cclear2020

I think the write up came from a place where you thought as the charge nurse you needed to take stronger action. when something makes you feel uncomfortable, tell the person. if it happens again, report it. that seems more like the standard.

Make your own using a 12 box lined paper to represent each hour, on the top add your start of shift vitals or any other findings you can give in verbal report at change of shift. the big boxes over time will contain just the essentials, and then you can come up with mini-me versions. Start Big

Sometimes an ED trip to a hospital you don't work out may help lessen the public embarrassment, but if you have to go, remind your family member in a nice way not to "poop where you eat". I like the other advise about calling your mom out as she states these comments to distance yourself from them. Family is wonderful, right?

One of the most important questions relates to telling your own story. This is a large barrier for some, as you are now selling yourself. But look at it as an opportunity to paint a picture for the hiring manager so it explains why you are applying as well as the strengths you bring to the job. you can reference back to this story during other parts of the interview. This opening part is an outline (good, great, funny, mistakes, goals) that will help you during the rest of the interview.

In any of these examples the only test is to ask yourself, were you uncomfortable? can you speak directly to the person? or then take it to your supervisor and be ready to write down what happened.

WAH (work at home) nursing jobs offer as much flexibility as they do constraints. For phone based RN's your stats will be analyzed from every angle and if you were ever a call center customer service rep, the job is similar (talk time, hold time, non productive time). Feeling tied to your computer may not be a good fit for everyone, especially if you've enjoyed more walking and autonomy with a floor nursing job. That said, some WAH jobs with disease management will offer more travel time, which is good for the more social nurses. Just like the starter of this thread is doing, check in with others in the field to get their opinion. You may not know if it is a good fit until you try it. Don't be scared by other nurses opinions that are extreme "worst job ever", as well as those who say its the best. Floor nursing is totally different, though your critical thinking skills and symptom recognition and gut feelings are still very important.

Always nice to know where the wind of nursing blowing from one minute to the next..... Some of this is revealing, thinking that nurses believe they are too dumb to be a nurse, and being a repeat NCLEX taker, somehow prevents you from being a nurse, well folks, you can keep taking that test until you passed, and you will be the best test taker by the end. The best nurse comes only with experience.

Seems likes just asking about gtts is not enough information, the clinical criteria includes gtts but also other interventions such as those with neurochecks beyond what can be done with 1:4 ratios and require 1:2 or 1:1. Reimbursement is one perspective, but some hospitals or MDs should use their own judgment on the safety of the patient at the time, and worry about payment later.

I keep medicine at home just in case I get a psychological case of scabies!! LOL. I protect myself with the appropriate gear, and block out the worry. the patient comes first, and I strip down and toss my scrubs in the dirty hamper and not even bring them or my shoes in the house.

I am feeling grateful for not having to go through this self-rigger of worry. My hope is that everybody who meets the minimum, passes!! good luck and to those with thoughts of failing, try some positive self talk for longer than your negative talk. you passed nursing school (much harder and longer than the nclex), you studied for the nclex, you are smart enough, etc..

.Oh lord, I feel so used, though I do see bubbly soft drinks for surgical patients food tray. Is this for bowel activity? [/QOTE]

If there is enough draw for you to be interested in this field, GO FOR IT! (I did bedside 1.5 years then did CM). I say write down a pro and con list of what you like about nursing and your ideal job. once I saw, that I loved paperwork, talking with patients without giving a med, social work, coordinating care, phone work and typing, being a CM was a great fit. With any job you have to redefine how you will find rewards..

pre approved time off is yours 100%, and though the job may lack boundaries in calling people, you are in control of not answering the phone or returning the message. Sometimes the desperate calling person, is not the same person as the one who knows the HR policies and is aware you are either out on medical leave, or on a well earned and deserved vacation!! No guilt, right?

Just because they are treating this more casual, does not mean you need to accept it, or stop you from asking the right questions (job description, pay, hours, ect). seems like they had your information for three months, so ask, what was the process leading up to my phone call? Now would I like to work at a place that does not do background check? Probably, No. however, ask more information about the vetting process for new hires, at minimum you want to protect your potential new patients AND your own license.

I have worked there, and please allow your self a generous learning curve before jumping ship. The flow as you say, is totally different and your nursing skills need to adapt to this change in role. Yes, there is a strong business side with the number of calls you take, how long each call lasts, and the key areas they want you to talk about, BUT this is an important field that will be getting bigger and bigger. This company as whole is large, and once you have put in a good amount of time, you may find another important role there that speaks to your professional heart.

This seems like one of the worst days possible in nursing, and though I can't imagine your pain, I give you props from moving forward and doing one of the best things you can do, talk about it with your peers. Your peers, both local and online, have either gone through that, or can relate to the environment that only other nurses truly know about. Sharing to your significant other is also important, without feeling like you are burdening them or that they don't understand, they still love you, and need to know what you are going through on a daily basis. Keep talking about it, and be open to talking to your hospital's Employee Assistance Person/program (EAP) if they have it, this person is usually a licensed mental health pro, that has training in PTSD, debriefings after watching a traumatic event, or just a trained ear to listen to you process your feelings. Kudos to you!

Always remember how valuable you are in your position, and that you need to rest/recharge to stay excellent in your position. If it is less than a year, I say create a new attitude that will get you through your days with pride. If they have a lot of positions open, you have more leverage to talk about part time hours vs. more of a flex schedule, but you must try to figure out how flexible you expect them to be in this market. Doctor's note is good, but it comes with a price that your employer may not look at you as reliable, however, they are not really allowed to do that. If you work for a larger LTC, it might be good to talk to their HR about what you might be entitled to with leave. otherwise, talk to your boss about changing/reducing hours and offer to work more of the shifts they have trouble filling. I cut my hours to part time, even though there was a waiting list, just by saying that I would work every weekend, they loved this, and I got my two 12's and the weekends were more controlled (if you can say that), then the M-F craziness. Stay positive!

I love this conversation, any objection to having a male nurse falls apart with a male doctor in the room. What are we really revealing with our attitudes and feelings? Is this modesty? are we afraid a male nurse would cross a boundary? Embarassment? Or _________ ?

what do you mean we now have to assess for how happy:eek: patients are with their doctor?!?!?

As a male, I know I have unjustly received many perks in life, simply because I was male. The ob world seems to turn this notion over, which is good, except it remains a situation of where you must be exclusively female. The big exception are all the male doctors that get a pass. the culture is for an all female nurse landscape just as it is 90% female nursing all in all. Most will say, follow your dreams. but be prepared that 1. not one LD male nurse has chimed in (he might have been killed with evil eyes) and 2. Ask yourself, do you have the energy to be a trailblazer where you will face daily adversity? If you are truly ready, then go for it. I wish the culture would have been different as a male nursing student, I just wanted to learn and not be treated poorly by the female nurses, as for the unjust woman's OB world? As a male, I think I can take some discrimination my way.

Since we are all nurses, you do not need to bring in a male nurse to solve this problem. come prepared, with your firm response, and another employee for your own safety.

Then who in the real world's job is to give the rx to the patient whethere they are happy or unhappy about it? At your clinic, it is the MD's job to placate/deal with irate patients?

You mean an MD would leave the RN to do the dirty work?? there are many situations that will require the RN to take the lead, when the MD has left behind holes. I guess I did not feel that the MD was not "forthright" and we do not know that the conversation was really "abuse". My goal is to overall empower the RN to push forward, with the teaching, Here is the RX. What did the MD tell you? Here is what I understand. If a new nurse simply punts the ball back to the MD everytime there is a perception of non-forthright MD behavior, then you may not ever improve on speaking with patients on difficult matters and the MD may fire you. In my solution, you may need to get the MD involved who probably will not come back to the room, so do your best as the RN to do your job, teach on the discharge medication and plan, probe more as to why the vicoprofen is so important or why the patient can not see a pain specialist? (ie insurance issue, dependency). Don't give up the ship just because the captain steers you in the wrong place.

within your nursing career you have mastered many of the duties required for a CM, you just need to really focus on your resume against the job description and sell yourself! A per diem CM may allow more flexibility in experience, especially if you take the hours/days that nobody wants like all weekends. this will give you training and experience and the facility loves having a weekend person because it keeps the m-f staff happy.

If the RX was for all the patient's requested meds, then of course the RN would take this on. Though unfortunate to have to deliver bad news, the RN is there to do the discharge teaching, and with confidence explain the discharge plan. Otherwise you might make the argument that the RN's job is not to deliver the discharge RX or review the plan on cases where the patient might get mad.