LoriChr

I can relate. I was blindsided at a review a few years ago by statements made by a co-workers that I can be abrupt and hard to approach when I am busy. Gee, sorry! Guess I will make more time for social chit-chit instead of trying to take care of my patients. One thing I hate: That so many of us can't approach each other about these things in person as opposed to waiting for yearly reviews. It seems to be a widespread problem. I know I am really trying to get better about this.

LTC needs more caring, compassionate people like you.

That behavior is one of my pet peeves. I think a new employee should be at his/her job a minimum of three months before the suggestions start. Before that I don't feel the person knows the job or the facility well enough to start offering ways to improve.

Just last week I was doing some patient teaching for a gentleman scheduled for hernia surgery. He said (and I quote) "I know how this stuff works, I watch Gray's Anatomy and House on TV." I went on with my teaching as planned.

I agree, keep it professional. I would also be aware of whomever gave you the information. There are those who thrive on drama and love nothing more than causing trouble. Unless you heard this directly from your charge nurse and she told you who made made the complaint, I would be cautious as to what to believe.

17. We can't read your mind. That pretty much covers it.

Well then...((hug)) before this thread gets shut down!! You are such a positive wonderful force on this board. My thoughts are with you during this time.

One of the best nurses I know has Type 1 diabetes.

Wow. If nurses were fired for one F-bomb in frustration out of the ears of patients where I work there wouldn't be anyone working there! I agree with others. Even if this does not result in termination, I would get out of there.

Yikes, I used to do that too! Meeting are always scheduled during your prime sleep hours, but you still expected to attend. Friends are relatives are always surprised to hear they woke you calling at noon, even though you have been working overnights for years.

I was married for about two years when I went to nursing school. The year I spend in LPN training was easily the most difficult time in our marriage. I was gone all the time, and when I was home I was studying. I also worked part-time while going to school. It was hard for my husband who was used to having a wife home in the evenings and free on the weekends. Things got pretty tense at times. But our marriage prevailed, just celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary. He has always encouraged me to go back to school some day for RN. I say, "Do you remember what it was like the first time I was in school!?"

I am so sorry you had this happen. I work for a general surgeon and know full well the frustations of surgery scheduling. As the OP stated, the nurse had no business promising you surgery time would be open. Schedules change constantly and quickly. At least in my experience, it is pretty rare to "hold" spots. But I am also bothered by her obvious lack of follow-though. I work part-time and am very upfront with my patients when I will be out of the office. If I know something will be happening on my day off, I make sure at least one of my co-workers know what is going on. No one is perfect and unforseen things happen. But it sounds like that office nurse dropped the ball several times here.

I'm sorry you had such a terrible night. I worked the first 7 years of my nursing career in LTC on the night shift. The sheer amount of patients we are expected to care for, not to mention how sick many are, is unacceptable. You did absolutely nothing wrong. You cared for your patient and attempted to get a much needed DNR order. I honestly don't know what more anyone could expect. :icon_hug:

sorry if this is a dumb question, but i am not familiar with the term "medical 25". i assume it refers to a patient crashing, but not a full code blue, is that correct?

I am an LPN and have been working in a clinic for five years. Personally I would be extremely uncomfortable with anyone stating that the doc "just lets them refill a med" and calling it in. I don't care if it is just a stool softner, I talk to the surgeon before anything gets called to the pharmacy. As far as medical advice, I am very careful about anything I tell a patient over the phone. If there is any, any doubt, they are adviced to come in and see the doctor. We always say we would rather have people come in and it be nothing then overlook something serious. We are especially cautious in post-op surgical patients, since so many things could be occuring and you don't want to depend on patient assessment over the phone. After surgery, there is no charge in the post-operative period, so this makes it easier to convince the patient to come and see the doctor. I must admit I don't have a lot of experience with MA's and their level of education and what they are allowed to do. We have only a handful of MAs employed in our clinic and none in my particular dept.

Ditto. Unfortunately I couldn't always say that about my co-workers. It took a meeting before everyone finally turned their phones off during work hours. I also work in an office. Our docs carry cell phones at all times but will not answer if in a room with a patient. Worst case, if they have an emergency brewing, they will excuse themselves, step outside the room and take the call. That OB was way out of line, I hope a complaint gets filed.

Yes, just in the last few weeks. I haven't personally see any in the surgery dept, but Family Practice and Internal Medicine are starting to see a few cases. Scary thing is some of these folks had the flu shot, so this is apparently a different strain.

Our clinic has actually come a long way since I first started. Four years ago, the nurses still wore all white! (no hats, fortunately :chuckle) We first became able to wear ceil blue scrubs, then royal blue scrubs. We can now wear any color top with white pants or wear royal or ceil in combination with white. You know, I must say I like wearing scrubs to work, they are very comfortable, generally flattering and cheaper then dress clothes. :)

There will always be those who tell us we are "just an LPN", or "just a nurse". Some people seem to savor trying to make others feel bad about themselves. Often they have no concept of what a nurse does. Right now I work in a physician office and my job title requires an LPN. I would have to find a different job within the clinic or find a different place to work were I to go back for my RN degree. I love my job and am very happy where I am, so no plans.

I took a three dollar an hour cut in pay when I went from a nursing home to a doctor's office. I don't have to pay anything for health insurance at the clinic, where I did at the nursing home, so that helps offset a bit. Extremely worth it, by the way!! :) Edit: I should mention that included my shift differential of $1/hour for working nights at the nursing home. So just going by base pay it was a 2 dollar an hour cut in pay.

A couple of years ago the clinic where I work had the "Fish Philosophy" program going, about the Seattle area fishery where they throw fish and have fun at work. We had to watch videos, had fish and related toys hanging around the clinic. We has a dept meeting in which we discussed ways to decorate our dept and participate in the "Fish" business. I expressed my feeling that although decorating and whimsical things have their place, this is still a medical clinic and should look so. We see patients with some pretty serious problems. I hate to think we are giving the impression the place is a big party. But this was just my opinion. Anyway, I have my yearly review and I get called on this. Mind you, this is at least six months later. I think the whole problem was that my view was not shared by my nurse manager, who seems to love decorating. Several of my co-workers shared my opinion, but I was the only one who spoke up.

Yup, I worked LTC for seven years and heard it all the time. I wish I has a dime for every time I heard "Sorry to wake you, but....." :)

This has become a real problem in my dept recently, and the problem basically boils down to two co-workers. They are each fine on their own when the other isn't around, but get them together and no one can stand them. They sit on their side of the nurses station and talk, with their backs turned to anyone unfortunate enough to also be at the station trying to work. It wouldn't even bother me so much if it didn't also affect their work. Neither of them tends to help anyone else, and all they do is B*tch and complain if they have to stop horsing around and work. :angryfire We have all addressed it with the NM and I do believe she is aware of the problem but don't know how to go about doing anything about it. I can't believe that I am even writing a post like this. Two years ago, I would not have imagined our dept would ever get like this.

I agree with this. As a nurse in a surgeon's office, I see this from the other side. We get calls all the time from hospital nurses who have patients wondering an approximate time the surgeon might be rounding. We are usually in a position to give them some type of timeline, as we know their office schedule and their caseload in the ER.

Twelve years ago I was in the same position, I had worked in a factory right out of high school before deciding to go for my LPN. I was scared too, afraid that my fellow students with CNA experience would be way ahead of me. It was a little harder, I certainly had to work harder in Nursing 101 (my program's name for the nursing assistant course which was also prerequist for LPN). After that, I was just plain hard work for all of us. I do also remember that the dropout rate for those with NA experience was just as high as those of us coming in with no previous health care work. Best of luck to you! :)