nikkole318

OMG my heart goes out to you. I had a similar experience as a new nurse. I started off with a preceptor who clearly was not interested in helping me learn. As a brand new nurse, she told me to go discharge a patient without showing me how to print le...

Hi Everyone! I've been SO exhausted lately! There are times where I know that I was meant to be a nurse, there's nothing I would rather be, and I feel that my job is SO rewarding!!! .....and then there is this week. There seems to be a very large inf...

Recent discussions with coworkers about some unfortunate events inspired me to write this post. At the hospital where I currently work, there was a patient who was going through Alcohol DT's who punched one nurse in the chest and a nursing assistant ...

I disagree with your first sentence. I think that when people are in the hospital, there are very much out of their element and the stress of being there along with being ill or injured makes them more likely them to act out in ways they would NEVER ...

Great advice

Omg, I'm SO sorry that happened to you. Yes, just drop the potato and walk away.

"I'll have an order of COPD, make that a value chronic illness. Hold the steroids, extra breathing treatments.". Illness forces them there, they want the illness to stop but in the grand scheme of things, they don't want to be there at all. This is a...

I would NEVER advocate pressing charges against a dementia patient who thinks we are invading his house and sticking him! I'm talking about policies and procedures for those who are either completely competent and assault healthcare workers.

Maybe you can help, point me to some good resources.

Yeah, I guess it is. I work for a for-profit hospital and they really have done nothing as far as education.

I've actually seen those commercials and they are great. I think that our hospital should have a policy regarding violence, such as incident reports, or at least a guideline that employees can refer to when it happens. At my hospital, management doe...

Yes, I have taken care of too many ETOH patients to count and I've been lucky enough to not get assaulted (yet). I realize that it is part of our job to take care of patients, but it is not our job to take physical abuse. I've witnessed abuse happeni...

That is so messed up. What is wrong with people?!?! That last part you said is an excellent point.

WOW! Yeah, that is rude. It seems like people forget that nurses are people too, with their own struggles. What did you say?

I agree that there are some patients who just need to vent. Sometimes just asking them what's wrong goes a long way. Other times, patients are mad at you for providing care. Haha.

People are always saying not to take your work home with you, but I think you def cannot help it at times, the good and the bad.

Don't even think about giving up nursing yet! You will find something you love in due time, trust me. You have been a nurse for 9 months, which probably seems like an eternity when you dislike your job. In 3 months, it will have been a year, so it wi...

Definitely don't let your age be a factor! Nursing was a second career for me, so I understand how you feel, but think of how long you will be working before you can retire. You might as well be happy during those years. I agree that sometimes a spec...

As someone who remembers what it is like to be new, I would like to share some of my thoughts to all the preceptors and experienced nurses out there. Being new sucks. None of us like having to bother you every five minutes to ask a question. Yeah, w...

Is there a reason she is putting in her assessments late? Many times, new graduates aren't aware of the protocols and unwritten rules for entering things into the computer. She may be under the impression that it is okay to enter the information into...

Most of the nurses that I am encountered have been very nice as well, but just like graduates, the bad apple preceptors stick out more than the shiny red ones. The limitations to what students can do probably vary by state and by institution.

That is too bad that you aren't being paid enough to precept, but is it really the orientee's fault? If nurses have a problem with their pay, they should bring it up with management instead of taking it out on new graduates. If you have any issues wi...

These types of comments are the exact reason I wrote this post to begin with. I am not disagreeing with you that nurses used to get a more comprehensive and hands on education nor am I denying that nurses are not paid enough to precept. But I would l...

I found out that one of my preceptors stated behind my back, "She has no idea what she is doing." I was a brand new nurse, just graduated, on my 3rd day orienting in the ICU.

These types of comments are the exact reason I wrote this post to begin with. I am not disagreeing with you that nurses used to get a more comprehensive and hands on education nor am I denying that nurses are not paid enough to precept. But I would l...