cbcle

Compile a list of achievements/contributions from the year. Did you attain any certifications? Did you serve on any employee committees? Did you make any suggestions for changes that improve work flow and efficiency? Did you orient new staff? Precept a nursing student? Think of concrete examples of how you achieve goals that you set for yourself and how you went above and beyond. Good luck on your eval!

Congrats on the job! I love my Littman Classic II Infant stethoscope for my wee ones, but I covet the Cardiology III. It's nice when you're assessing moms and babies because all you need to do is flip it over to use it for peds or adults.

Hi there. Congrats on your offer as well! The background check ended up taking about 3 weeks from start to finish. Gather all of your paystubs and W2s because they do follow up and ask for documentation for each job you've had no matter how small. It all ended up being fine, just tedious. Thank goodness I keep all that stuff. Did you do your PBDS test yet?

I bought a couple of pairs of Best Ever scrubs a few years ago. They were ok, but not worth the money. I liked the tops better than the bottoms. My favorite are Grey's Anatomy scrubs. They're about half the cost of Best Ever scrubs. And if you need some inexpensive good looking scrub bottoms I like the Cherokee flare pants.

Before I let my pt launch into the long-winded version of what's going on, I ask the required yes or no questions first. "Hi, Mr. Smith, you're calling about abdominal pain today?" "Yes" "Ok, really quickly I'm going to ask you some yes or no questions that will help me determine how urgent the situation is. Do you feel cold and clammy, feel like your heart is racing, you're breathing fast or that you're having any mental status changes?" "No" "On a scale of 0-10 with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain you could imagine, how would you rate your pain?" "I'd say about a 7." "Is it so severe that it prevents you from bending, walking or working?" "Yes, it hurts when I walk." "Any fever/chills/nausea/vomiting/diarrhea/constipation?" "I feel a bit feverish." "And if you were to point to where it hurts, where would you be pointing?" "Just below my ribs on the right side." This takes about 1 minute, then I let them tell me what happened, when it started, what it feels like, what makes the pain worse/better, etc. This seems to cut down on the pt's narrative a lot by getting some of the key things out of the way. Hope it helps.

I give report quickly and efficiently and promptly clock out. I don't stay for hours "charting" while I milk the clock. That way the unit can use that money for staff when they really need it or for education money.

I'm in the Mid-Atlantic region and yes, it's true, Kaiser pays significantly better than comparable employers. It's a nice place to work!

Johns Hopkins has it. So does UVA. Good luck!

Generally as long as it's the same specialty, I've had anywhere between 3-6 shifts after I complete HR orientation and hospital nursing orientation which takes about a week or two at most. I'd go nuts if I had to shadow somebody for any longer than that!

Mine was postpartum. I couldn've believe that we got paid the same as ICU/ER nurses! Note: Easiest job and favorite job are not necessarily synonymous!

I love sleeping during the day on a rainy day. Bliss!

Thank you all for your responses. You're right, it's like having kids. You're never ready! You just do it and somehow it all works out. I give myself all the usual excuses: 4 young kids, can't afford to, etc. But I guess it's not all that different from when I was doing my undergrad except then I had 3 youngs kids, and really couldn't afford to since I earned about a quarter of what I do now. LoL! Ok, whew... deep breath, maybe spring semester I'll start with two classes.

I know I need to go back to school but for whatever reason I just can't take the plunge! I got my BSN two years ago and always thought I'd go back right away, but life keeps getting in the way. It's hard to cut back on work hours once you're used to making a certain amount of money. I'm at a point where I really can't advance my career until I finish my masters. And I love to learn! So why can't I just bite the bullet and do it?! When did you know you were ready?

I'd say they run fairly true to size. I'm a 0-2 and I wear the XS. The pants are very stretchy. The tops have less give so you may have to go a size up depending on your bust size. I love the fabric. So soft and comfortable!

For those of you who aren't required to wear scrubs to work, what do you usually wear? I love my hospital job, but get very tired of scrubs. I love having a day job where I can mix it up a bit!