snuggler

I have a pt who is NOT a hospice pt, but has experienced a domino-like cascade of problems in the past month. The most recent was a four day period where he was obtunded and only responsive to pain, but all of his tests (xrays, ct, eeg, etc) were normal or "no change from previous" (when he was up and talking). Last week we were cleaning him up and I noticed that the tip of his member was black. Told the Dr who got a consult - it was diagnosed as dry gangrene. They aren't doing ANYTHING about it. Can that be right?? It's gangrene for heaven's sake!

I could have written this... ...and this... I am working on the cardiac/telemetry floor in a hospital that boasts about being one of the biggest charities in our area - because we take all of the uninsured that the other hospitals turn away. This population is burning me out. I am tired of taking care of lifestyle issues that are "emergencies" here in the hospital, but yesterday and tomorrow (at home) will just be the patient's status quo. I am tired of being a drug dispensing machine. I am tired of feeling looked down upon by coworkers. Not all of them, but a fair few seem to think of themselves as "Super Nurse" and think of me as something of a speed bump in the road to providing the kind of high quality care that only they themselves are capable of. By the end of a three day run of 12 hour shifts I literally do not care about much of anything at work, and I live in terror that this innate lethargy is going to cause me to miss something that could hurt a patient and/or end my career. Nursing school was so hard, and I sacrificed SO MUCH to complete it. The thought that I did all of that for a career that I could see myself growing to hate terrifies me. I want to cry when I see nurses who are pushing retirement age coming into the hospital to do the same ****** work with the same ****** hours that I am. What are they doing there?? I can see the arthritis in their hands and the ache in their walk. Is this what I have to look forward to?? I am exhausted when I get off of work and I am young and healthy - I can't even imagine how these women feel at the end of the day. Some days I feel trapped and scared that it is never going to be better.

To the OP - what did you decide? How are you doing?

I applied everywhere for any job I thought I could do for at least 6 months. I also volunteered at a local hospital in order to get to know the people who did the hiring and to help fill some of that unemployed time. I was unemployed for 4 months and then got two job offers in one week.

"Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N Roses.... I guess I have been feeling a little stressed at work these days. Welcome to the jungle We've got fun 'n' games We got everything you want Honey, we know the names We are the people that can find Whatever you may need If you got the money, honey We got your disease [CHORUS:] Welcome to the jungle We take it day by day If you want it you're gonna bleed But it's the price you pay And you're a very sexy girl That's very hard to please You can taste the bright lights But you won't get them for free In the jungle Welcome to the jungle Feel my, my, my serpentine I, I wanna hear you scream Welcome to the jungle It gets worse here everyday Ya learn ta live like an animal In the jungle where we play If you got a hunger for what you see You'll take it eventually You can have anything you want But you better not take it from me [CHORUS] And when you're high you never Ever want to come down, so down, So down, so down, so dooooowwwwwn YEAH yeah yeah

A runners belt might be a good compromise for people who don't want something too bulky. It stretches so you can fit a good bit in there (nothing too big though). Amazon.com: GO BELT-The Original No Bounce Runners Belt, Runners

I was an LMP from out West, and now I have my RN. I had never seen this forum before. I went to nursing school down South, and an now practicing up North - I have never heard of a nurse massage therapist. In WA they had dulas and LMPs in birthing centers who massaged patients. Out here I haven't seen anything like this. Where (most commonly) do nurse massage therapists practice (both regionally and setting-wise)?

Thats not what I was hoping to hear. I will be graduating in May 2010 and as soon as I graduate I will be moving out of state and taking the NCLEX in the new location. I am nervous about finding a job there, but I too would love to work in Peds.:redpinkhe I am moving from Kentucky to Harrisburg, PA. It's great being a military wife.