RNsharkinaj

wanted to sign up to a website to take online courses and complete to print out ceu certificates...any suggestions????for good websites with great courses, fair prices...etc. any input would be greatly appreciated....

I would like to find out from other fellow nurses if getting a master's degree is worth it? Online would be the route I would likely have to go being my family situation. How much do most cost, and for those who have done it, how is the school work, and have you felt the degree was well worth it, please let me know............

Also definitely agree, the charting is outrageous. Just a few days agree I was joking to a few other nurses that if we wanted to we could sit down and chart for several days.....literally!!! and still have things that could be filled out. Less charting and more patient care, I am a huge fan of that!!!

busted!!!......

Definitely put your experience on your resume. Just because you decided to step down during your short stay in that position, you could explain. When asked make it apparent that your high aspirations were a bit too ambitious for your level of skill. Also, reaffirm the fact that you didn't get a proper orientation because you were unable to stick with one preceptor, and felt uncomfortable about it. That the hospital didn't foster an adequate environment for learning. Experience is going to be what helps you acquire the next job, the next employer will have less that they need to teach you. You most likely to have a lot of skills down, but don't forget that you tried to start out in the ICU...that is extremely difficult to do...don't stress!!

I like to take the approach that pain is subjective, therefore you never do know for 100 percent truth. Otherwiswe I would have a tough time sleeping at night. Sure, we all know dilaudid, phenergan and then benadryl cocktail for the itching is ridiculous, but it isn't our place to refuse necessarily. There are many steps that can be taken to attempt to minimize the amount of narcotics given to your patients, but the most helpful for me, is to firmly let them know that patients who get to leave in his or her condition will need to be on PO prns before discharge. Sometimes being in a hospital annoys them, however, some don't care because they are getting what they want. Also discussing the entire situation with the physician will help, as they will titrate the dose down, or dc it and then it will be impossible for the patient to get them, maybe only some X1 orders. I totally agree with you and have seen a lot at my hospital too, patients with saline locks in their ankles because all of their veins are gone....but in the end pain is subjective, and if you have tried every other alternative method, and it doesn't work, don't worry about it, it needs to fully involve the patient acknowledging a problem before you can begin to cure addiction.

very normal...I think the magic number is 12 months. A year is about how long it takes to be pretty confident in your nursing skills. But it sounds like you may need to find things that you can cut out during a shift. Also a very good worksheet that you can even design yourself is very important in maintaining your focus if you get off track.

I had a family member state that I couldn't give her mother meds with applesauce because was allergic to apples. Whatever....

I would always be careful about any diet ordered for a patient who appears there could be any problem at all with swallowing, especially upon admission. Maybe put your hand lightly on his throat and ask him to swallow. If you feel you get a rise and fall in the throat, have him sip some water, if no problem...done, let him eat. If not page the doctor and relay your concerns. I don't know when you called the code, I'm sure it was as soon as possible, but whenever you have any sense that your patient is not "right," immediately call a code or rapid response. Don't ever be shy about using your instincts, you know the patient and you spend the most time with him/her. There was probably nothing you could have done, so don't beat yourself up...

They're still done, but the new computer system as forced the doctors to agree to put all their orders in, especially since they can be outside the hospital even and enter orders. They still occur, but I would recommend making a nursing note to verify the exact order, and to avoid taken verbal orders for any meds. If something happens, the nurse will not be the first person management would believe....

Make sure you always clean the first inside inch of the bag with a clean towel or paper towel as well.

At the hospital I work at it refers to years of experience and education. Level 1 is a new grad, until about 6-12 months and then level II is started, and then I believe Level III is after five years of experience and a bunch of hospital projects, and/or committee work to obtain III or even level IV.

Ask if you can speak with her, and simply tell her thanks for your current employment, getting you through school, and that you are very interested in staying put where you are, be honest and cut to the chase. GL!!

I hated clinicals, and would never want to relive those days, but I think especially for men, starting out in nursing it is a very nervous time. It is very common I think about you having anxiety, and believe me it gets way better, and the women you will work with will be awesome to have as coworkers.

Please look for a better place to work, if what youre saying is true, nurses should never have to jeodardize their license caring for patients in a place that will not support appropriate working conditions.

If he had 450 in before urination, and 350 after urination, you could document the situation and be covered, since technically you don't need to straight cath. Or you could recheck in an hour or so, ask him to void and then scan again. If it was the same or less, I would have the next nurse check it in 12 hours. If it was more than before or more than the volume in the doctor's order, I would carry out the order, and document doing such. Your preceptor is wrong, technically, if she cathed the patient, she would be carrying out the order incorrectly.

I guess it may be a little different since I am a male nurse, but family can present many problems. Firstly, I would recommend being firm with the wife, she is acting inappropriately. When the patient was wet, you could ask a charge nurse, CNA to clean the patient, if unavailable reaffirm the family member you will be in his room as soon as it is possible. Next, once the wife starting emptying or doing anything that was specifically for me to do as the nurse, I would firmly ask the wife to allow me to do what she was doing, and reassure her that I have confidence in doing my job. If she did not listen my assistant manager would know right away, and one way or another the wife would have to back off. "Something like, I am sure you are a wonderful nurse, Mrs. ......, but please allow me space and respect to do my job."

I understand all of that, but still cannot stand when for instance, an assistant manager, obviously chatting randomly about a nonimportant issue unrelated to nursing cannot answer a call light on their own. It makes me pretty angry sometimes. I makes me want to get the saying "Ok, I'll tell your nurse" on a bumper sticker or license plate.

I was wondering how other hospitals are with their managers. I start to feel sometimes that those who manage do so because they don't want to work the floor. I can't explain how many times us nurses are slaving away and there are 12 to 15 nursing managers in a "meeting." It also seems like the budget should be spent on more floor nurses instead of yet another manager in a white lab coat who used to work the floor, now pushing papers around the hospital instead of helping. Any other thoughts?