Imagine720

I work on a busy Hemoc/Onc unit at night. I started 6 months ago after working Med/Surg. for 4 years. I was just wondering what others deal with as far as Nurse/Patient ratio? Last night each Nurse had 6 acute patients not all CA patients and they tried to send more patients. The night manager ended up having to take the next 3 admissions. I feel so stretched to the limit with 6 and that once you take 7 patients it sends a message that it is ok. Can a nurse refuse to take a patient if they feel it is unsafe? The acuity on our unit is quite high. Also does anyone know the story of how California nurses became unionized? Just wondering....

If you want to private message me I can tell you about the New to the OR program at Duke

I am an experienced nurse going for an interview at Vanderbilt. Any info would be greatly appreciated. The culture at the hospital and the unit. Current Tennessee pay for RN's in general. Where are there safe places to find an apartment in Nashville. Thanks in advance.

Hey, goingtothedogs Thanks sent you a PM

hey goingtothedogs, I'm moving to Durham in the next few months...can you tell me who you used as a realtor? Any info on different areas and renting before buying would be helpful. (not sure how to PM you, lol) Grace

Thanks for the replies...I have my BSN, and a NC license, I currently work on a Gen/Med floor of a level 1 trauma center. I have been here for 3 years and will relocate to Raleigh/Durham in the next few months. Any info on the hospitals in the area? I have applied to Duke and did a phone interview for the Duke Regional hospital, but I was wondering about working at other hospitals in the area and what they are like.

I just got back from Denver. I went there to see about relocating from Illinois. My opinion is solely based on spending one day with a real estate agent and talking with a nurse I went to school with 3 years ago. I felt that the cost of housing was out of my price range and that although the area was beautiful I would be house-poor. I looked at buying in the Denver area and small condos and houses were going for $200,000. From what I understand nurses are paid around $26 per hour then add on differentials. I'm too old to go back to having roommates, so I just couldn't see making the move. I'm going to look at other areas of the country where my dollar will go farther. Just my take on the situation.

Hi I'm planning on moving to the Raleigh Durham area in the next 6 months from Illinois. I would like any helpful hints on different neighborhoods to live and jobs at the major hospitals in the area. I currently have two nursing jobs one at a level 1 trauma center on a med/surg unit that I have had for 3 years and one job pre-op/post-op ambulatory surgery. Any info would be helpful. I'm active, divorced, no-kids, and would probably rent for a year to decide what area to move to. I've already been to the area to check it out but insider info will help. Thanks...

UPDATE: All is going well, I have worked with the Educator who is sympathetic and realizes what a disaster my first two preceptors were...I have had a great experience with two other people & I'm on track and feel positive that the ICU is the right fit for me. I agree that it's too bad that the orientee gets blamed for wanting to learn in a supportive environment.

Whew! Thank goodness you aren't my educator. Not everyone learns the same way. There are six nurses on the floor and 5 new grads...someone is going to get stuck with a less than ideal situation...but thanks for sharing your opinion.

Thanks for all your replies. The manager is temporary until the new hire joins us, the educator has been behind me from the start. I am only 1 month into the orientation so I'm not jumping ship just yet. So I will go in Monday with an "action plan" and give it 100%. I am confident in my abilities, I just need a good preceptor.

Thanks, jrkingRN, it's scary when this is how they treat you. I was beginning to think it was me. After reading some of the posts here, I don't feel like I'm so alone. I'll see how things go on Monday when I work 1:1 with the educator.

I'm having a tough time in Orientation. I tend to doubt myself because of a difficult clinical instructor, I'm older and my first job is in the ICU. My first Adult clinical with critical patients I had an instructor that singled certain students out to "ride like ponies" I was one of them...I'm older and have some doubts about myself when I'm demeaned, put down and made to feel stupid. I'm very self aware but it was hard to overcome this treatment and when two of us complained to the Dean...she basically said what do you want me to do about it? So I graduated with a BSN, passed the NCLEX and have been working on the Medical ICU for a month. My first preceptor was very lax and said things like "this isn't the way you were taught in school", and "if you were a spy I'd be screwed because this isn't how you're supposed to do this." Also the assignments... we got involved patients who were so critical that the preceptor just did everything and when I would ask she would say, "you'll figure it out as you go along" I went to our educator and said I felt uncomfortable with the comments. Then the opposite extreme, I was put with someone who was so anal about charting everything and there was never anytime to go over tasks...I would ask the same thing just to double check because I didn't want to make a mistake. Again, out of 4 days I was with the second preceptor, she was only available to teach me on two of those days. So then I go into work and they've switched me again...the manager and educator have a "talk" with me...."if you don't get up to speed we'll have to decide if this is going to work out. You're going to have to take care of two patients and you have to have an action plan to get yourself together." And they said you've got to stop asking so many questions because it's frustrating the preceptors. I mentioned the fact that the preceptors may not remember what it was like to be a new nurse and the manager said, "Are you blaming the preceptors? You've had two preceptors...maybe it's you who is the problem." So now I'm a month into my orientation and I'm scared to ask a question, I feel like I never should have gone to the educator with my concerns. Also, the next preceptor they put me with, they have already said that she has a difficult personality. It doesn't help that there were 5 orientees that came onto the unit at the same time, the other new RN's have stuck with their preceptors and are having a fine time. I don't feel like I have anywhere to go with this. I will spend the entire day with the educator on my next shift. Another issue, going straight from school to the ICU is a challenge...they used to have us go to the general floor for 3 months to get our foundation and then go to the ICU...that would have helped. I feel like if I ask about checking my Meds they look at me like I have 3 heads. I'm willing to learn and eager to stay on this floor but don't know how to handle this. I feel like my worst qualities are coming out and I feel stupid all the time...now I feel scared for my job and stupid.

These replies are great....I don't mean to hijack this thread but I have had a similar experience. My first Adult clinical with critical patients I had an instructor that singled certain students out to "ride like ponies" I was one of them...I'm older and have some doubts about myself when I'm demeaned, put down and made to feel stupid. I'm very self aware but it was hard to overcome this treatment and when two of us complained to the Dean...she basically said what do you want me to do about it? So I graduated with a BSN, passed the NCLEX and have been working on the Medical ICU for a month. My first preceptor was very lax and said things like "this isn't the way you were taught in school", and "if you were a spy I'd be screwed because this isn't how you're supposed to do this." Also the assignments we got involved patients who were so critical that the preceptor just did everything and when I would ask she would say, "you'll figure it out as you go along" I went to our educator and said I felt uncomfortable with the comments. Then the opposite extreme, I was put with someone who was so anal about charting everything and there was never anytime to go over tasks...I would ask the same thing just to double check because I didn't want to make a mistake. Again, out of 4 days I was with the second preceptor, she was only available to teach me on two of those days. So then I go into work and they've switched me again...the manager and educator have a "talk" with me...."if you don't get up to speed we'll have to decide if this is going to work out. You're going to have to take care of two patients and you have to have an action plan to get yourself together." And they said you've got to stop asking so many questions because it's frustrating the preceptors. I mentioned the fact that the preceptors may not remember what it was like to be a new nurse and the manager said, "Are you blaming the preceptors? You've had two preceptors...maybe it's you who is the problem." So now I'm a month into my orientation and I'm scared to ask a question, I feel like I never should have gone to the educator with my concerns and the next preceptor they put me with they have already said she has a difficult personality. It doesn't help that there were 5 orientees at the same time, the other new RN's have stuck with their preceptors and are having a fine time. I don't feel like I have anywhere to go with this. I will spend the entire day with the educator on my next shift. Another issue, going straight from school to the ICU is a challenge...they used to have us go to the general floor for 3 months to get our foundation and then go to the ICU...that would have helped. I feel like if I ask about checking my Meds they look at me like I have 3 heads.