skeeterRN

you are absolutely right. I didnt mean that in the literal sense. We are paid competetively. However, in the surrounding area, we at HMC, are not the highest paid. Thank you for the clarification.

Hi. Im an ICU burn nurse. my suggestion would be to keep the would covered. Letting it "breathe" is not best practice. It allows for bacteria and infection to set into wound bed. If the wound has any big blisters, they should be deroofed (using a sterile scissors cut the blister "roof" and let the fluid drain). Trim the roof rissue to the border of the blister. After deroofing, place the wound in SSD (silvadene). Put SSD ONLY on burned skin, as it will break down healthy skin. Place a gauze dressing over the SSD and secure the dressing with a loose kerlex wrap or spandage. The idea is for the SSD to provide a bacteriostaic environment and to stop the burning process. It will cause the burned skin to macerate and lift- which is the goal. Keeping badly burned skin intact is a breeding ground for infection. The wound must be cleaned and redressed everyday.

One thing I did as a nursing student was shadow experiences...I followed an RN in the ER, ICU, labor & delivery, and OR. It was a great introduction into which types of nursing actually interested me (as well as which didnt) and got my foot in the door as far as starting to network. Networking is really what it comes down to. Get your name and face out there. Get yourself and your resume noticed. Show interest in several aspects of nursing, but be genuine about it. Then, as others have said, go for your CNA and NT. The skills you gain with either of those, are invaluable when you start clinicals and then when you apply for senior practicum. Hope this helps Cheers :redbeathe:nurse::redbeathe

Hey all I work at Harborview in one of the ICUs. I love it here. I've worked here almost 7 years. I have worked at several of the area hospitals as a travel RN...and I have to say, Harborview is the best. The experience you gain here is second to none. I started here as a new nurse and haven't looked back. It's been a wonderful experience hands down. I have learned more than I ever thought possible. I have become the RN I always dreampt I'd be. Everyday I do new and excited things, some I'd only read about before I came here. We take care of the sickest of the sick, the worst traumas, burns, and everything in between- in a 4 state region. We are a strong group of dedicated people (it is true that we are the lowest paid RNs in the entire city). I bet if you ask 100 nurses here, more than 80% would say they dont work here for the money anyway. We love what we do. We are good at what we do. We are proud to be here and want to teach anyone willing to join us. Having said that, HMC does have some "characters of questionable intent" outside...but I assure you that I have never been in an unsafe or threatening position. I have never been uncomfortable in my role here. I feel like our security is on top of their game. They know who enters this hospital and they never have to be asked twice to come to our aid, no matter what the situation involves. I have called them for and number of reasons, such creepy people hanging around the waiting rooms, smoke in the stairwell, and just because I felt uneasy. Never once have they said no or made me wait more than the time it takes them to get to my unit. I have actually had a few circumstances where I have had a security officer staged outside my patient room, and I've never felt safer. As its been previously stated, HMC is within a few blocks of several other hospitals. The "clients" we see are seen at most, if not all, the other hospitals around here too. So safety is really not a problem, so long as you are smart about when and where you go at night. I'd say if you are excited about nursing and want to take care of a variety of really sick and injured people....this is the place for you. Its hard not to be challenged here and its even harder to not go home rewarded for what you love to do. :redbeathe:nurse::redbeathe Cheers