cp24001

May I ask if its a smaller hospital or larger teaching hospital ? Either way, no one deserves this. Sorry :-(

That's funny you should say that , because I use my IPhone and Evernotes. Taking pictures of them with names :) thanks a bunch!!

Thank you both for the words of advice. It gives me the chance to take a deep breath and relax, knowing this will come in time. I think I'm a "Type A" personality with high expectations. :) Just glad I'm not alone in regards to the overwhelming feelings that I have right now.

Hello, I'm a floor nurse who recently moved to the OR. I've wanted this for a long time and doing all that I can to succeed. Is there any advice that you would be willing to give regarding ALL the instruments that I have to learn? Is there a book I can buy that will help? It seems overwhelming ...thanks!

YES!...an e-mail thank you will do just fine, and I would personalize it..maybe something that was said during interview and/or reinforce why you would be the perfect fit for that particular position...good luck!

I don't care about missing my lunch or not charting until the end of my shift...however yes, my patients deserve more...so much better.:heartbeat In response to your latter part of the post...Yes! I am...and thanks!

It's not safe at all...they don't label us "step-down"; that would require staffing accordingly $$

Thanks to all of you for posting..we are 6:1. Safety is always my biggest concern. ...and I might add, there is no regard for acuity. We have this scale that we chart on, but that is so subjective & different with each nurse.

I was just wondering what the nurse/patient ratios are on your step-down units. Thanks.

mswhitern: May I ask how long you waited for a reply after the interview? I was called for an interview...and now the wait.. Thanks.

Being blessed with the brain I have, am I really, to quote others, "limiting" myself to being "just a nurse"? Sorry if you or anyone else makes you feel that way... I graduated with honors & just became a nurse. I love it. We have so much more time with our patients than MDs do. Medical students spend so much time in the classroom, they lack bedside manner. I agree...what side of medicine do you want to be on?

[And if it doesn't go to night shift where its quiet. Who says night shift is quiet? That is when fevers, hypertension, confusion, ER admissions, arrhythmias, etc. etc., happens...

vents are few & far between, but I have seen my share. One more...how is your acuity measured? Subjective charting by the nurse? :angthts::sstrs::grn:

thx for the replies... We are 6:1 & sometimes 8:1. Wound care, trach care, chest tubes, NG, PEG, rhythm surveillance, PCA, epidural, vent, heparin drip, restraints, isolation (more often than not)... Safety? Who is losing here, the nurse or the patient? And why are the pt satisfaction scores down? Hmmmm.... It is nice to know I am not alone. thx.

With patients living longer and admitted with acuity levels that are higher than ever, I find that the nurse-patient ratio on my floor is overwhelming. I talk to nurses who have been out there for 20+ years and they agree... Many of our patients are transferred from ICU and/or surgical, with much med-surg "overflow". Depending on patient status, some need to be transferred right back. So my question is this...what qualifies a unit to be "step-down" vs. "med-surg" ? Is it acuity level, equipment required...? Thanks for the input.