lazz1

Thank you for your reply! That's encouraging to hear. I'm from Vancouver, BC but now live in South FL. I have one year to leave this place and we might be moving to WA where my husband is from. If you can take a travel job to Florida do so, but DO NOT willingly move here because this place will make you want to leave nursing all together.

How much do RNs in Seattle, WA make?

Though the person who wrote the original post had a misunderstanding of what DNR means in terms of patient care, I think she or he now knows the different perspectives that experience RNs hold when they care for DNR patients and hopefully has come up with the right understanding now. I find it more alarming, however, and frankly no one has commented on, is that how a new nurse with only 3 months of experience could possibly feel this burned out. This saddens me, because if her heavy work load of 5-6 patient could be reduced just to four, she or he will have more time to spend with her patients, making him/her feel like they are actually doing their job well. I have been a RN for four years, and I'll admit, I have had thoughts similar to her, where I for a moment think, "Why bother?" I don't let these thoughts change how I treat these patients in any way, but I think many new and old RNs are burned out and this is a result of horrible, stressful working environments. RNs have no control anymore of their workplace environment and are at the mercy of cripsy, old hospital administrators that are absolutely clueless what being a bedside nurse is like today. I feel for you and I encourage you to stay positive and know that you can and do make a difference in those patients who are approaching the end of their lives. We are privileged to help them and provide them relief of their symptoms so that they may live the remaining days or weeks with dignity. Take care!

South Florida, 3 years experience WITH BSN and high acuity training 25/hr (includes benefits ect), night 6/hr, weekend 3/hr, 1/hr if floated Stepdown Was not enough money, so I went per diem and now I get 38/hr with the same diffs.

I think it is quite alright to withhold a medication such as a beta blocker if the heart rate is in the fifty's because I would be cautious in not wanting to cause this patient to brady down further (since this patient already did that before to the 30s). This patient needs a pacemaker. She has tachy/brady syndrome. I would hold the med if her heart rate was that low and get parameters. A good cardiologist would write parameters down at the time of ordering the medication. Most do not, so I would use good judgement and not give the med until I know what parameters the doctor wants.

You speak the truth!!

I'm shocked you are earning 30 dollars an hour down here in Ft. Lauderdale. I'm an RN from canada, with three years of cardiac care and they best two hospitals offered me was 25.00 as a staff RN. I have two degrees, including a BSN. I am now per diem because the pay is 38/hr, and based on how poorly they treat RNs down here in FL, I might as well get paid well for the hard work I do and crap I put up with. I hope things will be better for you. ED/ICU RNs are in demand so you should be able to find a job, but lower your pay expectations, unless you work per diem, because you might be disappointed. It is expensive to live down here. Maybe not as bad as NY, but living on 25/hr and supporting a husband in dental school is just not enough.

Florida is the worst state to work in for LPN's and RN's. Experienced, smart and well trained LPN's are treated like PCTs. They are not even allowed to check blood sugar at my hospital in Fort Lauderdale. I'm an RN, and we too are treated poorly. Exploited by being over worked and frequently under staffed because my hospital is too damn cheap to hire nurses. Believe me, it is not worth moving here for a job. Move here when you retire. I still see nurses who are in the late 50's working their asses off to save for retirement because the only make 35 dollars an hour with 20+ years of experience. I went per diem and make 38$, otherwise, they made it sound like paying me 25$ and hour was doing a favor for me. I have 4 years of training experience. Don't even get me started on the manners of the physicians. There are none.

I'm happy you were able to go back! That is my hope when my hubby finishes dental school here.

Good luck! I wish you the best!

Wow, thats awesome! Your weekly paycheck is 980-1000? What company do you work for if you dont mind me asking? I'm thinking of home health.

Florida is the worst paying state for staff RNs. I have three years of experience and I get 25 dollars an hour. It is an absolute joke how poorly they treat nurses down here! I work in Fort Lauderdale. I have no idea if the gulf coast is better. For your sake I hope it is. I've only worked in FL for 6 months, and I'm done with being a hospital nurse. Doctors are rude, patients think they are in a hotel, administration has their heads up their butts and are clueless to what is actually needed on the floors, which is more staff. I'm from Canada, and we are protected there by a union, while here you are **** upon and expected to hold the hands of incompetent doctors. I'm being blunt because no one was with me and it was a rude awakening. I really hope for your sake it is better on the gulf side, but Florida does have the reputation to treat highly trained RNs, who are smart, intelligent and skilled, as if they are nothing more than grunt workers. The minute I find another job, I am leaving nursing all together.

Thank you so much for replying. I will look into AWHONN. Never heard of it!

Hi everyone, I've been a Cardiac RN for three years now. All of my nursing education and specialty training has been in Canada, and I've worked in the states for 6 months now as med-surg. I do not like it. The unit I was working in Canada was highly specialized in receiving patients POD 1 from OHS, while down here I get the pt POD 4 or 5. We use to get our patients home after valve/CABG sx on pod 4-5!! It drives me nuts to get POD5 CABG patients now and they are only walking for the first time!! I find my job boring and mundane now. I still like caring for my patients, but I am DONE with med-surg. Before I decided what specialty I wanted, many RNs told me "get the med surg experience" first. Well I did that, I got my experience, and though not all of it was bad, I'm ready for a big change. I want to be a maternity/L&D Rn. I always wanted to and I'm ready to do this. I know what I would have to do in Canada to become a Materity/L&D RN in terms of the training and courses, but I'm not so sure how to go about this in the states. If there are L&D RNs, can you tell me what certifications you have, or what education is typically required of RNs in the states to work as maternity RNs. Thank you for reading. Christina

Yes, that is very unsafe. Mostly for you!! The patient won't be harmed laying in bed with all rails up. And as for your "co-worker", if anyone expects you to be able to push a 400 lb man on a stretcher with no help, they need to stop being a nurse because they lost their mind. Next time say no you won't do it without help. Protect your back and shoulders. I injured my shoulder in my first year of nursing, and I should have said no, I need help. Never do anything you are uncomfortable with and seek out those co-workers who will help you and forget those who don't. That is not teamwork.