nitronymph

We do not get a meal break. While the medical floor, surgery, and rehab get to actually go to the cafeteria and eat, we are unable to leave ICU. Our manager does not relieve us. STILL, in spite of this, we are DOCKED pay for meal breaks. Doesn't seem right or legal. I work in Alabama.

I have worked weekends in ICU for some 8 years. I raised my children during this time. It was good because I was able to be with them during the week and my husband on the weekends. I was allowed 3 weekends off a year and usually tired to chose them wisely. The money is great and the only way to have a set schedule. I was able to attend sports events and many other school functions because I worked weekends. My children are long grown, and I still continue to work weekends. I have worked with the same nurse all these years, too. We are the best of friends and have a great working relationship. This makes working weekends even better. And the fact that the high authorities are not there is even better!

Unfortunately, necessity dictates doing things that are not always kosher. I have run it through a peripheral line only b/c there was no central line established. As soon as one is obtained, definitely change over!!!

I am a healthy, young at heart 54 year old grandmother. I have been in working at the same local facility for over 13 years. I would love to travel nurse but am I too old? Are places excepting of older travel nurses? My reason for traveling is to hopefully get closer to my daughter in SC. Her husband is in the service stationed there and they have a new baby. I would love to be close enough to help with the baby when I could. She knows very few people there. Hoping your experiences can help me decide what to do....Thanks!:)

Ok, ICU nurses. Need your input. What is the nurse to patient ratio in your ICU? Our ICU is small, only 8 beds. We are out of date of most of our equipment. We RARELY do CVP monitoring. There is not cardiologist on staff(neareast one is 65 miles away), no neurologist or neurosurgeon(only orthopedic and general surgeons), and only a pulmonologist once or twice a week(just says the service is offered). We do have lots of ventilator patients usually due to COPD, pneumonia, etc. Drips include nitro, dopamine, dobutamine, levophed, insulin, propofol, amiodarone, epi, lidocaine(don't think our docs who think they are specialists know of too may more). Lots of older septic patients, all post op ortho pts x 24 hrs, many general surgical patients needing close monitoring...these are our patients. Most of them are very, very sick patients, but many of them are what we call "fluff"...there just because of who they are or the family wants them in ICU or the doc is trying to make a few extra bucks. Regardless, we are the patient care nurses, the telemetry techs, the unit secretaries....we do it ALL. Normally, our nurse/pt ration is max of 3 per nurse. If we had 5 patients, staffing would allow 3 nurses. Granted it, there were many times I felt guilty for calling someone in on the occasions that the pts we had were mostly "fluff", but because of the other "hats" we wore, I would call them in. Our CNO says the chg nurse is suppose to be with the tele monitor at all times. It is kind of difficulty to roll a 300 pound 2 person assist patient alone (when there are only 2 nurses) and have the charge nurse hold down the desk. Well...they have now decided to save money(no raises this year for anyone, either) to have 6 pts on days before the 3rd nurse is called and 7 pts on nights before the 3rd nurse is called. The other night the "seasoned" nurse had to respond to a code and leave the newbie(6 month ICU nurse that needs throwing back to MS floor) alone with all the telemetries and patients (6). Sounds UNCOOL!!! What do you think? Just looking for input from all of you out there. Thanks!!!!

She must be part of the social set. Believe me, I have also seen nurse like this in my years, but they are kept because the no someone in the upper crust of the hospital or the small town. Therefore, in spite of there lack of belonging in ICU, the remain because of who they are or who they know. Very sad. If this nurse is not getting to work on time and does not seem to be interested in attempting to learn her drugs outside of her job, she is definitely not an ICU nurse!

Just want to wish you good luck! There is a tremendous amount to learn in ICU so you will never be bored or at odds. Experience and learn all you can

Got ya'll one!!! We had a pt in ICU that had several cats. When she came to us, she had been found down in the yard. No one knew how long she was down. She was basically out of it the whole time she was with us. I found out she had cats and would talk to her about her cats and my cats. (I am a firm believer in communicating with your patients regardless if they talk back or not.) Needless to say, the poor woman died. Many months later, a male nurse and I were working when we heard a female voice calling, "Here kitty, kitty. Here kitty, kitty." I looked and him...he looked at me. It came from the direction of the room the Cat Lady had been in! That was the first time we heard it. Many months later, October 31st oddly, he and I were working nights again along with a young female nurse. We heard the familiar, "Here kitty, kitty. Here kitty, kitty." The young female nurse had eyes as big as saucers as she came almost running over to me asking what that was. I told her to relax that it was just the Cat Lady calling her kitties. On both occasions, there was no patient in that particular room. No one has heard her but the 3 of us. Maybe she found her kitties!

MS nurses rock! I was a MS nurse long b4 an ICU nurse. I get so ill at the docs for short selling them.

sunnycalifRN.....We also get post op hips and knees. The ortho used to be really bad to leave the pts back in the unit for 3 days! He is not as bad now but will not let them leave if there Hgb is 8! Apparently, he thinks floor nurses can't give blood! Just cracks me up!

Our small 8 bed ICU has the same issues. We were recently schooled in the difference between a "DNR pt" and a "comfort measures only" pt. Our nurse pt ration is 3:1. The other week, there were 2 floor pts in the ICU so instead of having max of 3 nurses for 5 pts, there were only 2. One pt was on a vent and coding and another pt was in full blown DTs and trying to fight with the nurses. It was a total fiasco!!! One of the nurses turned in her notice....and they wonder about job satisfaction! Our docs are a piece of work...they put pts in ICU b/c we don't continually call on every little issue and according to them "they get better care back here." I resent them slighting the floor nurses b/c they can not help it if mgt staffs by numbers instead of acuity to save the almighty dollar! We are always excited to have a "qualified, real ICU pt"! I am, however, relieved to see that our unit is not the only one that has these issues.....some of our "non-ICU pts" stay there so long that they grow roots and sprout leaves and have to dug up from their bed and removed from ICU usually in protest to family and pt.

Whatever it takes to get you up and going in the morning...whatever it takes for you to love your job! I'm a staff nurse and LOVE direct patient care!!!! I don't need a BSN(only lack 5 classes, mainly clinicals and theory component)to enjoy what I do. Besides, where I work, the salary is not but $1/hr more for a BSN. You actually have to "climb" the career ladder to achieve the big $2/hr more that is available only if you "climb" the ladder. By the way, we have ADNs who are department managers and over BSN holders in their department! I am happy with me, just as I am, and my patients are, too!

Thanks...It just really concerns me b/c our unit is small (8 beds) located in a rural community. Most cardiacs and neuros are shipped...going to take a lot of review and studying!!!!

CCRN test revised for 2010. Any one know of any good, current study programs? The other nurses and myself work in an ICU that is very behind the times....only an occasional Swan Ganz, no trauma, no neuro, no cardiac caths or any type of cardiac surgery...we do have ventilators, vasoactive drips, and mainly sever medical problems not able to be managed on a regular med/surg floor...We need a good program for study to pass CCRN...Please, any suggestions welcome. :)