rnrainy

Holistic nursing is many things. The way I started to understand this concept was to understand Maslow's Hierachy. When you care for people as a nurse, you meet the basic needs first and THEN you can address higher needs. This includes spirituality, love, emotions, what the person needs beyond physical. A holistic nurse doesn't need a certificate to be caring. Research nursing theorist Jean Watson and her 10 carative factors. If you want to be holistic, try to attend a nursing school with a holistic focused nursing theorist model (all schools have a theorist they chose for the focus of their teaching). Nurses take care of people, doctors take care of peoples illness. Holistic nurses understand it is more than a lasix drip for congestive heart failure, or a medication to reduce cholesterol. It is forming a trusting relationship so the client (usually you take care of very short term) can share his REAL needs. Sometimes you will be the only person they will be able to talk to about the REAL issues, and therefor, have holistic healing.

I am a nurse case manager with a large home health care company based in southeastern Michigan with multiple divisions. We have positions available with great pay! Send me a message if you are interested in long term care, in home.

There will always be that one client who will make it worthwhile. You are only responsible for yourself and can't help what others portray...that being said, you don't know the dynamics behind each family and client. I once worked on a floor where no one was grateful for all the extras I did, until MANY years later, I met three previous patients I had cared for. Not only did they remember me, they thanked me profusely for my loving kindness, calmness, and consideration. So you may not get a pat on the back today, but remember it all adds up in the end!

It really depends on the type of floor and number of beds. The hardest part is knowing your resources! On my old cardiac floor, a nurse case manager would depend on the nurses on the floor to interview each patient to find out what their needs where upon discharge. They would have daily meetings with the CM and report the patient's status with testing, etc and any new information they find. My advice as an external case manager is to please be kind to others, we are all new at one time! Good Luck!

I would be scared of a company hiring a fresh nurse...most case managers I know where nurses for 10+ years. I know after just 2 I got a good position with a high ranking home health care company as a nurse case manager, and it is all trial by fire. Good Luck. My best advice is to DEMAND a comprehensive orientation and find yourself a senior nurse to refer to.

It really depends on how much you need the money NOW. I say this because you need to give 100% to nursing school, or it may cost you in the end (paying for another semester, not passing your boards, etc). Since you are in your last year, I would not go above and beyond, you have your whole nursing career to do that! Give what you can, and don't feel bad when you decide what's more important to you.

One more thing....KAPLAN's answer tree...

Pretty good!

I grew up as a Jehovah's Witness, so here's what I know. Witnessess believe blood from others is unclean, and this is supported by scripture. When Witnessess go to surgery, I have seen better recovery times, perhaps because the surgeons take more time to clamp off blood vessels and they lose less blood. Also, Witnessess accept plasma, their own blood, or iron to increase hemoglobin... The majority of blood is volume (plasma).... Your care plan would not include any knowledge deficit, because this religion educates from very young what their stance on blood products is, although we as nurses may think there is a deficit there, this is experience speaking... Perhaps you can find a nursing dx to address values/beliefs and psychosocial needs? So, besides the BLOOD issue, you would treat it as any other MVA...what are your interventions as a nurse? Do you have a care plan book? I loved mine and could not have made it without it.

Besides IV compatibility, it is important to consider why the fluids are prescribed and the patient's medical condition. For instance, I wouldn't bolus any fluids AND piggyback without very close monitoring on a patient with CHF. I have seen flash pulmonary edema occur more than once!

I was on a cardiac step down unit for a year before going to psych and it is not easy, or easier! My unit is 8 hours, probably because 12 hours is too much for a person to deal with, so I am now on midnights, 5 days a week. Days/Afternoons have alot of work to do, I've stayed a few times and must give those shifts props for maintaining each and every day! My shift: between 7-11 patients, addressing issues not dealt with by the other shifts, intakes and admissions, and mostly, dealing with the patients who can't or aren't sleeping. Most of the time, it is just maintaining a safe environment for staff and patients with safety rounds, redirecting others, and the occasional 1:1. Good luck!!

I had a year on cardiac tele before going to psych, and for that I am forever grateful. I can't see being turned off from nursing because a certain floor/field doesn't work for you. Each field has psych issues and you don't necessarily need to be a psych nurse to appreciate it! I loved both psych and oncology in school and took the first opportunity that came up. (So I now want to go back to oncology, that's where my heart lies). Don't forget you are young in your career, there are many years to do what you want to do...gain those skills and nursing opportunities rise on their own. Good luck!

I've been on my psych floor for 6 months now and I know ALL units are different but most interviews I have been to are the same. You need to give honest answers to such questions like "What are your strengths" "Give an explanation of a conflict you had with a coworker and how did you resolve it?" "What do you need to work on?" "Where do you see yourself in 5 years (or 1 year)". Remember that people who are in the position to interview you are very skilled at seeing through the bull..Prove that you are HONESTLY willing to try anything with 100%!! And don't be afraid to be proactive and interview the person interviewing you. It is JUST as important that the position fits your needs and personality. Good luck! If it doesn't work out, chalk it up to experience for the next interview.

I attended Baker and got in my first try with less than perfect NET and a 3.9 GPA. Then I know of people who had a perfect 14 points and were refused after 3 applications (the most Baker allows). I loved Baker though, and am priviledged to be an alumni. I would go back in a heart beat, no matter WHAT the cost!!! I love the small classroom sizes and the personal attention. The bad thing about Baker is most classes don't transfer to other colleges expect maybe Madonna University (Baker's sister school). Whatever you do, keep your dreams alive and keep trying!!! As for the course materials, remember this. All that other junk (A and P review) is FYI. In nursing classes, you ONLY remember "What would a nurse need to know in this situation".

After spending a little over a year on a cardiac/tele unit, I switched to psych. Nurses on this unit are not pulled to any other unit on the hospital, because the focus is mainly mental health. While I can't speak for any hospital or state other than the one I work in, my hospital will accept internal transfers based on interviewing with the manager of a new floor, co workers letters of recommendation, and your skills. It's kind of "the right place at the right time", kind of thing. Psych is so specific, that there is often a lack of focus on the other needs (think Maslows). The most important thing is to be where you feel the best. If you must take a job, take it, but always plan ahead. It's ok, in my hospital, to spend 6 months on a floor to feel it out. Also, there is job shadowing. This is a great option for networking...just meeting people and showing interest or compatibility may get you in where you want to be. We all have our own experiences that we base our advice, just like you need yours. Good luck!

What a wonderful response! You articulated my thoughts exactly! Although, there are alot of hurdles to overcome on this unit, I am still enjoying my contribution to the floor AND the hospital. Psych isn't for everyone, but your unit is improved because of your presence.

I found that the individuals who had a job related to nursing (nurse tech, patient care tech) had an easier transition into the profession and where confident in themselves. I needed the money during school and wished I would have worked! (I was a bartender for my schooling).

Go to Salary.com It's free, you type in where you want to work and what type of degree you want, it will give you a very accurate report. Since you posted to my thread after you got your job, I'm wondering how you like it?

Broke New Grad...all of us where new grads at one time, and most of us where broke. When I left my first position, even with shining references from other nurses, college professors, Doctors, Social Workers, Respiratory Therapists, and IV nurses, it still took 75 resumes, 15 interviews and 50 days. I am glad I didn't get those positions (except the hospice one, as that is the reason I became a nurse)....and as tiring as it is, going to all those interviews gave me the skills to answer the questions they asked with answers that where both what they wanted to hear and true to myself. I actually brought my resume to my mentor for approval, and tailored my cover letter for each position. I read a lot on the internet about what to say on that cover letter. In the end, that's what got my foot in the door. "No, I don't have any experience in this field, but I had a great interest in college and did very well in those classes. I am like a fresh slate, ready to learn what it takes to be successful on this floor". It is better to be broke for awhile and get the RIGHT JOB then to take a job that will harden you or take away your passion. That first paycheck made me sit down for a moment..because my goodness, I get paid very well to do what I love, but the first compliment you get from a patient will be on your mind forever...for me, nursing is customer service and I rarely get complaints. Keep your chin up! We all have advice because of our experiences, so you take a little from everyone, and in a couple of years, you will have yours also! )

People may perceive things any way they wish. I wrote how I felt in a public forum so I can accept that. Of course, I will always marvel at how someone can have a hundred strengths and some people can only focus on one thing they perceive as a negative... Anyways..The other nurses on my new floor will be the first to tell you their strengths and weaknesses. Policy doesn't allow them to practice as medical nurses, there's no fault in that. I guess I should have been more descriptive. I DO marvel at the respect my team gives to me, especially after working on a floor that I specifically stated had very little respect for what I brought to the table. When you come from a place where you can do no right, you can either conform to be like others (i.e. politics), put up with the lateral violence, or find a new job. I am privileged enough to have earned my degree and license and have the integrity to give credit where it's due....I could never be who I am without all the individuals who contributed to my life, both personally and professionally.

Everyone I know says I have the easiest job ever as a psych nurse. It is medically easier than other floors I have been on, but can wear you out in other ways. My dad always told me if you love your job, you never go to work. I agree and think if you feel stressed, horrible, down on yourself, etc. with your job, then you haven't found the right RN job for you! What interestsyou in school? What are your goals? Do you like babies, gerontology, or specific systems (cardiac for example)? Hospice is definitely a great job, but most health care systems require a couple years of RN experience, unless you find the right fit and a manager willing to give you a try. Good luck!

After pondering over that paragraph, I ended it with the one sentence you didn't include. "My VERY experienced peers respect me and what I have to offer my team". My hero's include anyone with more knowledge than me, and I treat each person as such. I am the only RN on that floor to be hired without psych experience (which is an honor) and also the youngest, newest nurse.

I grew up trusting others and understood the importance of caring for others, along with myself. I went to a nursing program that focused on Jean Watson and her 10 Carative Factors and considered the program and instructors holistic in their teaching. After graduating, and getting my R.N. license, I started working on cardiac step down unit. Bad idea! Most of the midnight staff (where I started) modeled the type of nurse I wanted to be, but you can't make everyone happy...after proving myself (within a year) I was moved to days. This was like starting a completely new job, dealing with more doctors, NP, families, other departments (OR, Radiology, etc) and the patients all had a very high acuity compared to the issues of midnights (mostly respiratory). I was exhausted each day I left after my 12 hour shift. That one nurse who I could never please made it her mission to get me off the floor. When it eventually happened, (I actually took a leave of absence to find a "better fit") I didn't even fight it, because I had spent the entire year trying to prove to my peers and myself that I was good enough to say I was an R.N. My manager was kind to me, said I was a good nurse, even gave me a wonderful reference, etc. but it just wasn't a good fit. I was relieved to be off that floor. All experiences are good, in my opinion, because we learn better from hardship than from the easy road. I found a job within the same hospital on the mental health unit. I loved psych in nursing school and from the moment I stepped on that unit, I knew it was for me. My year on the cardiac floor gave me ample time to learn basic nursing skills, start understanding the nursing process, and learn the realities of nursing. It is very obvious to me why many nurses leave their jobs within the first year. My main reason was my peers were different nurses than me. They were more technical, where I am more empathetic and compassionate. They other nurses would make fun of me for picking up the slack and helping my team (cleaning my patient's rooms, helping with bed baths, answering call lights, emptying garbages, even spending more than ten minutes TEACHING MY PATIENTS). It takes a team to provide patient care. They weren't modeling the type of nurse I want to be and it almost seemed like they were trying to break me. This resulted in me thinking I was a weak nurse, but now know that I am stronger in many areas than they will ever be. You can always learn technical skills but compassion is hard to acquire for many. So now, I lead by example. My oath is to try my best to treat each patient with dignity and how I would want my family member treated. I can't even tell you the last time I had a bad day because patient care is so satisfying to me. Even if I don't feel like getting up that day, the second I walk into a room, I put on that smile. My secret is I never fake it. Ever! What I bring to my new floor is a fresh viewpoint and skills that the older psych nurses don't have. I understand medical-surgical issues. I WAS the IV team on my old floor. I understand all those "medical" meds they take. And I can thoroughly assess my patient and provide proper interventions, where others may want to call a code immediately. My VERY experienced peers respect me and what I have to offer my team. Each day, I leave my floor satisfied with my contribution to the team and the care I provide my patients. My old manager was right, it wasn't a good fit. But what I learned from it all is this. It was never MY problem, or an issue I had....it was theirs. And they only took it out on me because I let them. The moral to my story is this. Please, remember who you ARE and who you want to be. Always practice as if you are being watched by others, because you are. Find a role model OUTSIDE of your hospital. The first year is hard, especially if you don't have anyone you trust to talk to. And never ever forget, it does get better. Keep your chin up! Nursing is a profession but professionalism is not learned overnight. It's a skill that takes some time to learn. It took me a year...

It sucks, doesn't it? A person with a heart of gold who practices with honesty and integrity gets the short end of the stick. It happens all the time and I know how you feel because it just happened to me. I have a very similar situation, and have left my job in the same way for the same reasons and got the same run around. I think it's called (poor) management! The good news is....there is a health care facility out there that fits your needs, and will treat you like the great nurse you are. Keep trying, you are VALUABLE!

I could have been the one to write the first 2 paragraphs of your post, Mary. That is exactly how I feel, and I am so thrilled to know I am not alone out here. Thank you for your inspiration!:redbeathe