-ray, EKG and lab,fax all orders to the pharm, make sure all gets charged for, call all the patients for the next day, write the board, run up to the floor to start a 'hard stick' IV;my co-worker will do the assessments on the EMR,VS, ht,wt, we both fill out as many charts for the rest of the week as possible....this is just off the top of my head. We recently got a 3rd RN after 3 other orientees either left or were terminated. This is a very experienced nurse who transferred from another dept. I truly wish you well and hope the rest of the staff makes every effort to give you the support you need for a very demanding position. Please let us know how it goes in the days and weeks to come.

I woke up after undergoing surgery to remove my gallbladder with bilateral "black" eyes several years ago. The bruising was so severe, one might have thought I'd been punched in the face. It was determined that the taping done by the anesthesiologist to protect my eyes and then the subsequent removal of the tape was the reason for the bruising in that delicate area. I have since had surgery in the prone position for several hours and although woke up with puffy eyes, never before or since had bruising of this severity. I believe that is the answer to your question and that there is no mystery here concerning your patient's black eyes.