stineknight

20-25 calls per week. What does that mean? What is your area of coverage? City or rural? Do you have staff that take "call' for home health and hospice patients that call with needs during the night/after hours?

Thank you for sharing your staffing solutions with me. We are growing so fast we have just been approved to hire 2 more nurses as there is so much overtime and we are trying to reduce this. Always trying to think outside the box to make things work for our patients, staff and the organization!

I am a Home Health/Hospice (HHH) RN in Northwest WI. We are growing fast and looking for creative ways to staff nurse positions. We currently have RN that case manage both HHH patients. These RN's work 4-5 days a week, 8-10 hour days. They have to be on call 4 days in a 6 week schedule and back up call 4 days in the same period. This does include the weekend they work (1 weekend every 5-6 weeks). So a normal day is out visiting patients/case managing from 0800-1630, then on call from 1630-0800 the next day. Some call nights we get no calls and some nights, we may be out on 5 different calls for either Home Health or Hospice pt. How do you and your agencies schedule nurses? Do you have someone designated as on call and not working during the day? What about late/after hours admissions? Thank you for sharing!!!

I am a Home Health/Hospice (HHH) RN in Northwest WI. We are growing fast and looking for creative ways to staff nurse positions. We currently have RN that case manage both HHH patients. These RN's work 4-5 days a week, 8-10 hour days. They have to be on call 4 days in a 6 week schedule and back up call 4 days in the same period. This does include the weekend they work (1 weekend every 5-6 weeks). So a normal day is out visiting patients/case managing from 0800-1630, then on call from 1630-0800 the next day. Some call nights we get no calls and some nights, we may be out on 5 different calls for either Home Health or Hospice pt. How do you and your agencies schedule nurses? Do you have someone designated as on call and not working during the day? What about late/after hours admissions? Thank you for sharing!!!

I am trying to gather information about ways to recognize excellent performance in units/departments or facilities. How does your place of employment recognize employees? Do you have ideas on how you wish you were recognized by your employer? Thank you, Christine K RN, CCRN

We are looking for a parking spot for an "employee of the month" recognition. I like the idea of the online nomination that goes directly to the manager! What a great idea! I was also thinking of memberships to nursing organizations as a reward, based on performance. Others thought 15 minute massage certificates might be nice for smaller deeds. Hmmmm...

To keep those squirmy patients from sliding to the bottom of the bed, pull the pt. to the top of the bed, put the bed in slight trendelenberg, then sit the head of the bed up to position of comfort. Pt. will be sitting in a slight V shape. For the ED, you may have to bring the stretcher up a couple of pumps first.

Thank you for responding! It is a huge morale booster to receive recognition whether in the form of a raise, or praise, reward. Does your facility offer incentives for exceeding the standards, going above or beyond your duties? Some places offer the Daisy Award, Certified Nurses Day, Gotcha's. I would like to hear some other ways to value our employees!

I am trying to gather information about ways to recognize excellent performance in units/departments or facilities. How does your place of employment recognize employees? Do you have ideas on how you wish you were recognized by your employer? Thank you, Christine K RN, CCRN

Congrats! Be loud and be proud that you have passed! Those with the rolling eyes are probably complacent and settled into their work. Don't let them get you down. You have now shown yourself, your work and future employers that you have taken the initiative to take a test that proves you have a level of knowledge/expertise in your field. Do we roll our eyes when a MD gets certified in a specialty field? NO! We expect them to! We should have the same expectations of our peers.

In my experience the EKG tests' standard rythms and arrhtmias you would encounter on a regular basis. NSR, SB, ST, heart blocks (know all three types), VF, VT, AFib, AFlutter, Junctionals, SVT, PAC's, PVC's. Ask for a study guide from your facility. If it is a pass or fail, they probably want to help you prepare so that you can become an asset. http://www.gwc.maricopa.edu/class/bio202/cyberheart/ekgqzr.htm

Sometimes you just have to follow your heart. Keep up the good work, and I hope his appetite picks up. God bless you both.:redbeathe