NurseSmallHands

I feel really lucky reading what some of you have put up with in the name of "customer service". My employers policies are really clear with strict hours (because each patient needs rest and visitors need to respect the rest and healing of ALL patients) maximum of two visitors (we cannot crowd the room, we must have access in case of emergency) no children ever (the hospital can be a scary place and we do not want children to witness a traumatic adult situation and exposure to children, day cares, schools, puts our already fragile patients at risk of flu and other communicable disease) and we do not dispense food to visitors. Food can be purchased in the cafeteria, there are vending machines, coffee stand, etc. Security will gladly come by and explain standards of behavior with anybody that needs a review. And the care team can weigh in and exclude visitors. If visitors are agitating a patient that needs rest, and they don't follow directions despite being taught, we need to do what's best for the patient. We can't allow their cousin to come in playing the piccolo and just crank up the sedation. End of life situations are accommodated with a quick call to security: entire families can pack in, we feed everyone that comes, and the Chaplain on call will gladly visit or arrange for clergy as per the patients preference. It's possible to have sanity in visiting policies, be safe, respectful, and responsive. Usually, it's just about communication and seeing ALL sides of the issue. If if you are walking into work tomorrow to a roomful of visitors that each want you to explain the situation (instead of designating a family spokesperson or advocate) then I really feel for you. Getting that situation under control when corporate doesn't back you would be a nightmare.

I graduated 8 years ago. I'm from the Bay Area but went out to Stockton because 1. they were not doing lottery and 2. didn't have a 2 year long wait list/impacted. By the time I got a letter from a Bay Area school that I had finally made it off the wait list, I had already graduated from San Joaquin Delta College. Been employed ever since. The program was fine. My teachers are now my coworkers and some coworkers have become teachers. Good luck to you.

Vicarious traumatization. It's a thing. It comes from witnessing fresh trauma repeatedly. could also be PTSD. You probably need some counseling. do you have critical incident debriefings where people can talk about their feelings after bad codes and high profile incidents?

If you show up to the hospital with your face smashed up with subq air and no clear story of how it happened and are altered with a side of urinary sepsis and xarelto I'd like to at least double check with the attending that he is certain we don't need Cspine and maxillofacial imaging since we are going to radiology for head and chest already... Reasonable? If its NOT reasonable from an ICU standpoint because it's not a priority I'm totally cool with that. I'm just not convinced.

Hi everyone, thanks for opening this thread. I appreciate ANY and ALL input, feedback, suggestions, sympathy, sharing of your personal experiences, anything you can give me I'd love to hear it. I'm a "seasoned" nurse transferring from a high volume extreme acuity ED in an full service acute care medical center in a downtown area to an ICU in a critical access hospital. I'm on orientation and going a bit stir crazy. The acuity isn't there, most of the patients seem like what we would've seen on tele and the sick patients (the type Im accustomed to as ICU acuity) are transferred. The treatment also seems very conservative. I just expected more. I was warned that I might be bored. I didn't want to believe that. I thought I could delve in and give more of the personalized care and that it would satisfy me. I am often made to feel like I am being silly and asking too much and not prioritizing when I ask that very basic diagnostics be performed. My preceptor has a tendency to shut me down with a rationale but I actually don't agree with her rationale. I explain and it doesn't really go anywhere, except maybe she'll give in to my suggestion but I still feel like a bother. She has raised her voice to me several times and rudely interrupted me when conferring with a colleague. She has apologized but minimizing behavior hasn't stopped. Not sure if it's personal or cultural/institutional. I have a dynamic position and fill several roles besides ICU nurse so I definitely don't want to leave. How can I stay stimulated, avoid frustration, and make the most of this rural ICU?

" "Why would you want to come and work in the ER?" It was NOT a positive question, it was posed in the vein of "Why in the world would anyone CHOOSE to come work down here?" And this is the MANAGER! Not a good sign. " If you can't answer this, you may find it hard to respond to some of the other things ED Nurses are asked by patients and families such as... "What the f is taking so long!??" (screaming in my face...pt's waited all of 10 minutes) "When is the doctor going to see my mom, we've been waiting in this room for 2 hours and 4 hours out in the lobby!!!???? (Meanwhile the ED is locked down due to multiple GSWs, gang related...the lobby's packed and there's only one doc on duty.) "CAN YOU HELP ME!!?? The FBI is watching me..." (as I observe q15, and reassess the need for restraints) "Please..please please, can you fix my baby, please, please please, fix him, fix him?? (Ped Trauma, full arrrest, downtime was extended) My interview consisted of the same types of questions, then enactments of stressful situations. I totally agree, it's not very positive, but I can't blame management. Sometimes the ED is not a positive place and wanna-be ED RNs have quit (after investing 3 months of precepting) because they got their feelings hurt or felt it was too hard. I'm not saying we should accept any sort of abuse, I certainly don't. But when it happens an ED Nurse can't be paralyzed, your team needs you. So...Maybe he just wanted to see if you had enough nerve to call him out on his negative attitude or stand up for what you want. Those qualities are essential in the ED. Don't believe everything you hear. My ED has a TERRIBLE reputation in the hospital, looks like a mess to any outsider, but I'm happy there, and I know most of my coworkers are too. Talk to the staff I came from the floors. And haven't looked back. Good Luck.