MInurse.st

Going into hour 16 or 17 of my shift tonight, the scrub tech and I were getting the patient cleaned up on the OR table before transferring back to ICU. We turned the patient away from me, I began to clean the pt up, the tech lost grip, the pt fell off the table towards said tech, who, thankfully, broke much of the fall. But the pt did fall. The intubated, sedated, helpless pt. Literally my worst nightmare. Anesthesia was present. Pt remained intubated and as stable as he/she had been throughout the case (it was tenuous), although we lost central access at that time. I’ve been home for several hours now and cannot sleep, because every time I close my eyes I see what happened. I have to be back to work in a few hours, but cannot fathom trying to take care of patients when I know what I’ve done - the incompetence, the negligence, the physical harm I’ve caused. We literally had this pt’s life in our hands, and I failed him/her. It’s a special kind of incompetence where you literally drop a god damn helpless pt. I feel such shame. I was the nurse, it was my job to keep this pt safe. But I caused harm. For context, I’ve been a nurse for going in 10 years, from Med-surg to ICU, never an event like this. I’m not looking for sympathy, I received plenty from the physicians involved. Just looking for validation of my feelings - that I no longer deserve to be a nurse.

I'm single, no kids and pay $7/month - yes 7 - for an HMO plan. No deductible, $20 copay for all office visits (incl specialists, urgent care), no lifetime max, no deductible or copay for hospital stays, full maternity coverage. To add an adult it goes up to 150, then add a child it's 250/mo. I am thankful for this coverage and thankful for our union that made it possible.

I come in at 11 two nights a week so I often have to wake up my patients to introduce myself and do an assessment. I work on a surgical floor, so when I patient comes from PACU we do vitals q1 X4h. Otherwise q4 (midnight and 0400). For a post-op fresh off a PCA and on PO pain meds I ask them during my assessment if they want to be woken up for the pain meds.

I work there (contingent) and I LOVE it. I started as Health Care Assistant (MA w/o certification), and when I passed NCLEX got to transition RN. I'm not there for the pay for sure ($6/hr less than than at the hospital I work at), I'm there because I love what I do. Some clinics that do AB may allow you to volunteer in the recovery room.

In Michigan there is a law that any woman getting an abortion must obtain a packet of information about their "options" written by the state and have this info for 24 hours before the abortion. This packet must be referred to as "informed consent" per the state. When they come in for their appointment, the front desk (health assistant) must make sure they have this packet and have had it for 24 hours. So, in a way, obtaining their "informed consent." When it comes to the actual procedure, the MD meets with the patient prior to the procedure, goes over risks, etc. and obtains the actual informed consent, which results in a piece of paper signed by both the MD and patient.

Look up patients before report, done w/ report 1920-1930, assess the first patient, including lines, drains, etc, give pain meds and address immediate wants/needs (ice water, reposition, etc), repeat x3 more patients, check 20:00 VS and chart assessments, pass meds/hang TPN/Lipids, do dressing changes, cover HS chemsticks, look up the patient I'll be picking up at 2300. Ideally. What do you do until 20:00?

I would take the higher pay, if pay and seniority are the only differences to you. 2 months is not much in terms of "seniority." And I think $1/hr more is significant.

I think whether mitts are considered a restraint varies by facility. Previously, they were not considered a restraint at my hospital (which I always found odd). Recently, policy has changed and now mitts are going to be considered a restraint (duh).

I work on a surgery unit, but we also get medicine patients when gen med floors are full. 3-4 on days and 5 on nights.

I'm happy to work - 12 hours of triple time!

Clinical competency and empathy.

My surgical floor takes the liver and kidney transplants. Tons of teaching, and these patients are almost always eager to learn (and compliant w/ meds, treatments. etc).

I work on a surgery floor. Phenergan is a commonly prescribed med, and we give it IV push.

We don't get a call from the lab unless K is over 6.0 And isn't normal K 3.5 to 5

We get triple time on Christmas (double time and a half for all other holidays), so most people want to work. Unfortunately, Christmas and New Years are always overstaffed, so we get called off by seniority.

I'm not sure where you got your info, but new grads start at U of M at 27.11/hr base, night shift diff is 1.25/hr.

15 hours per month =4.5 weeks/yr (I work 40 hrs/wk)

If an aide gets my light, great. But ultimately it's my responsibility, because they're my patients.

U Of M has an OR residency for new grads. I haven't heard good things about the work environment in the OR, but I don't know first hand.

I have my nose pierced (I wear a small stud) and a tattoo on each wrist. I work in a large university teaching hospital and this has never been an issue.There is an aide on my unit with several visible tattoos and his nose pierced w/ a ring. Patients absolutely ADORE this guy, as does management and the rest of the staff. He's the best aide we have.

In reference to RNperdiem, and if the family can't afford the medicine/supplies, the pt doesn't get them. In the parts of the world where healthcare works like this (developing countries) usually the families can't afford these things, and subsequently the pt doesn't get treated. To be blunt, those with money live and those without die. I'll take our system over that any day.

Post op pts, esp the ones who can't wait to get up and walk or the ones who I find using their incentive spirometer on their own w/ no one around, haha. Transplant pts who study their Ed materials, know their meds, and ask questions.

Dementia C-diff Medicine service pts (we're a surgery floor but get overflow if no gen med beds open)

My guess is that you'd be caring for patients post op from urology surgeries (surg for bladder CA, prostate CA, CBIs) and other urology issues (work up for hematria, etc). And also ortho post-ops (hip replacements, knee replacements, some trauma, etc). I work on a surgery floor that gets some of these patients if all the ortho and urology beds are full.

Michigan (union): med-surg 4:1 days, 5:1 nights.