westieluv

westieluv

Med/Surg, Tele, Dialysis, Hospice

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All Content by westieluv

  1. On-Call Duties in Acute HD

    westieluv replied to westieluv's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    Interesting. I have days where I work 12 hours and am on call from the time I get off until 6 AM the next day AND am scheduled to work the next day. We generally notify our manager if we were out late...

  2. Interviewing for dialysis with no dialysis experience???

    westieluv replied to bajj78's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    I guess I didn't take that post in the same way that you did. My impression was that the PP was saying that, in spite of your efforts to run a gentle treatment, accommodate the drips, etc., your...

  3. 8 months as a nurse and I am failing miserably

    westieluv replied to RN119's topic in First Year After Licensure

    If the low hgb caused the patient to be short of breath, then getting blood could be considered a comfort measure, I have seen it done. OP, please don't beat yourself up, this kind of stuff happens,...

  4. As the Holidays Approach, Remember the Dialysis Patients!

    westieluv replied to madwife2002's topic in General Nursing

    I have to agree with you on this. If someone can't be bothered to be at HD three times a week, what would make them be willing to show up four times a week? I agree that it would be a drag to have to...

  5. I'm not feeling challenged...

    westieluv replied to bankssarn's topic in Nursing Career

    Call without compensation and five scheduled 12 hour shifts, all with a small baby at home? Run, don't walk, away from that! Any hiring manager would understand why you need to find something else,...

  6. Unable to take fluid without cramping????

    westieluv replied to mxems's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    Well, I guess if the clinic is willing to make accommodations for those extra treatments in the form of extra chairs and extra staff, then it wouldn't be so

  7. Unable to take fluid without cramping????

    westieluv replied to mxems's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    How do you achieve this? Is your clinic open on Sundays, or do the MWF people come in on Saturday, and if so, then it seems that either your Saturdays would be insane or your Mondays would be if the...

  8. Interviewing for dialysis with no dialysis experience???

    westieluv replied to bajj78's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    Chronics is fast paced but in a more scheduled, controlled, way. You pretty much know who you will be running and you have help in the form of techs and other nurses. Fast paced in acutes can mean...

  9. As the Holidays Approach, Remember the Dialysis Patients!

    westieluv replied to madwife2002's topic in General Nursing

    Madwife2002, you must work in a chronic unit. I work in acute inpatient dialysis, and am absolutely THRILLED that this coming weekend is not my weekend to work and be on call! Unfortunately, those...

  10. Obs Unit?

    westieluv replied to jeangarc18's topic in Medical-Surgical

    I used to work on an obs unit. The high turnover is because a patient can only be considered an observation patient for 24 hours and then they have to either be discharged or changed to inpatient...

  11. MIddle Aged and Burned Out...Any Suggestions?

    westieluv posted a topic in General Nursing

    I have been an RN for over 23 years and have worked for much of that time, sometimes per diem, sometimes full-time, and with an occasional break to be a stay at home mom. Our two kids are grown now,...

  12. MIddle Aged and Burned Out...Any Suggestions?

    westieluv replied to westieluv's topic in General Nursing

    DoeRN, Thanks for your reply. I don't have my BSN, but I also have zero desire to be in any kind of nursing management. At least when I am the underling, I can go home and leave my job behind. I have...

  13. Learning Curve for Being an On-Call Hospice Nurse

    westieluv posted a topic in Hospice, Palliative

    I recently began working at an inpatient hospice facility after years of working hospital inpatient Med/Surg nursing. Now I am accepting a position with the same company as an on-call field nurse. I...

  14. MIddle Aged and Burned Out...Any Suggestions?

    westieluv replied to westieluv's topic in General Nursing

    And do you question why you ever became a nurse? I spend entirely too much time thinking about "what if" I would have chosen this or that career instead of nursing? How different would my life be...

  15. Interviewing for dialysis with no dialysis experience???

    westieluv replied to bajj78's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    I wouldn't try to cram and fill your head with dialysis knowledge before the interview, that will just stress you out. I had no dialysis experience when I started out, and I didn't try to avoid that...

  16. starting Acutes dialysis without experience.

    westieluv replied to ffliper27's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    I just read schnookimz's post and wanted to say that I think that being forced to work hours like that is just as much of a safety issue as not completely knowing what you are doing. I worked a day...

  17. starting Acutes dialysis without experience.

    westieluv replied to ffliper27's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    I just kept checking Fresenius' website (you were right! ) until there was a position posted in my area. I don't know if this goes for everywhere, but in my area they also post positions on Indeed.com...

  18. starting Acutes dialysis without experience.

    westieluv replied to ffliper27's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    I would tell them your concerns up front, rather than waiting until the 12 weeks of training is up and then asking to be moved to chronics. Training for acutes and chronics is very different in a lot...

  19. starting Acutes dialysis without experience.

    westieluv replied to ffliper27's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    Well, this has been my experience: The staff nurses in the hospitals will help you a lot of the time in whatever capacity that they can, but they do not know dialysis and cannot help you with knowing...

  20. starting Acutes dialysis without experience.

    westieluv replied to ffliper27's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    I work in acutes and, like you, I had zero dialysis experience when I started, but several years of med/surg and intermediate cardiac experience. In my opinion, 12 weeks is in no way enough...

  21. SeLect Speciality Hospitals

    westieluv replied to twinner05's topic in General Nursing

    I am an acute dialysis nurse who provides treatments in one of their Regency Hospital locations. One thing I have noticed is that in the Med/Surg area, the RNs are made to utilize something called pod...

  22. You want us to do what?!?

    westieluv replied to SilenceintheLibrary's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    I used to work for a small hospice company and every year, our medical director would treat us all to a nice dinner out as a way of showing his appreciation for all we did. That was always something...

  23. Access on right...machine on left

    westieluv replied to dmapp63's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    I don't work outpatient, I work acutes in five different hospitals where the water connections vary by the patient's room. In some we hook up to the bathroom sink, in some we have a water box in the...

  24. Access on right...machine on left

    westieluv replied to dmapp63's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    Agreeing with Chisca. In a perfect world the machine would be snugged up next to a patient's access, but in the real world, without water it would be pretty pointless, so yes, the plumbing connection...

  25. Fresenius Training

    westieluv replied to TheSuperNurse's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    Do you mean that those are the only hours that you would be available to work? I can only speak for my area, although I think that it is much the same in most places, but if you work in a chronic...