Hayden

I'm hoping that someone can point me in the right direction. I'm doing a essay for uni looking at if there is any benefit for nurses or patient families if the nurses attend the funerals of their patients. If anyone has a personal experience to share or can point me towards some research I would be most appreciative. Many thanks Hayden McDonald RN [email protected]

Just looking for advice. Recently, due to major hospital renovations, our High dependency Unit (HDU) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) were merged. This combined the staff of both units. The problem is that despite being together for several months there is still very much an "us and them" mentality. There exists a great deal of tension. Some staff from the HDU refuse to care for ICU patients and most of the ICU staff refuse to care for the HDU patients. With the merger the HDU charge nurse was "reallocated" and the ICU NUM now has responsibility for the merged staff and patient load. What can we do to try and break down the barriers?

I feel that I was in no way prepared for the reality of nursing after completeing my training. In Australia we undertake a 3 year Bachelor's degree program, and then have the opportunity to enter a new graduate transition program offered by the individual hospitals. After one week of hospital orientation I was placed on the ward (a cardiac step-down unit) and after 1 super-numery day I was given my own patient load and expected to function as one of the team. I was lost. From the beginning I felt overwhelmed and unprepared. If the nurse educator had not taken such an interest in the progress of each new graduate I surely would not be working in nursing now. I have now been registered for 1 year and still find that at times the "basics" and "commonsense" of nursing elude me. As nurses it is all to easy to get into the "it will be all right" thinking. For some of us time and appropriate guidance are what is required to make safe, competent nurses.