macfar28

I worked at a UHS facility for a day and a half and turned in my badge and keys. (This was a prn position to supplement my full time psych RN job.) They planned to give us 5 days of orientation for 8 units and our psych techs 3 days for all units. Many of the pysch techs had no experience. I also couldn't get a straight answer from anyone about what the ratios would be. Too many red flags. UHS is very unsafe and many locations have had sentinel events in their facilities (do a google search.) Even though you are new and still getting your feet underneath you, some of what you experience is inherent to the for profit model. Find another, safer environment in which to practice. Don't give up on psych if it's your passion. Best of luck to you!

I agree. I guess next they will exclude those who don't have a normal BMI or lower.

Wow. Just wow.

Hugs to you Viva! I always enjoy and appreciate your insight and candor.

Do you know I am going with 5 coworkers all of whom are in management? That seemed odd to me as they are never at the bed side. I'm grateful to be the staff nurse invited to go but I wish other staff nurses were included as our patients benefit most in that situation. (nothing against my managers)

So, if she says there's not enough time to switch gloves, is she taking time to wash her hands/use sanitizing gel?

Inpatient psych nurse here as well... Yes, I get it constantly but more so within our greater health system. For example, an ED doc recently said to one of our patients being evaluated, "that psych unit doesn't even know how to treat a cold." I think because the EDs are used to throwing IMs at our patients with security and law enforcement at the bed side, they assume our jobs are cake. They don't realize how hard it can be to manage a milieu full of escalating patients and the pressure we face to not restrain, chemically or otherwise. I also hear it from nursing students. "I want to do real nursing." I set that straight in a heart beat. I love the examples above. So true.

Meriwhen (sorry, I'm on my phone and can't quote): I think what you describe is good, safe practice. I wish I understood why getting those meds prescribed at my facility is such a struggle. We had talked about implementing an agitation protocol as part of the admitting order set but our medical director never valued it enough to inform the providers. We have asked the provider on call as a patient is escalating, "can I initiate the agitation protocol" and we would be met with the equivalent of "huh?" Very frustrating when obviously we are trying to manage a safe milieu after hours with no provider on site.

With a MS in Counseling, had you considered getting licensed? I'm assuming so but just wanted to ask.

I am going and am so excited! I am blessed in that my hospital is paying my way. Otherwise I could never afford it. Good luck to you. I wish I had information that was helpful. Hope you can make it.

This is not uncommon on my unit. Our patients on our acute hall are highly undermedicated. Many times the hold up is we have to call the doc on call who is at home asleep and they often will order geodon. So yes, while we all jump in and help the primary nurse, it takes entirely too long to override the pyxis and then mix the geodon. Why aren't these emergency meds already ordered prn when we know these folks are quite sick? Great question. Sometimes our only prn is benadryl or risperdal 0.5mg both po. Say what? It can be maddening. We are slowly making progress in that our day nurses are doing a good job of getting appropriate prn's ordered when the docs are in rounding on patients. However some docs are so conservative that they won't give us the needed meds until the patient goes off.

In my state a patient does not have to be an imminent danger to self or others to receive forced meds, if and only if, the patient is IVC and 2 doctors have deemed it medically necessary. (I don't believe we have a court order for meds - just a court order for treatment.) Our docs are certainly not quick to order such but if the patient has refused po meds for several days and is obviously not improving, the forced meds order is put in place. In that scenario, we first offer the po and if the patient refuses, the IMs are given. If the patient complies, it is not a restraint. If the patient resists and a held/restraint scenario is used, documentation follows accordingly. We have had many a staff person injured - some quite badly - because the docs waited and waited and waited until there was extreme aggression before ordering the forced meds. It doesn't help that we have a new doc every 4-6 months. Our providers are not happy here. Obviously in the OP scenario, it certainly seems po meds would have been appropriate though I agree with Jules A that it often depends on the specifics.

Please realize you are helping these kids even if it doesn't feel like it. You're providing crisis management and keeping them alive while also teaching them coping skills. That is significant. Give yourself time as it will get better. You will start to see the bigger picture over time. Celebrate the small victories and the light bulb moments these kids have. Also remember there is hope for them. They are getting the treatment they need earlier than most. As for nights and family life...if it's not working for you make a switch. I've been on nights for 11 years and am transitioning to days in 3 weeks. It has taken a toll on my health and family relationships. Why I've waited this long is beyond me. Listen to your gut and make a change. Also, could it be the fatigue from nights that's causing some burnout? It would be understandable. Our bodies really aren't designed to be up all night.

Whenever I hear this it angers me so much. You did not ask to have a diagnosis of bipolar anymore than someone with a seizure disorder. Why do you need monitoring anymore than someone else with a medical condition? You are clearly med compliant and responsible with your health. I just feel this is unfair.

I have so many mixed feelings on this matter. Having been the victim of gossip on a fb post I made by a person who really was trying to stir things up (and was disseminating untruths), I understand some of the PP's outrage. However, I think what this instructor did was inappropriate and unprofessional, especially if her allegations then tainted new grads' decisions on whether to seek employment with your organization. I think I would have messaged the instructor as the OP did but I'm not sure I would have taken it as far as reporting it. Without question, at my place of employment, that is grounds for immediate dismissal (I can't tell if this instructor is also employed by the hospital). I don't think calling the OP a sociopath, pathological, etc is remotely helpful though. She did what she felt was right but making statements about her mental stability is a bit over the top.