Loodlow

Hi! Does anyone work for a company with user friendly scheduling software? I desperately need something easier for our 100+nurses. Thanks in advance!

With each age the technique varies for me, 3 year and up tend to listen better and right when i am ready to give the injection, I tell them they can cry or scream if they need to, but must hold still so I dont have to repeat it. Of course me and another are providing restraint for legs and arms . I like to let them sit in moms lap, or sometimes in mine. I ask them to blow hard and it will help. I get it done quick and then give lots of praise, band aids and suckers. I tell the it will hurt for not for long. I find 6 year olds tougher, some of them will flat out panic. Don't ask a six year old to remove their underwear, they have a fear of castration....really.

Thanks for the advice. I did tell the staff. They are wonderful. We have two good possiblities of getting picked up by a new company, so there is hope!

I work for a midsize home health agency and manage the private duty nursing department. We have 40 complex pediatric patients and about 80 nurses. The owner called me in yesterday and said our department was losing money and he was closing it. I have 3 weeks to find placement for all the patients. I started this program from scratch 3 years ago, and honestly don't believe there is any way it is losing money. He showed me the supposed figures but I don't trust them. I think he is selling agency and new owner doesn't want pediatrics. I want our nurses and patients families to hear it from us first, but am desperately looking for another agency to pick up the program, and hopefully all our staff with it. So word is bound to get out. Would you go ahead and inform them? Or wait? I am so devastated right now, I can't imagine dealing with the panic from all the nurses and families before I have a solution. Part of me wants to run, get a new job and be done with it. But I care about these people. Any advice welcome.

I manage staffing for 40 extended care patients. Most are pediatrics, and some are waiver patient adults. We cover 95% plus of all shifts, but occasionally have one that is hard to cover. We are thinking about having a designated "on call" nurse to cover call ins. Does anyone else do this? If so how do you pay them? Thanks in advance!

I love home health! I have been doing it for about 15 years. First pediatric visits, then adult visits, then managing pediatric private duty. The biggest con to me is the insane government regulations, cuts, and inconsistencies. As a field RN, most of that won't affect you. My favorite part of field nursing was the flexibility and independence. Sometimes, you make all the difference in the world to a patient and their family. Sometimes, nothing you can do makes any difference at all. The nurses I have seen through the years that did not belong in home health could not deal with the lack of control. In the hospital, the nurse is in control (even though it might not feel like it.) Patients in hospitals get the medicine ordered when it's ordered, which is not always true at home. Hospital patients get three meals a day, not always at home. Hospital patients are warm in the Winter and cool in the Summer; their rooms are somewhat clean. Not much illegal drug use in the hospital. Hospital patients are seen by their doctor when they are supposed to. Like the hospital, the patient is rarely the difficult part; it's the family. Good luck! You will feel like a real nurse again!

We have had missing valium and ambien. We werent doing counts every shift. That would involve the mom, a sitter, and various nurses. It seems pointless, but this puts us all at risk of accusations. If you do perform counts every shift, do you measure the liquid meds with a syringe? Thanks!

I supervise 70plus nurses doing private duty for children. I have seen my share of fraud. I report it to the state board of nursing, reverse the charges for the hours billed, and terminate the nurse. Period. That is my responsibility as a RN and as a US citizen. If my administrator bucked me, I would be gone. I refuse to put up with fraud. It is very very hard to prove it, there are lots of sleazy people out there. We have had several parents who have made "deals" with nurses to split the check, and sign their notes. One mother actually showed up at my office, complaining the nurse owed her money. Makes me furious. My license is on the line. It sounds like you have more than enough proof, and your administrator is a disgrace. Report it to Medicare, and the state and run.

I am finally making a 6 figure salary, but have 30 years experience and work in management. I would prefer working with patients but it would be hard to give up the income.

I was so naive!!! During my OB rotation, when doing fundal massage in the OB recovery room, I exclaimed "This is amazing! The more you rub it the harder it gets!" EVERYONE in the recovery room---patient, doctor, grandparents, instructor, looked like their eyes were going to pop out. I honestly had no clue why.