grumpynurse

George, Go to this site. There is a wealth of information here and lots of info from other travel nurses about good/bad companies. http://forums.delphiforums.com/travelnurses

Well, actually I'm driving and I know I'll finish on June 12th, but I am leaving. Heading out in the morning for the 1179 (?) or so mile hike to see the places I've never seen before. I've cried all day because I've never been this far from my family or for that period of time. I can barely breathe through my nose right now. I am excited also and just want the drive to end. I hate driving. I'm taking my computer with me so I'll be back on line in a few days. I've got to go straight to the board of nursing on Friday. Geez, some states are picky about you having one of their licenses before you work.:chuckle

Cherry, Don't hold back. Tell us how you really feel:chuckle Hope it is everything you are looking for.

I graduated from Excelsior (then Regents) in Nov 1999. I was an LPN for 4 years before going through this program and it was the only way for me to go at the time. I had the CPNE in Atlanta and waited about 2 months at the time. The first day , we had a little orientation then did the lab portion. It was very basic. Give a shot...change a dressing, calculate an IV drip. They thoroughly explained everything. The next day I had two patients. I can not strongly emphasize enough to memorize those critical elements. It is key because you already know how to do the rest of the stuff. They gave us our first patient the night before and let us do the care plan at our hotels based upon what we knew. We were allowed to change risk of blah blah to actuals on the plan after assessing the patient. After a short break, I went to my second patient. Still basic nursing. They will tell you which critical elements you have to do before you see the patient. The last day, I had my peds patient. He was the most challenging, but still, once again, the basics. Just remember that you can assess comfort levels by asking the pain scale or using the faces and something as simple as repositioning or giving tylenol will cover that critical element. The instructors were great. They were not horrid old bats like I was expecting and they wanted us to pass. They took their jobs seriously, but they have to. They have 3 days to decide if you can be an RN. Bottom Line............breathe, breathe, breathe. You know this stuff and just ignore the instructor when you are in with the patient. They will tell you what they want and they will help you. One of them helped me give a bed bath and change the occupied bed. Please PM me if you have any questions and Good Luck............................by the way, do not waste money on outside resources such as Rue or Moore. I downloaded my study guides from the college website and saved myself thousands of dollars.

Jnette, OH, you are the other nurse crazy enough to love Dialysis. Someone told me there was one more besides me:chuckle

You are definitely not alone. I am at "the" pivotal point in my career to either make it or break it. For me, change seems to be the only answer. Unfortunately, I need change a little more often than I should. I think it's just Nursing. It's a high stress career. It doesn't matter what your specialty is. There is stress. not to mention, that life and death stuff that we nurses deal with. I am absolutely torn when someone asks if I'd do it all again. I'm not sure I know how to be anything else anymore and I love it and hate it in the same breath. I have no answer either. I wish I did.....I'd be really wealthy.:) Just know that there are thousands of others feeling your feelings and you are never alone.

Thanks everyone. I was having a real pity party last night. It's so wonderful to have people that understand. I leave on Wednesday for Rhode Island. I'm a Dialysis Nurse and will be in a chronic unit for my assignment. I have tried to get out of Dialysis, but it keeps sucking me back in:p . I was a Hospice nurse for a while and I loved it, but I kept getting too close to the patients and families and decided I just couldn't keep grieving all of the time. I still have problems with that professional distance thing. Anyway, thanks for all of your replies. I'll be on the road for a couple of days, but I'm taking the computer with me and I'm glad I'll have yall to keep me company.:)

I just discontinued Paxil after three years. You definitely must taper the dose when you are ready to come off of it. I had some side effects (nausea, dizziness even when tapering), but the Paxil saved my life three years ago when I was suffering from severe anxiety and depression. The benefits outweigh the risks, but be forewarned....I did slowly gain weight (documented side effect) but who really can say whether it was the Paxil or my love of food:) that caused the gain. Nursing school is ultra stressful and Lord knows life doesn't stop just because you are in it. If you feel that overwhelmed give it a shot, butinsist on the lowest dose to begin with and you should begin to feel the effects in a few weeks. Since there is help available, take advantage. I never wanted to have to take meds to help my mental health, but I'm really glad I did. It got me through an incredibly difficult time. Best of Luck!!!

I guess it's better than the look of disgust when I'm talking about body fluids and not even batting an eye.....I just can't understand why my husband doesn't want to discuss sputum.:chuckle

I read this board last week and took your advice. I called Joe and it looks like I'm going to providence for 13 weeks. I have never spent time in New England, but have family in CT and Maine. You were right. He's been great so far. I am excited. I've never been able to travel much except a few vacations to anyplace with slot machines......which works out well here because Foxwoods casino is only 45 minutes or so from where I'll be. My husband said he's going to cut up my ATM card:chuckle ......He has to find it first. ***Grumpy***

Hello everyone. After lurking for a really long time, I decided to jump on in. I've been a nurse for 8 years and I'm getting ready to leave on my first travel assignment. Well actually my second, but I don't count the first one because it was only an hour from home. I'm going to be 1100 miles from home this time and I'm nervous and excited at the same time. I have become extremely disenchanted with my career and have seriously considered leaving the proffession. This is my last ditch effort to get some joy back. It took me eight years to be able to sign RN after my name. I went to school part-time, worked full-time and raised my daughter alone. I was so proud of myself when I received my degree and even prouder when I passed the NCLEX. Like every nurse on this board, I have worked beside the cream of the crop and the scum of the earth. I have met nurses that I aspired to be like and nurses that would never touch me if I were in the hospital. I've had co-workers who thought they knew it all and those who really did. Throughout the last eight years I have had great jobs that I never should have left and really crappy ones that I remained at for too long. Now....I'm just tired. Tired of feeling as if my patients have to be second and the $$ comes first. Tired of working long never ending days for less money than I'm worth. You have to be a nurse to understand a nurse. I am remarried now and it is hard to explain to my husband what a nurses day is like. I have attempted by telling him how multi-talented I am from learning how to be a nurse, secretary, counselor, teacher, and maid all in the same shift. He stares blankly. So here I am getting ready to hit the road for 13 weeks and praying I have a good assignment. I hope that it will make me appreciate what I have a little more if I can't see it everyday. My feelings about my career have spilled over into my everyday life and I know I need to get over it.........fast. I think a change of scenery will be good. Hope I wasn't a bummer. Just feeling a little sorry for myself tonight. I have enjoyed reading the posts and hope to contribute my own 2 cents every once in a while. Thanks for "listening". ***Grumpy***