applewhitern BSN, RN

applewhitern has 30 years experience as a BSN, RN and specializes in ICU.

applewhitern's Latest Activity

1. 

   Holiday Bonus

   applewhitern replied to sunnyskies9's topic in General Nursing

   Everyone gets a token amount of cash, barely enough to buy a tank of gas with. That said, the managers, supervisors, etc., get treated special. They get larger cash gifts than we peons. They used to get treated to a retreat, but I guess that went by the wayside. I just think that we all work here, we all contribute to the place, and they shouldn't treat us all differently. Pittance for the worker bees, but bonuses and gifts for the middle management.
2. 

   Full time RN- Part time Real Estate agent?

   applewhitern replied to Pawl's topic in General Nursing

   It is hard to do real estate part-time, it is pretty much a full-time job. You might find you prefer it over nursing, though. Good luck.
3. 

   Blended ACLS skill session

   applewhitern replied to Savannajohnson40's topic in General Nursing

   Just be sure your facility will accept the online portion; mine won't.
4. 

   Charge Nurse in 6 months?

   applewhitern replied to iheartnursing91's topic in General Career

   I was charge nurse of a 44 bed telemetry unit 5 days after I graduated nursing school. Just a few days orientation. Back then we could hit the floor running without having to go thru a lengthy orientation. We were taught well in nursing school. These days it seems they expect new nurses to learn nursing "on the job." I have co-workers who were never taught how to give blood products, didn't have to take any surgical classes, and a lot of other stuff that apparently schools no longer teach.
5. 

   Did this patient overreact?!

   applewhitern replied to Apatientnow's topic in General Nursing

   Our male nurses place urinary catheters, clean patients, etc., without a female present, as do our male nursing assistants. If a female patient requests a female nurse, we try to accomodate, but this is a hospital, we do what we can with what we have. Sometimes all of our staff is male.
6. 

   Did this patient overreact?!

   applewhitern replied to Apatientnow's topic in General Nursing

   I would fully expect the camera to be turned away from the patient when exposing them in that manner. I would be furious if someone had a camera on my private parts! Females do not accompany our male nurses or male nursing assistants when they examine a female patient. The only time a female is required to be present is when a doctor does an invasive vaginal or rectal exam.
7. 

   without a job until after new years

   applewhitern replied to RN252's topic in General Career

   I would simply starve before I risked my license, career, health, and life, by being an escort, period.
8. 

   Drowning on the floor...only 2 months in. HELP!

   applewhitern replied to NewKidOnTheFloor's topic in General Career

   I assume those are low acuity patients? Our med-surg nurses take 8 patients each. Way back with my very first nursing job, I had a 5 day orientation, and was immediately made charge nurse of a 44 bed telemetry unit! Talk about being a nervous wreck. I think 10 patients is too many; you simply can't do much for anyone with that kind of load. Our nurses do take up to 8, but they are fairly easy patients. Good luck to you, dear.
9. 

   If a implanted port is in the left chest is it ok to start a peripheral IV in the Left for

   applewhitern replied to sjcades's topic in General Nursing

   My son's port was to be used for chemotherapy only, period. The cancer center always stuck him when drawing blood, they never used the port for anything other than chemo infusion. He always got a peripheral IV for everything else. They get infected too easily! He had 3 total.
10. 

    Nurse Gives Lethal Dose of Vecuronium Instead of Versed

    applewhitern replied to Nurse Beth's topic in General Nursing

    I work in ICU and we no longer have paralytics in our medicine dispense system. We can only get it from pharmacy or ER. This really bewildered me when I first started working at this hospital, but now I can see why! One would think any nurse would know the difference, but apparently not. We avoid this type of error by simply not having it available in the pyxis, and also, only a physician is allowed to administer a paralytic at this facility. Yes, it is a pain in the rear for the nurses, but it helps avoid this type of mistake.
11. 

    What do I need for nursing school?

    applewhitern replied to Futaba90's topic in General Students

    Surely your nursing school will give you a list of things you need, mine did.
12. 

    I hate my current job and want to work in a hospital

    applewhitern replied to nr92's topic in General Career

    Nurse's pay deeply depends on the region of the country you work in. Our LPN's here make 15 bucks an hour, and new grad RN's make about 22 per hour, so really, your 16+ per hour is pretty darn good.
13. 

    Let go/resign from new grad 6 months in

    applewhitern replied to shaza111's topic in General Nursing

    Those really sound like bogus reasons to let you go. (Not changing out an iv that was due that morning? We don't change ours at all, we only re-start one when it goes bad). You are probably lucky to be let go, because it doesn't sound like they would help you out if something ever did go wrong. Oh, and how do you prep a patient for surgery? We used to do this many years ago, but now all we do is remove dentures and place them in a hospital gown.
14. 

    Lost 15 yrs of Senority by changing departments

    applewhitern replied to Daytoe's topic in General Nursing

    You are lucky if you have a job that recognizes seniority; my hospital does not. It doesn't matter how long you've been here, they will cater to the new employees and not their loyal ones.
15. 

    How Much Junk do you Keep?

    applewhitern replied to Accolay's topic in General Nursing

    I just threw out a box of papers and folders from 10 years ago. Several brown recluse spiders crawled out of it! It had been sitting in a closet for a long time.
16. 

    What is your opinion on calling in "sick"

    applewhitern replied to Goofaroo's topic in General Nursing

    We don't get paid sick time until we are out the THIRD day. The first and second consecutive days you are off, you do not get paid for. That makes it really hard on people who do get sick; you feel almost obligated to call out the 3rd day, too, just so you will get paid for one day at least.