blackmamba123

What does NOC stand for? I've tried night owl, and had nothing for the c. I give up.

As I read many comments about not being able to eat at work, it made me think of a joke I saw on facebook some time ago. Nurse's diet Breakfast: 0 calories Lunch: 0 calories Dinner (after getting off work) 82,500 calories

Well, my google search didn't turn up anything at all. This is a bit off topic, but I did come across a few articles about facilities outsourcing the dietary department due to budget constraints regarding patient food. One article mentioned how out of the money paid out for on-sight dietary services, 70% went to pay dietary employee salaries, and 30% went toward the actual food. I don't know how accurate that is...seems a little off? But, if it's accurate, it's understandable why that department gets outsourced, though it's frustrating and inconvenient at times. Here's an older article about it. It's a short one. Hospitals outsource services to save money | FierceHealthcare

Most rewarding: being able to educate patients, options in my career Most challenging: staffing issues One thing I'd change: the staffing issues Good luck with your project and in school!

My favorite part about being a nurse is educating people about their condition, our interventions, or on any questions or concerns they may have. I absolutely love teaching about breastfeeding and troubleshooting with parents when they're having issues. I also enjoy giving correct information, as there's so much misinformation out there. I'm a chronic googler, and looker upper. I enjoy learning as much as I do teaching. As far as the nursing profession as a whole, I love and appreciate that we have options, from being an independent provider to entrepreneurship and everything in between.

Hi and congrats on being in nursing school. I know you said you have to interview a nurse and a nurse manager. Your school does not require you to interview them in person or on the phone???

Oh, ok. I've never seen the position with that title before. Thanks for explaining.

What is a CA?

I'll go out on a limb and say that most health care providers bring their own stuff most of the time. Having time to sit down and eat it in the break room...well that's another story. There are also times when I've been in a hurry and forgot, or went in, spur of the moment due to a call off and didn't have lunch prepared. On midnights, not bringing a lunch can be a mess because the cafeteria and gift shop is usually closed and ordering out is not always an option. Sometimes places have closed or have stopped delivering before I have time to even think about eating something. I've also worked in places in the past that had nothing around it but fields for miles.

If this is the field you want to work in, go for it. Facilities don't hire people for their looks. They want warm bodies who know their stuff, show up on time and when scheduled, who do their work. Patients want people they can trust and who give a crap. You may hear some of the same negative or rude things you hear about your appearance now from patients, co-workers, and anyone else you come in contact with. I know I do. So what. Know your stuff, give excellent care on a consistent basis, gain your peers and your patients' trust, and regardless of what some may say about you, they will respect you. Good luck in your journey!

Not in any of the hospitals where I've worked, no. But because I'm curious and bored like that today, I'll google it and post anything that I find. I mentioned in another post that I worked in a group home setting for a couple years. At that group home, the employer kept a fully stocked kitchen, and we were allowed and encouraged to use the food and cook it there. We weren't allowed to leave the premises at all for our breaks, so he offered it as a courtesy. There was an individual who would cook something to eat, and then take food out of the refrigerator and freezer, staple items, seasonings, anything he wanted, pack it up and take it home. He would also take toiletries. He did not get fired for it, though the owner and manager were aware of it. I thought that was excessive and maybe abusive. I never took anything home from there, but I did take crackers, and milk etc. from the nutrition room at hospitals where I've worked, that was not formally offered to us. I'm not trying to be hypocritical. He took stuff there, I took stuff in other places. I think what he was doing was just crossing a line that I draw for myself, if that makes sense. And it's clear that what I do crosses lines that others draw for themselves. Your #1 above is hilarious, and I totally agree. Based on your posts to this question, I see I could've added another response in the poll..."Yes I do, and yes it is stealing."

This sounds posh. More like a resort than a unit. If only all of our patients could be treated so well. On a lighter note, I'd be in the break room of this unit with a white napkin on my scrubs like..."can you please pass the grey poupon"?

Love it. Thanks for explaining.

I'm a bit confused. You said in your post that you worked as a nurse 3 years, kept your license current, but want to know if they'll hire a new grad??? Were you an LPN and became an RN and took time off while in school or something like that? What area is your 3 years of experience in? I remember doing clinicals and being so excited about doing the school nurse rotation. I thought it would be cool to put band-aids on boo boos and help the kids with stomach aches. Man, was I surprised when I found out what school nurses REALLY do! Keeping up with kids with everything from diabetes to ADHD etc, screenings, making sure immunizations were up to date (that's all I can remember). I think the other poster had a great idea about subbing to see if it's for you. If you've been out of practice for a while or are a new grad with no pediatric experience, you may have some challenges finding a job. Many public school districts in my area look for nurses who are certified in school nursing. Here, private or parochial schools are a better option as they don't always require certification. Also, have you considered working in a college clinic? Different population and different issues, but still very interesting, and may be a better fit if you've been off or no peds. In my area, NP's often run the clinics, so you'd get to learn their role in that setting.

What is a "toonie"?

This is a great point about patient trays and assigned snacks. My OP was about the food that is in the nutrition room as snacks for patients, if they get hungry through the night, or on day shift. So saltines, graham crackers, drinks, unassigned meal boxes etc,. I'm not sure how it is where you work. But at my facility, none of those snacks have names on them...they're all stock items if you will. Bear in mind I work in women's health, so very different from other units ofcourse. Some of the posters expressed comments on other items too. But now you've got me thinking. Technically, the snacks in the nutrition room are informally assigned...to the patients. I'm not sure if I'll change, but it's definitely something to consider.

The worst I've ever done was at my first job as an LPN on midnights. We had cubbies in the middle of the hallway, and I chose to chart there instead of at the nurse's station to be closer to my patients and to focus. I am a person who can be completely sleep while sitting straight up and down. I nodded off and didn't even realize it. A co-worker woke me up on her way to do treatments. I jumped up and said I'm so sorry about a 100 times. There are times at work when I've been so exhausted that I've done the head bob thing while charting. At that point it's time to stand up, take a walk, grab a cup of coffee or a coke, round on patients or something and then come back to charting. I worked in a group home setting before where we were allowed a sleep break after every client was asleep. I took advantage of that break once. I have worked with some nurses in the hospital who, while clocked out for lunch, would literally curl up on a bed in an empty room and sleep. That's a huge no no in my book. So is any unauthorized sleep break in my eyes. A patient can go south at any point in the shift. We need to be alert to handle that at all times. It took some time for me to adjust to being up all night and care for my kids during the day when I was younger. It's not an excuse, but it was my reality. However, if I had not been able to get used to my responsibilities to my family and to my patients, I would've come off midnights asap. Both parties deserved a fully awake and functional individual. Well, my family got that some of the time. I wouldn't give my patients anything less than my full attention. I have a very simple nursing philosophy that I adopted early in my career. Treat all people with the same respect, dignity, courtesy, and excellence that I would want for myself or my family. There is nothing respectful, dignified, courteous, or excellent about falling asleep on someone who is vulnerable and is counting on you.

I'm glad I wasn't eating when I read this. I would've choked. Too funny!

Unfortunately we only have 2%. I'm glad. Chocolate milk is my vice. I would destroy those toddler sized cartons.

TOUCHE!!!

I eat so many cookies (if I can find them) and crackers that if they alone caused diabetes, I would have it. If I've been so busy that I'm sweating bullets, I'll do a ham sandwich, or worst case scenario, the cardboard, I mean turkey sandwich. I don't drink soda or juice that much any more so I leave that alone. But I LOVE MILK, so I'll have a 2% milk.

If there's lorna doones in there, it's golden. I love those things! But I only eat them there. I never buy them. I can't have those in the house...I'd devour a whole box. Same with graham crackers.

Oh the dreaded turkey sandwich....there's not enough mustard or mayo in the world to bring that thing to life. Next to my mouth at the end of 12 hour midnights, it's the driest thing on the unit. I still eat it though.