rnkatie85

Thank y'all so much! What about the InSuites that is right around the corner from the hospital? I don't mind traffic. I am looking for something that is relatively inexpensive and furnished, but not sketchy! Lol I know that is a lot to ask for, but...you know how it goes!

Nauseated pt - get them to smell an alcohol pad; works until you can get to the zofran! I don't know how many places still do Ewald lavage, but if you rip a hole in a garbage bag and hang it around the pt's neck; it will catch any vomit, makes for easy clean up! Cerumen impaction? fill the ear canal with colace liquid, let it sit, then irrigate with an angiocath connected to a syringe; works like a charm every time! difficult sticks or pedi IVs- if you insert the IV bevel down you will get the flash sooner and decrease the chance of going through the backside of the vein.

Hi All!! I have been an ER nurse for 4 yrs now and have recently decided to start traveling. I picked the DFW area bc my sister lives there and I will be able to spend more time with her. I received an offer from Medical Center of Arlington and I am super excited. The manager seems very friendly and helpful, but I need some staff nurse's wisdoms! I currently work for an HCA hospital, so that won't be a huge change, but I come from a 14 bed ER that is in the process of becoming a Trauma Center. Has anyone worked at MCA in the ER? How do they generally view travelers? Does the dept. have good team work or is it more every man for himself? Also, best places to live around that area? I have checked into a few extended stay hotels, but they seem a bit sketchy! Waiting to hear back from a few apartment complexes that have short term leasing. Any areas that I should avoid as far as safety goes? Thanks so much in advance!

When I took it (don't laugh) but I googled "TNCC practice test questions" and actually got some helpful sites! I am an over preparer, so I like to do practice test to see what I know and what I should study more. Its a lot of information. Read the book and maybe even highlight/jot down notes before the class. Good Luck!!

I think, in my experience anyway, you have to have some type of barrier with your emotions, at least when all of it is actually going on. After its done, take a break, stop and breath. I had a very wise nurse tell me "I don't care if you smoke or not, go outside and "smoke"." Just go out side to get fresh air, cry if you need to, and try to pull yourself back together. I am not a very emotional person, in general, but there are many times I have stood next to a pt's family member, held their hand, and cried with them. That's ok! It lets them know that you did everything you could, and in some small measure you felt with and for them. Talk to your coworkers after the event, some times it just helps to verbalize it to someone else. I'm sorry you had a crappy day, but just try to remember that is why we do what we do. In the ER we see people at their worst, and try like hell to fix it, but the biggest problem is sometimes we don't "win", sometimes we can't beat the light.

well said zmansc! I started in the ER fresh out of nursing school. I worked as a tech in the same ER while I was in school, which was a bonus because I already knew the staff and felt comfortable with them. The one thing my mother (also an ER nurse) always told me is nursing is mostly on the job training. You can make great grades in nursing school, but your first day on the job you will most likely have the "duh, what" face, which I think everyone has!! As far as TNCC and ENPC goes, I personally would wait until you have worked in the ER for a while before you take those certifications. It helps to have some experience under your belt before you jump into those classes. They are only 2 days and it is a TON of information to process. I have been a nurse for 4 years now, I took my TNCC last year and just recently took ENPC. Go into your first day knowing that you won't have all the answers, and that is OK!! Trust you seasoned nurses, not all of them like orienting or teaching new people, but there are some that thrive on it! When you don't know the answer ASK or better yet look it up and then ask (I find that when I have to search for the answer it sticks with me a little better) Lastly, like zmansc said, make sure where ever you end up they have a good orientation for new grads. And don't be afraid to tell your boss if you are not ready when your orientation is supposed to be complete! Good Luck!!

It gets easier! It was your first one! But I do agree with learning where everything is located. we have step stools that we stand on and it helps you to use your whole body instead of just your arm muscles. But I still wake up the next morning wondering why my shoulders and upper back ache! Don't give up just yet, er is rough but you get used to it! Good Luck