Ginger80

LOL~ I think all nurses (maternity or not) can relate to these! Hilarious! Thanks so much for sharing!

I honestly could have written this post myself. I wonder if the stress is all worth it. I have been a nurse for 3.5 years- 1 yr in LTC, and the rest a a very busy family practice. Both jobs have demanded unrealistic expectations of what 1 person can sanely and safely do. I am 12 weeks pregnant now and my priorities have shifted. I don't know what will happen after I have the baby- I like the "idea" of nursing, but I find myself longing for something more. I've been thinking maybe palliative care is more rewarding. I definitely understand where you're coming from, you're not alone. I feel positive about the future, and I know we will figure it out. Gotta do what's best for you!

I watch what I eat, especially in terms of nutrition (less worried about calories). My thinking goes "Have I eaten enough fruit today? Did I get my good fats?". That's not to say that I never divert from this, but overall I think it's important to make good choices.

If a pt's INR is in the therapeutic range, I advise the pt to continue with the current coumadin dosage, otherwise the INR with go down. Find out for sure what your facility's procedure is regarding INR.

About 50 hours/week at a very busy family practice.

If the pt understood enough to consent to IM ativan, he should have been told about the haldol. I don't know the 100% legal answer. I'm looking forward to other responses from psych nurses perhaps who have dealt with violent pts.

Hmmm, quite a few actually: headache= brain tumor/aneurysm sore throat=throat cancer pain in leg= DVT constipation= bowel cancer period coming 2 days earlier than usual= having to have hysterectomy eye twitching= MS It's quite embarrassing as I am normally a rational person. But my imagination gets carried away when it comes to my health.

I think you and I are very alike in this way. I'm a quiet person (at work, haha!), but like you, I become more outgoing when I get comfortable around people. I have never really seen this as an obstacle, or something negative. Personally, I prefer quieter people- loud people grate on my nerves. I like to think patients are more at ease having a nurse who's not yelling/speaking loudly/etc. Being a great listener is a valuable trait in this profession. Be yourself.

I would just be honest: things like this happen. It's not the worst mistake in the world. Fix it now rather than have it come back and bite you in the behind. I bet you won't forget the consent form ever again!

1.) What type of nursing licensure do you have? Please check or type your title. LPN 2.) How long have you been a nurse? B. 1-3 Years 3.) What annual salary do you expect as a nurse with your amount of experience? A. $35,000 - $45,000 4.) What type of nursing education have you received? A.) Diploma 5.) What type of facility do you work for? D.) Other: Doctor's office o 6.) Have you ever worked on a medical/surgical floor? A. Yes, as a student 7.) What shift do you work? 7:00 A.M. - 4:30PM 8.) Do you like being a nurse? Often 9.) What kind of nurse are you? (OB, Critical Care, ER, etc.) Clinic nurse

Always bring a tasty, nutritious lunch. It's something to look forward to, and gives you energy to get through the day. I usually make a batch of salad (something with protein, like a quinoa or chickpea salad), and then i have enough to last me 3-4 days. Also, wear quality, comfortable scrubs. It always makes me feel better about my day.

A $10 gift card for Starbucks or any other popular coffee place in your town is always appreciated.

Thanks for your reply. It's pretty much what I thought.

If you give an IM injection subcutaneously, or vice-versa, what would happen? I'm asking this out of curiosity. I have heard some nurses say "I'm not sure I went into the muscle" when giving IM injections. Just wondering what the consequence is.

At the nursing home where I currently work, there are no strict policies either. I have coworkers who call in every 2 weeks. No write-ups or warnings.

Would there possibly be any colleagues from the hospital that would be willing to give you a reference? Any of your former professors or preceptors? If you can get good letters of reference from them, that would speak well of your experience and character. Don't let this experience discourage you. You will find another job. Good luck.

I wear a size 8 in jeans....size small in scrubs. But the scrubs still never fit right. They feel too big in some areas, but I know XS would be too small. I hate scrubs!!

I must also comment on some of the very negative responses here. I have no ill will toward anyone I work with, including this nurse. I am not the confrontational type. I have never reported any coworkers for anything, ever. I'm not sure if I would call this "reporting", even. The superior I went to is someone I trust. I did not accuse anyone of stealing or being under the influence of narcotics. Let's say the next shift she works, she is still "loopy" or whatever, and she makes a grave med error. It is then discovered she is impaired. Then word gets out from the other colleague who came to me voicing her concerns, that we had previously discussed being suspicious of something. Does that not make me responsible to a degree? When you say I should have confronted her.....I went to her and asked if she was feeling OK, and she responded with "No" and told me about the benzo she took and the reaction to it. What more could I ask? I'm not her superior, and I don't feel like she was in a state to be questioned. She was literally swaying when I was speaking with her. She left the med cart in such disarray, which is completely out of character for her. She is the type that will stay on hour past her shift to get everything done. I am almost certain that had I been the only one to see this in her, I would not have said anything (which I am almost ashamed to say), because I am not the type. But being another colleague was involved and worried, I felt like I had a responsibility. I am much too busy at work to have time to gossip or think of ways to get people fired. At least I can say I am not mean-spirited. I will let you all know what happens.

The colleague I mentioned noticed something in the evening. When I came on, this colleague came to me and asked me to assess the situation. I assure the previous poster, I am not a gossiper-type. I go into work, get my job done and leave. I have never had to deal with this type of situation in my life.

No need to be so harsh, Snippy. It is not my job to interrogate my coworkers on what medications or how much sleep they are getting. And for the record, I did not make an accusation of drug use. But thanks for your opinion.

You're right, it's unrealistic to expect everyone will agree. I am trying to make myself feel better about this is some ways. I f have worked with this nurse before, so I trust my judgment when I say it was not simple fatigue. This nurse is "on the ball" so to speak, and that day she most certainly was not. After my colleague approached me with her own suspicion, I felt like "Well, we both know something is wrong, so if we both do not say anything, and something happens, either tonight or in the future, we cannot deny we thought something was amiss". I sure as heck hope I don't get "charged with slander" as someone posted here. I did not go around saying this person was drugged, I went to my superior and voiced my concerns.

So what I am getting from a lot of you is that if you have a suspicion that something is definitely NOT right, to shut up and not say anything? I would not have said anything if I thought she was simply "tired". This nurse came right out and said that this very small dosage of benzo was not sitting right with her.....over 12 hours later. My other colleague who suspected something was wrong is a very quiet person who minds her own business, and is not one to "stir the pot". I am smart enough to know that I did the right thing, yet as colleagues, you are somehow making me doubt this. I have no ill will toward this nurse, quite the opposite. I wish this had never happened. I was actually worried about her driving home, which is the main reason I asked her if she was feeling OK. I'm not sure what will happen to her, if anything. I hope I am wrong in suspecting anything illegal.

I probably shouldn't have said anything. My gut was telling me to say something though. And the fact that another colleague was worried about this nurse reinforced it. What's done is done, we'll see what happens.

The other night, the day shift nurse who was leaving looked rather "off"....glazed eyes, appeared unsteady, had a general "stoned" look. When I asked her if she was OK, she said she had taken 1/4 of a benzo that morning, and she still "felt" it. Keep in mind that this was at 2300 when we spoke. This RN has a lot of seniority, and is well respected. Another colleague noticed her odd behavior, and agreed that something was "off". I ended up letting the supervisor know, because overall, it did not sit right with me. But now I feel badly. Could 1/4 of a benzo really leave someone looking like that 12 hours later? Would you have done the same in telling your supervisors?

I'm in the same boat too! I want this job soooo much! AAAAH! Pick me! Pick me!!! Good luck to all of you!!