nurse42long RN

Several years back I was hired into a smallish Labor and Delivery Department at the age of 57. Every nurse that I met was eager to work with a "very seasoned" L&D nurse except our one doctor. When he heard that the manager (also my age) had hired...

Thrilling - seeing the crowning head emerge with each push Terrifying - not seeing the rest of the baby emerge, due to shoulder dystocia

I was a bartender/cocktail waitress in a hole in the wall joint. Tips were decent but always had to watch for the ABC guys (alcohol & beverage control) because I was underage (19). I worked there while in nursing school as well as Church secretar...

This is how it's supposed to feel. You did good. Store this one away in your data bank for the day when it doesn't work out so well. I love that your charge nurse said "you've arrived". Soon you'll have more of these than not. Congrats.

Had an elderly physician who covered nights in rural small OB. Not sure who thought that was a good idea. But he was quite the horticulturist. He grew award winning roses and Africian violets. Anyway one night I called him about an early labor patien...

If you have been on nights for over two years and you love it. Stay there. If you can sleep during the day and feel good physically, stay on nights. I've worked everything there is in 40 years and nights with a good crew was the best. We raised our k...

I usually get the paperwork done first. I think it is easier to establish a rapport with the patient and family to ask the non-personal questions first, insurance etc. Also talk about what the agency can do for the patient, pt rights and responsibili...

Take an art class through the community or at a local art museum, then take another. Maybe find a part-time job at a gallery or some other area in a creative field. Even if it's just answering phones and helping out. Then when you find something that...

I hate it when parents use nurses, doctors, etc. to threaten their children to behave. For instance, "if you're bad, that nurse will give you a shot". Not good. Well, now I've heard it all. I got to my little old patient's home and the sister/caregiv...

I've been a nurse since temperatures were taken with glass/mercury thermometers. We had fifty that we kept in a metal pan in Cidex solution and went from one end of the floor putting them under tongues. Then we went back and collected, checking the t...

When my daughter-in-law was in labor, my son made sure everyone knew I was a labor and delivery nurse and that the other grandma was a lawyer. I don't know which one of us was the most intimidating, but she got excellent care.

I hear you. After 39 years of nursing, it has finally beat me as well. I've done L&D, NICU, OR, ER, LTC, etc. I did some great work but I can't take the "customer service" approach anymore. Doing more with less until there is nothing left to wor...

You could also look at it as more patient access to care may be great for hospital nursing. For example, patients who waited until condition was so bad that it required emergency care and hospitalization may now see a PCP or NP and have the problem d...

Medicare and some insurances will pay for Home Health wound care supplies, but in most states Medicaid will not. If patients can't afford wound care supplies, we have to sometimes "MacGyver" it. Usually wound care in the home is aseptic not sterile....

I think this could be the future considering all the fuss about Press-Gainey scores. The patient "prefers" applesauce with her meds even though is NPO. Nurses who know better let the patient have her way. Easier to go along to get along. I was taught...

I saw a quote today on AllNurse that I would like to post around the workplace in "interesting" places, for example, on the back of the restroom stall door, over the pyxis, etc. The quote I saw was, "Be the type of nurse you want to work with." I Lov...

I love all of these. I can't wait to start posting them around the unit in unexpected places. You never know when the right word can change a day, or more. I love the community of nurses, and I'm proud to be one all these many years.

I have a question and a concern. There is a nurse where I work that calls in prescriptions to the local pharmacies for anyone that wants one. Not for narcotics or anything like that but if someone needs a refill for their lasix, or an antibiotic call...

Again to all who have commented, thank you. As the comments have been split as to what to do and are so heartfelt it has made it harder to decide what to do. I did talk with the Nurse Manager earlier today and told her of the situation. She did not s...

Thanks to all for your advice. I wanted to hear from nurses but in an anonymous way. And I appreciate all the comments. I have since talked with a few friends and family (psychologist, lawyer-nonmedical type, and an HR person, again non-hospital) and...

How do I report this to BON? Anyone know the procedure? I'm new at this job, less than two months and this nurse has been here 24 years. The Nurse Manager is aware of many things this nurse has done. In fact, the NM told me that "she is crazy, don't...

You may need to change hospitals. It's possible the patient mix at your facility is skewed to what your seeing. Maybe you can find a private hospital in a more affluent neighborhood, where the mix is more married or older couples. The suggestion of t...

Nah, I've been doing this for almost 40 years and "back in the day" we didn't wear gloves to do anything but sterile procedures and vaginal exams. I've never (so far) taken anything home. I just wash my hands before I leave work and take off my scrub...

Years ago I accompanied a very distinguished OB doc to do a vag exam on a grand multip (her 11th baby) also this patient was rather large. Outside it was a raging thunderstorm, just as the doc started the vag exam a clap of lightning and boom, the l...

I have nothing to hide from the "general public" but some may be in hiding from abusive ex-spouses or stalkers. The public doesn't need to look up individual nurses, or access their information. If someone is concerned they should take it up with the...