greyhair

Good thoughts, people. I have been a nurse for 30 years and an orderly before that. I have certainly had to be respectful of my patients' wishes or concerns about personal care over the years and that is okay. I live in a small city and if a female doesn't want me to change her catheter or bedbath her that can be accomodated. When people don't want care because a one of my coworkers has a different skin colour that is not acceptable to me. None of us should be made to feel worth less because of our skin colour or gender etc. I appreciate the way this situation was handled and think that reporting it was good. our employers need to know when and how often these things happen. Still wouldn't change my career choice, it has been good.

Glad we can still have fun even if the things and people that we work with aren't the best all the time. I have been a nurse for 30 years and I like it both ways. Some fabric irritates my skin and then I wear a T shirt, I also get warm and tend to sweat so deoderant and no T shirt under a loose cotton scrub are great sometimes. This thread has been fun. Thanks people, hope you all have a great day.

Watched EMERGENCY every week, loved it. I think the best one was after John had been bitten by a snake while they were out fighting a fire in an orchard he started his own IV while he was riding on the top of the pumper truck, racing down a dirt road as fast as it could go so it could get him to the hospital. I have done a lot of IV's but that was pushing it. I wonder how their consultants could approve that one.

A few years ago I was the charge nurse on a Surgical Ward. Admitting phones and says they have an admission with a penile injury. The ER doc phones and I asked him what caused the injury. He replied "a bear did it". I didn't believe him because I knew from previous experience that his sense of humor could be a bit twisted at times. This time it was the truth. A 20 something fellow was hitchhiking and somehow spent the night in our local zoo. In the morning he got too close to the bear cage, inside the guardrail, with his pants down and with an erection. Exactly what happened after that I really don't know(much speculation though) but he arrived on the ward missing a slice off the head of his member about the size of a 50 cent piece but shallow. Funniest thing he said was as the catheter went in, "Ow! That hurts!"

30 years ago I used to tell people that I was in nursing school and often the guys would chickle a bit and make snide remarks. I found that if I answered, "Yeah, there's 3 guys and 120 girls in my class" the next comment they would make was "How do I get in?". I am now 50 years old, 6 ft 1, 215 lbs and do I look like most of my co-wokers? Not really. Do I care much? Not really. I am a good nurse, I have had a good career, and I have met and cared for a lot of wonderful people. What more could I ask?

I have nursed for 27 years an two months ago started back to school to learn massage therapy. I am really enjoying it(except for learning how to study again). It was a little awkward having strangers massage me but all the class is very respectful and it is working out okay.:)

Thanks Kona2. I am guilty of all of the questions in your reply. I was aware of burnout but when it happened to me there just didn't seem to be much awareness from the people around me and that my teacher friends were much more aware of and had more experience with it. My workplace actually cancelled my sick leave after two weeks and suspended me without pay because they didn't think my Dr.'s note was acceptible. That was worked out with my union's help but wasn't a positive experience.

After 28 years of nursing I started having major problems with depression, anxiety and just plain interacting with people. I have been off for 13 months and life is getting better but still is not normal. A school psychologist friend has explained a lot to me about teacher burnout but I have never heard much info about nurse burnout. Any comment from anybody? Thanks, Greyhair.