duckie

Tired of stupid nurses, you bet and I work with plenty of them. As for "Miss or Mr. Nurse" running off to eat their lunch to leave you doing their work, I would have showed that person a seat and told them to plant their brain....I mean rump, and get busy!!!! After all, if they cannot assess a patient perhaps they could a least do the paperwork.......okay, I'll shut up now!

I have accepted some small handmade items made by residents that they would make as therapy and their was of keeping busy and then they would give them to the staff of their choice as a way of saying thanks for being there. My biggest shock came from being named in a will and given a portion of the estate. That was totally unexpected.

When I hear those words, the staff member gets one oral warning, the next time they are written up. I ask them would you appreciate that if your family member had their call light on, in distress and someone said, "that's not my patient." Then I tell them plolitely, move you rear!!!!!!!

I cannot see how these nails, if kept in a proper length, "not cat length," can possibly be any less sanitarty than chipping, broken, thin and cracking nails. I wear glue on, cause I can pop a set on in 15 minutes and I stay professional at all times in my length. The majority of my complimants come from my supervisors. Now, we have this one nurse that has claws that are 1 1/2 inch long, natural, very yellow and dirty, which do you think looks better and is safer healthwise. She also has long frizzy stringy hair that flies in the breeze, looks great...huh? We have no policy against nail colors so I am free to be expressive, color my nails to match my uniforms and the residents just love it. I wash my hands tons of times daily, always wear gloves( changing between residents) and and very careful of the length. Check to company handbook. Plus, if your nails are done in a natural way, length is good, I would doubt that anyone will even notice unless you tell them. Give me professional looking nails everytime. When my nails are natural, they split, hangnails galore, not a pretty site. My daughters wedding is coming up on Saturday and you better believe they'll be on. Check your handbook, that's the best route to go.

Not only have I written myself up for what I considered a mistake, which my DON laughed at and threw out but I have written my husband up. You just gotta do what 'cha gotta do!

It must have to vary between states because I am an LPN and Believe me, I have pronounced more deaths than I would ever like to remember. In LTC, there is hardly ever an RN in the building, so I pronounce, call the MD and make all final arrangements. Also, where we are at, I am the only one, I need no back up signature. In 22 years of nursing, I have never made a "wrong" call. Check out your state regs. Duckie

With all my heart, I believe hearing is the last sense that ceases. Even when doing post mortum care, I talk to my residents, telling them that they will be missed, that they are loved but I look forward to meeting them again in a better land. If I am not able to assist with post mortum care, I ask my CNA's to talk to the residents. I have found that this also makes it easier on those doing the care. It helps provide closure and is a more personal way of saying good bye.

I'm not one to back away from issues like this but rather meet them head on. I would tell NM that I wanted a meeting with both nurses in her presence and confront the liar. I have done this in the past and once things are out in the open, if it continues, you have proof of their behaviors, but usually, once people know you're not going to sit by quietly and take it, they'll move on. Good luck with however you handle it.

Ignorant people of this nature make me want to vomit, plain and simple. Do they think Heaven is divided by color scheme? What azzes! I love ya Hon, would work beside you and hug your neck just to whizz 'em off. Get out of there and go where the town folks have......brains. What I never could understand is how people can have a racist mind and then spent hundreds of dollars in a tanning bed, to look brown. Hold your head up high and you'll be loved more than you know! Good luck to you. Hugs, Duckie

I was once in a job where I was over worked, highly stressed, and afraid to move on. I ended up having a nervous breakdown and didn't work for nearly 6 months, we almost lost everything. PLEASE don't let this happen to you!!!!! A good nurse, which it sounds like you are, can adjust and does. You will do fine but putting your license and sanity on the line is not worth it. I cannot say that I am never stressed at my current job BUT the folks I work for are so much better about helping in a pinch, why our house supervisor has even voluntered to work as a CNA because of call ins at times. You cannot ask for better than that. As a matter of fact, many times us nurses work as CNA's if need be, it's called team work and we do work together. Don't stay where you're not appreciated and do something good for YOU!!!!! I wish you luck. Duckie

I'm not an OB LN but I will tell you that I am thinking of you and praying for a safe and healthy delivery. PLEASE do what your MD says. Call on family and friends to help you through this, accept help when it is offered and remember, we're all thinking of you and caring deeply. PLEASE keep us posted and I'll keep you in my prayers.

Sounds like you work with a bunch of idiots. Next day off, job hunt, then tell them, "chow baby" as you walk out he door. You were looking for a job when you found this one and let's face it, nurses are in demand! As far as of what doctors expect of nurses, let me just say this. They aren't God and God spelled backwards is dog of whom I have more respect for than many doctors I have met. If just ain't worth the stress. If they have such a problem with you, let them do you job till they can fill your shoes. Oh but that would require coming out of the offices and staying off the Internet all day! Sucks to be them!

I agree 200%!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have no difficulty approaching anyone, especailly if it's related to my job situation. I don't usually go up to total strangers but do make a point to be friendly to anyone I make eye contact with. If the day comes I cannot smile and say hi, then that's the day they lay me down! Jesus loves us all, red, yellow, black and whilte, we are precious in His sight!

Everyone handles death differently. I honestly say that I feel both sadness and joy when I loose one of my precious residents. I love them all like family so the tears are for my sorrow of my loss and the joy for them, that they are now free of all pain and suffering. I cannot say anything that hasn't already been said to perfection, so I will just add, God bless you for caring!

I always feel guilty when I call off, no matter what the reason is. On Monday I found out I had pnuemonia, and I felt very guilty about calling off. But I was so weak I could hardly move so I know I certainly would have been of no use to anyone, not to mention, was this contagious, so I called off. My normal days off are Mon. & Tues., so my first call off day was Wed. Wed. night I called and talked to my Supervisor, told her I still couldn't come in. I cried both days as hubby left for work without me. Friday comes and I'm still weak as a kitten, hardly able to stop coughing and breathing was a chore. I'm very lucky, my Supervisor took the decision out of my hands and said I was off the schedule all weekend, to sleep, take my meds and get better. I don't have to go back to work till Wed. and by then I know I'll be in much better shape but the whole point is, my heart is there. I have a resident that is critical. It should be me there holding her hand, comforting her, loving her.......my heart is at work, even though my body is still very weak and weary. Nothing makes me madder than these people that call off because "it's my child's first Christmas" or some other dumb excuse and the kid is less than a year old and will sleep the day away anyhow. I have CNA's that like to party and I tell them, this ain't McDonalds, if you cannot be responsible, get out. These are people not hamburgers and they need care all the time, not just when you have the time. I put my heart and soul into my job and I expect no less from those I work with. The people we care for deserve to be treated with the deepest of respect and calling off because you partied to much the night before does not show respect.

We take them weekly and PRN with change of condition.

I work in Indiana and I just got a raise that bumped me to over $18.00 an hour. I have 21 years experience and I do make more than the newer RN's but our CNA's are started at $9.50 per hour. Guess it depends where you work in Indiana, what your pay scale is.

Since this incident, our facility policy has been changed. The person actually had 2 bottles of 500 Vicodin, that is why I knew one was missing. He had just been admitted from the outside where he ordered his meds via the mail. No one questioned me when I said it was missing because I pay very close attention to what happens on my unit and I was concerned about these bottles all along. After the police concluded their investigation....yea right, the facility changed it's policy and all controlled drugs must be bubble packed, and if someone is admitted with controlled drugs in bottles, we do a shift to shift count till they are gone then they go bubble pack with the reorder. I am still upset that they didn't let me and the first shift nurse continue our own plan. We were doing counts ourselves everyday and comparing it against the MAR. I think we would have gotten the person dead to rights but then the cops got involved. I really don't think the facilty wanted to be bothered with it all cause I told the administrator, give us a month and we'll tell you who did it cause we were doing different things but they chose the other route. All I know is that is wasn't me and I would have been more than happy to take a lie detector test. Funny part is, the one that everyone thought did it was the only one that got huffy when asked if she would take a test, claiming she was very nervous and didn't think she could pass it due to the emotional strain she was currently under.........

We had this situation where I worked. A bottle of 500 Vicodin came up missing. I was the one that discovered it and reported it. All nurses having worked that unit since it was known that the bottle was still there, were called to the police station, one by one, and gave a recorded statement. That was 2 years ago and nothing has come of it since but everyone had a very strong idea who took it and we are all upset that it was not investigated till the end. Unfortunately, the person we think that may have taken it has moved on so, I imagine this will go no further. Incidentally, not more drugs have disappeared. Don't get too shook up, just tell the truth and you'll be fine. Oh, one question they will ask during the taped interview is if you are willing to take a polygraph test, this is routine so don't get shook up. And if they ask you if you have any idea who you think may have done it, don't go pointing fingers, just say you really have no idea. Pointing fingers can be an indication that you are trying to take the blame away from you. When I was asked this question I simply said, I have some ideas but no proof and I will not point fingers because it is not my place. Try to relax if you are being interviewed by the police, place you hands in your lap, in a relaxed manner and just be honest and you'll be fine. Good luck!

We have several very large ladies that we use bag balm on in all their little creases and their skin is in wonderful condition. I highly recommend it and what's even better is that you can get a MKAB order and the CNA's can apply it as often as needed. This is great stuff!!!!!

Duckie says, "Right back at ya babe!!!!" Ya know I just have this one little problem........How do you put Corvette energy into a Volkswagon body and keep it all together! haha My heart wants to do cartwheels and backflips but the time spent in the hospital for recovery sure would put a damper on my sex life! Oh I feel like such a little brat today!:imbar

Thanks so much and a hearty hug to you!!!!!!!!

If taking a medication that highly improves the quality of your life, makes you a more pleasant and in control person counts as an addiction, then I am adicted to Paxil and I always will be. With the unbelievable results I have had since starting Paxil, my MD told me he truly believes I have been clinically depressed for maybe as many as 20+ years and I do not doubt this. I have NEVER felt so good, had such a positive outlook on life and had this kind of energy. I feel like God opened up the sky and said, "My child, you are reborn." I was taking 20 mg per day and they did have to lower my dose because even with the 1mg of Xanax BID, I had so much energy, I couldn't control it and would just go and go until I was nearly out of control and then I would pass out. This happened several times. It was very scary because the last time my B/P was only 80/36 and my pulse dropped to 42. Scared the begeepers out of my hubby but since he works in the nursing field also, he got me up and walked me until I came to and vitals started increasing. My doc says he has never seen anyone do this good on the med I am on. My doc says it is possible I will be on a maintainance dose for the rest of my life and I have no problem with that. When I can work circles around the gals half my age, can chase my hubby around the house like a teenaqer, I have no complaints and if it's not broken, DON'T FIX IT!!!!! I did try to wean myself off Xanax but just couldn't handle the hyperness. I will ask MD to lower it to 5 mg. once he goes to maintainance does. My Pharmcist is a real jewel and saved me tons of $$$$ by cutting larger doses to make 10mg. It went from being $75.00 a month to 25.00 a month. I don't think anyone should consider a medication an addiction that improves your quality of life. If you were diabetic, would you take insulin????? Same difference. Go with God and I thank you Lord for giving me peace of mind and a brand new life!!!! Hugs to all.

A few years back I had to intercede one of CNA's to prevent him getting onto the unit. I had worked with this young man from many years at our current employment and also at the previoous one. I cared very deeply for him and his wife. BUT, I am there to do a job and unleasing a drunk on innocent residents goes against my ethics. As soon as I encountered him, I contacted the person that carried the most clout, told him what was going on and then delayed the employee from leaving the area till he arrived. This young man had previously had a near fatal wreck, caused by his drinking. I spoke with him frequently and told him to clean up his act. Until that point he had never come in drunk. I looked at him and told him I loved him but I would not cover for him and allow him to harm someone innocent. He was escorted home and termined. This hurt me after a nearly 9 year relationship with him but I would not hesitate to do it again. Lives are at stake and we are there to protect those that cannot protect themselves. I made no excuses to him for what I had done and why.