POTR

Learn outside of the box.

Eh... Most skilled labor positions have 4-5 year apprenticeships (school +OJT) usually with a certificate, sometimes there are options in the careers with an Associates or Bachelors Degree with a few more classes. (Diploma/ADN/BSN anyone?) Many of these careers involve theory, math and science on levels that are equivalent or even more complicated than Nursing. There are state and NGO certificates required for many of these careers as well. There are also specialties and sub-specialties with many. They usually make around the same as an RN. More in some areas, less in others. To some, Nursing doesn't look too different. Many of these laborers (and labor orgs) call themselves 'professional' as well. Except, no one is going to expect a sheet metal worker or A/C installer (how much TRIG did you take) to fetch them a cup of ice while they are busy installing their cooling system, just like no one is going to interrupt an electrician (algebra, electrical theory) to wipe their butt while they are re-wiring their service.

Hmmm... I have had a flat tire multiple times in a row when I was a young and starving student and couldn't just afford to go buy a new tire (or set) at the drop of a hat (or nail as the case may be). Trying to manage a slow leak with no money can really be a pain. My father had to call off work once to take me to the UCC, long after I was grown. I was visiting after getting out of the Army and I had just spent the entire night sitting on his couch having the first asthma attack I had experienced since I was 11 or 12. I couldn't talk and definitely couldn't ambulate without his help. My O2 sat was Insomnia? Yeah. Migraines? Yeah. Neck, back, shoulder, arm, leg, and everything else pain? Yeah. I'm a constant 6/10 (who said that doesn't exist ) while taking Hydromorphone. Without it, 10/10 just doesn't sound 'bad' enough. For those who have never had chronic pain, I can guarantee that you will never understand it fully. A broken bone and a cast for a while can be a maddening experience for most, just from the itch that they can't scratch. But that is over when when the cast is gone. Chronic pain isn't a simple little itch, and there isn't any cast to take off to make it go away. You can't sleep when you can't stand to lay down, so you read until you can't stand sitting, then your up and working on something because you can't lay or sit, and it goes like this until you're so tired that you crash for hours and nothing wakes you up. Which means that much more pain for not moving for however many hours. If you're lucky and in tune with what's going on with you, you can basically schedule your crash so it won't interfere with work. But not always, so, if I say I don't feel like working, I really don't feel like working. So, I am personally inclined to accept some of those silly excuses at face value. Even though I rarely, if ever call off work.

Barnes & Noble! (And they just dropped the price $50 on the 3G+WiFi NOOK!) Home Depot (Power Tools) Snap On (All the other tools) any Gun show... A nice weekend - Read a book or three, work on something on the house, tune up the lawn mower and put some targets out of their misery.

Just found this relevant bit of ACNP conference material while wandering the net... http://handouts.acnpconference.com/2009/pdf/254.pdf

Can't say that any of this will ever apply to me, but perhaps I can offer some points for consideration... Some studies have shown that soy does work at producing relief from symptoms when from actual food sources. That would be soy milk, whole soybeans, tofu, tempeh, miso and stuff made with soy flour. I would think that the closer to natural form the better (whole beans, soy milk, tofu). Some studies have measured no differences in estradiol and gonadotropins and leave it at that. Vitamin E has seen positive results in published studies in reducing number of, severity and 'night sweats.' (Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?typ=pdf&doi=106491 ) Exercise early in your day is also one of those general positive things (avoid exercise 3-4 hours before bed (to help avoid that night sweat thing again). Many women also seem to have dietary triggers that exacerbate the problem, you may wish to try selective elimination with caffeine, ETOH and spicy foods. Black cohosh is usually high on the list of BTDT recommendations, but I don't see where it has a lot of evidential support. If you wish to avoid traditional HRT like estrogen replacement, you may wish to talk to your MD/DO/NP about Prometrium, Effexor and Gabapentin.

Actually, I only presented the God theory after you yelled about shaving "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD." Was not the focus of my point at all. If my skin gets chewed up from shaving, it doesn't matter what is covering or not covering. T-shirts are not bio-hazard protection. How would one get MRSA? Mainly from misinformed Nurses that aren't as clean as they think they are, not keeping aseptic technique and sharing their colony with others.

Actually, you 'yelled' "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLEASE SHAVE IT!!" And since you now mention shaving prior to procedures along with your long experience, I'll simply point out that traditionally, surgical sites primarily were shaved with disposable razors due to the belief that hair would interfere with proper wound closure and healing. And it is NOT best practice. Current studies basically show that shaving actually causes more problems than anything else, increasing the risks of infection. In fact, AORN’s Standards, Recommended Practices, and Guidelines specifically state that hair should be left at the surgical site unless the Physician orders that it be removed. Clipping is generally much safer, IF hair has to be removed, as there is nearly no risk of skin damage, and that is what recent studies recommend, IF hair removal is deemed necessary due to location or excessive growth. Clipping does not get close to the skin and leaves stubble, which would presumbably be just as unsightly, and much more itchy/friction producing. Of course this is where most 'hard to remove' microbes will be located, near the skin and root, so, not buying the 'cleanliness' argument. I think I'll look much better if I don't give MRSA a better chance to eat a nice hole in my chest by damaging my skin. And as to me and my preferences, you're incorrect. I just don't think imposing my own preferences of what is 'unsightly' or not on others is professional.

Eh, I don't care if you've got a unibrow, mustache, hairy chest or hairy mole, I'm not going to say you have to get rid of it.

Yes. Been there, experienced it, no permanent physical damage in my case. Both as a child in the 70's at a Catholic hospital, and as an adult in an Army hospital in the 80's. And as far as the military ensuring privacy goes... just about everyone got some vaccinations in a assembly line fashion co-ed group (roll up your sleeve) once they were enlisted. When it came to pre-enlistment at MEPS, women always got private pelvic exams. We men got our blood draw, hernia and rectal exams standing in a nice big unclothed group 50 or more for however long it took to poke, prod and look at everyone. Nothing to hang onto or lean on except our own knees while we were turning left, bending over in front of the next guy's business and waiting for further violation. Then, like now, guys may seem like we are immodest, but the truth is a lot of us are just plain numb now. We just learned to put up with the all the thoughtless crap that goes on because we are expected not to be weak.

Since you brought up God... God put it there, I'd be inclined to think that it would be against God to shave it. Even without arguing theology... Just like your eyebrows and eyelashes, which end up everywhere any other body hair will end up (but I won't ask you to pluck), all hair serves a purpose. Not only is our hair part of the body's natural defense and temperature regulating systems, it also reduces friction with clothing, reducing irritation. Shaving increases friction due to the resultant stubble as well as producing it's own irritation and skin damage opening up the possibility of infections. Even if you dismiss hair functions as outdated or not necessary in modern society, body hair still serves as an important indicator of overall health. Shaving it all off means we won't know if it were falling out. If it IS falling out at something other than a normal rate, then it may be the result of an underlying medical condition that we would want some early warning for things like Cancer, disruptions in organ function, hormonal imbalances and pituitary problems. Since, presumably, we are all bathing/showering, the majority of any normal hair loss is gonna go down the drain or get stuck to the sides of the tub, not leap out of a scrub top and dance around on a patient's oatmeal or wound site. I personally have more of a problem with people that act like they are trying to show off their T-backs and "tramp stamps" at work.

For California you will need an endorsement... http://www.rn.ca.gov/applicants/lic-end.shtml I would suggest a cheap pre-paid cell phone for use while on the trip, to avoid giving out your personal number. You should be able to find Virgin Mobile phones for less than $20 at the local 7-11.

Weird kind of tired night last night... was having visions of misbehaving plumbing à la The Three Stooges - "A Plumbing We Will Go." You know, every convoluted thing that can go wrong... Nice catch Roser13. I was quickly pruning several branches of thought from the middle to shorten my hurried list, while I was changing my mind. (dilutional hyponatremia/ hypervolemia from absorption of excess fluid from surgery and a whole lot of other thoughts were on my pre-edit list) weird how that happened... stretching out in too many directions at once I suppose...

Assuming that the reinserted catheter is where it is actually supposed to be... Spastic bladder (common), Hypervolemia doing it's usual thing, kidneys self adjust and slow way down to protect themselves... (common)(patient absorbed a lot of fluids from flushing to keep the field clear during operation), Post TURP syndrome (10%)(how are patient's serum sodium levels? vision? A&O ??)

Ah... ye old hospital smell. Iodoform is scary too, especially if you consider how reactive that stuff can be.