puroticorico

After recently leaving the OR to go back to Endoscopy, I am regretting it. Each place is very different and call can be a lot due to emergency cases. Med-surg has long days but more flexibility in schedule (3/12s). Endoscopy is definitely a specialty you can transfer to down the road. I’d wait and figure out your children and marriage. Your anxiety will be less. Why rush into something—particularly when there’s a lot of question marks.

Too funny. I was in the Endoscopy after ICU for 3 years and currently am in the OR with 2 years under my belt but transferring back to Endoscopy. I miss the patient interaction, patient acuity and familiarity of the GI system. Outpatient endoscopy center vs in-patient hospital are very different. GI patients are usually some of the most sick and unstable patients in the hospital (particularly pancreatic cancer, PEG tubes, ERCPs, massive GI bleeds, TB patients, etc). Not to mention, GI disorders effect every body system and can be extremely unpleasant and painful. Nonetheless, it's great experience because it's fast paced too and you are sometimes in the OR for cases As for shifts, I miss 3/12s a lot over 5/8s or 4/10s. You can burn out quickly with fast patient turnover. Yet, it is a specialty with A LOT more to learn than just upper endoscopies and colonoscopies (unlike most people believe). The patients are bowel prepped in advance and there's less stool than med-surg ;). There's esophageal manometry, pH studies, anorectal manometry, ERCP, bronchoscopies, fecal transplant and much more. Of course it depends on the location you're working. Hope this helps!

Hi fellow RNs, My hospital is refusing to pay for me to have my ACLS renewed since it is not part of a circulating RN's job description. I wanted to have an idea of whether others are required or not to have their ACLS. I would think hospitals and patients would benefit to have a team well qualified in the OR...

Woah, I guess I'm doing fine regarding OR standby. In Central California, I make $15/hr.

I really recommend the (slightly overpriced) CNOR Exam Secrets Study Guide: CNOR Test Review for the CNOR Exam.

I hope to be relocating to Santa Barbara, CA and get in to Cottage Hospital. I am applying for full-time jobs but wondering if anyone would recommend being a traveler nurse there first to get my foot in the door, then see if I can be hired on full-time? I find them to have very few full-time jobs (besides night shift). All recommendations welcome!

Hi Fellow Endoscopy RNs, I'm taking the CGRN exam this coming Monday and was wondering if anyone has any input on what to focus on studying. I had heard that patient diets, medication contraindications and historical facts may show up on the exam. Anything else?

You may already be a traveling Endoscopy nurse. We always have positions open here in Seattle. It is difficulty for us to find Endoscopy-trained traveling nurses. We usually hire pre-op or recovery/PACU nurses because we only allow full-time, non-traveling nurses in the rooms. I would think you would definitely have an advantage from your knowledge.

Hi there. The doctors order a clear liquid diet and later NPO in order to perform an upper endoscopy first, then a colonoscopy to follow (after a colon prep is finished). This is to find the source of the bleeding. :) If these have already been completed, it's to let the GI system settle down and heal itself.

Thank you everyone for your comments. :)

Thank you so much CrunchRN. It is a ridiculous situation for sure. They have not been very accommodating. I figured it would better if they terminate me versus me resigning. Any other recommendations? By losing me, they will need to hire, orient and train another ICU nurse spending $50,000 of the hospitals money, versus offering me another week off. Seems silly!

We are not part of a union. My facility claims that if I am still not medically cleared, that I would need to resign due to the laws. At that time, when I am ready to return to work, then I would fill out paperwork to be reinstated and rehired on.

Hi fellow nurses, Last week I had a fundoplication with hiatal and umbilical hernia repair. I had to use all my remaining PTO to cover last week but have now run out. My doctor submitted the FMLA (medical leave) paperwork for me to be off work, however, my employer denied medical leave due to being 50 hours short of the requirement. Now I am a week in and suppose to return to work tomorrow, however, I am still suffering from Dumping Syndrome, incisional pain and the inability to lift anything over 10 pounds. My hospital insists that I return to work on Thursday (tomorrow), otherwise requires me to resign. Is this right? Isn't there anything else I can do since I am not medically cleared by my surgeon, which won't allow me to become medically cleared by the hospital's employee health nurse? Please let me know what you think

Hi fellow nurses, Last week I had a fundoplication with hiatal and umbilical hernia repair. I had to use all my remaining PTO to cover last week but have now run out. My doctor submitted the FMLA (medical leave) paperwork for me to be off work, however, my employer denied medical leave due to being 50 hours short of the requirement. Now I am a week in and suppose to return to work tomorrow, however, I am still suffering from Dumping Syndrome, incisional pain and the inability to lift anything over 10 pounds. My hospital insists that I return to work on Thursday (tomorrow), otherwise requires me to resign. Is this right? Isn't there anything else I can do since I am not medically cleared by my surgeon, which won't allow me to become medically cleared by the hospital's employee health nurse? Please let me know what you think

Hi fellow nurses, I am a nurse who was unfortunate to have surgery, be on antibiotics, and contract Clostridium difficile. I was wondering how long I need to wait before returning to work. I have heard 48 hours after being on antibiotics and no longer experiencing diarrhea. Does this sound right?