rainstorm83

There have been 2 occasions so far, both times I was a new STNA and working part time from 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm. Both times, I really needed to get milk before coming home. I had a toddler who needed it for breakfast. Both times, I felt so gross! All I wanted was to get home and get out of those gross scrubs that I'd worn through all my pm care, bed baths, toileting barely ambulatory residents, not to mention the majority of Cts were in depends...

My third day as an STNA I rushed to the first Nurse I could find to inform her that my Ct told me he was going to kill himself, and was now chewing on his IV, and was frankly scaring the helll out of me. (I was one on one with a bad gunshot wound in a rehab wing in LTC facility, a no restraint facility might I add.) At this moment I, like my Ct believed air bubbles in his IV would be deadly. She was a housekeeper. I get the reasons for scrubs and don't mind others wearing them. But it does seem like very poor management to allow confusing situations when you're talking about possible life and death situations or a person's confidential information. A simple badge or patch identifying housekeeping, dietitian, STNA, Nurse, etc would be inexpensive and really improve patient care and satisfaction. As a Ct, I'd definitely want to know who I'm talking to.

If you don't care for yourself, your work as a nurse will suffer. Consider it a favor to your patients. If you feel guilty, assess yourself before anyone calls. Ask whether you are in need of rest, socializing, whether your other relationships should get some of your time, if you have anything planned, etc. Basically decide first thing if you can honestly go to work that day without causing negative consequences for yourself, your patients, or your loved ones. Then either answer the phone or don't based on what you've already decided. (I'm assuming this is not your on-call day.)

That's very different from what I was picturing. There is a reason they are wearing that belt and someone is assisting them. Even if they start to fall, you should already be in control of the situation. I don't see how this would happen with a normal sized person wearing a gait belt but if for some reason they are going down and you'd have to abruptly catch them, it's still probably safer for both of you to slow the fall and lower them instead of catching them. A new mom's stitches could tear, really hurting her and increasing risk of infection. Besides if you tried to help, the patient still goes down, and you get seriously hurt there's no one there able to help or get help. Now the patient is injured on a cold hospital floor. When the patient is too big for you to safely ambulate on your own, you really should have help although I know when a place is understaffed it's hard to find someone.

I've been taught that in my state - Ohio - you are not supposed to catch a falling patient. Instead, we are taught a method of guiding the fall. When we are able, we are supposed to help them fall slowly with less injury. Supposedly, it's safer for us and for the patient. (I've never had to use it as almost everybody where I'm working is wheelchair bound - aside from people who are entirely bedridden.) The rational is that if the patient falls you can help them or get help but if you are seriously injured trying to catch someone, nobody is helping either of you which is worse.

I'm a little curious what you mean by setting up? If they are going out of their way to point out mistakes of someone rather than helping them because they feel that person is incompetent , even if all they need is a little training specific to that facility, it is pretty obnoxious. However in that case it is still your actions or lack of which that determines if what happens to you. However, if they are claiming you did something you didn't, or vice-versa if they are claiming you didn't do something you did, that is really dishonest. No matter if they think someone deserves to be fired or not, it is their own actions that a person should be fired on, not on a story someone thinks will get them fired. That just shows they probably don't have a good reason to want the person fired. In cases like that, I'm inclined to wonder why and have to suspect poor practice whether due to laziness, incompetence, or whatever. They get rid of the person who won't "fit in" the environment. Even though it may not help the original victim, observing the underlying problems and filing complaints about the facility may get enough attention on the facility to change the environment and eliminate the culture that's behind it. Still very curious about the details though. What is going on?

I don't think your score looks bad but I'd probably try to take it one more time. I do think you will probably get in with that GPA and TEAS. However, there is no set criteria that will tell you in advance that you'll be selected. Usually there are around 3 applicants for every spot in the program, however they've had higher rates recently and you never know how much it will vary. Now that you know the test a little better your score will probably go up slightly.

The program at COTC is really great. It's really fast but students work together and the school has a lot of resources to help you. Actually a lot of students do work. They offer a lot of classes on nights and weekends. Nursing classes are usually in the day though, especially the clinicals. Still many health care jobs need people for all shifts so you could probably find something. Recently they had surveys about class times for the purpose of determining whether to offer more class times so who knows...

I originally planned to go to OSU but was really frustrated with the wait-list. I chose COTC because they are a "competitive program" rather than a "wait-list program." In many nursing schools the students who are accepted into the program wait their turn, so to speak until there is a spot for them in the program. However, at COTC every quarter they select the students they feel are the best. I decided I couldn't wait 2+ years to start my life so I decided I'd rather gamble on myself, that I could be chosen in a competitive program. Both schools I considered had a really strong nursing reputation which was important to me because need to be able to find a good job when I finish. I'm a mom and while that poor college lifestyle was fun once, it doesn't work as well when I need to provide food and shelter. I really love COTC, the classes are hard but the instructors are great. You have clinicals from the beginning so you really know what you are learning and will have a lot of experience. I've learned so much. I'd never imagine how much information I could learn so quickly, but the way it's taught really flows. Let me tell you if you don't pass the first quarter, you are kicked out of the program, and although they let you reapply, it's hard to get accepted twice. However, seeing as it's competitive in the first place, I can't imagine how that would even happen.

In the real world I have admired someone's veins. Conversely, in the medical world I have said as a goodbye, "See you soon." They were a bit grumpy about that comment, despite my trying to explain that it was just an expression, I did not know something they didn't, and that I was new. Weirdest place I've fallen asleep? No comment. (But it has nothing to do with Nursing.)

Disclaimer... I'm not in your field. I'm a student in an RN program and an aide in long term care. But I can give you the other side. As a parent, I love when my son's aide give me ideas and techniques that can be useful in teaching him, regardless of whether it's academic, social, or behavioral. Trying to look at it clinically which is unlikely when it's my family, when people ask me how I am it often leads to exposing our real issues and leads to forming a plan to address it. Good communication skills are so important, more so than in many other fields. You need the family to follow your instructions while your not there so they need to understand the plan including the reasons behind it and why you think it's best. And you need to understand what will strengthen the family as a unit so that they can help him too. If that is unclear, for example there needs to be things that the family can all do together enjoyably, even if it is limited to small things at first. Otherwise, life is always work with no break. Like every child, this child deserves to be a source of joy. Also, it's a immeasurably better when there are ways the other siblings can play with the special child or help out, especially if the NT child is younger and doesn't get why his brother doesn't play with him and get's special therapy which looks like fun. The DD child is your number one priority by far but it really cuts down on jealousy if the NT child can be somehow involved in some of the therapy. Less jealousy equals happy kids that will actually play nicely with each other. I hate it when anyone voices low expectations or speaks negatively about him, especially if it's a professional. I don't mean stating facts. It would be crazy for anyone to expect you to be able to help their if they are never able to address anything. Telling me that my child doesn't talk, ok especially if it comes with advice. Telling me that I shouldn't expect him to go to college one day (and this was when he was just 2) only tells me that you are not going to try and I need to get someone else. Also, you never know exactly how much a child understands so if you have to address something extremely negative, I suggest trying to do so in a separate room from the child. The reason is even if you are trying to change that fact, hearing it may be damaging to the child's self esteem. He'll improve less if he believes he is stupid or a bad boy, which no child deserves. I hope this is helpful and not completely stupid.

I do agree with everyone that from a professional standpoint you should always call and people have offered very good reasons as to why this is. However, I don't think that would have changed what they believed to be the appropriate response. The fact is that they were concerned that she might have a broken cheek and wanted an x-ray. That is not likely to have been altered by the form of communication you used to discuss the incident with them. So, unless you pushed the daughter, sending you the bill was very optimistic on their part. I too taken my child the ER over an emergency that turned out to be something small. If their instinct told them it was serious, they weren't going to rest until they made sure she was okay. So, although they were upset by your form of communication, it did not cause their ER trip.

Maybe she tripped in the ER, and needed a 2nd slew of tests. Then of course, the only logical course of action would be to send the bill straight back to the Hospital that treated her.

I did miss that. Thanks, Scoochy. Even if he does say something uncomplimentary, dozens of good references and 1 bad one is still a pretty good work history. It's unlikely that you'll lose the job because of that. Good luck, I hope you get it.

The statement that you couldn't handle the job is probably his honest opinion. However, I doubt he'd state an opinion in his review of you. It could be a legal issue and is unprofessional. He may address how you quit and hopefully he'll state what a great employee you were before that. However, if you are upfront with the company about the issue of your leaving at least they've heard it from you, which shows honesty, accountability, and integrity. As a side note, in the future you should probably resign in writing (or at least follow up promptly with a written letter.) Your resignation should thank them for the job, state something you've learned working there, and something you'll miss about the job. A complimentary resignation letter will help their final impression of you to be positive. Although not many people would be thinking about their job in a severe family emergency.