BSNmwsu

This is awesome news for sure. I pray this law is extended throughout the country/world as well. Nurses and techs throughout hospitals everywhere get assaulted daily, this is NOT why we trained for this profession. Pts seem to think that hospitals are a place to find free punching bags....not so. I also feel that some pts use their diagnosis as justification for their physical violence towards staff. Now we are aware that some disease processes may included impulsivity which may be the reason John Doe punched nurse Sally in the face, but I believe.laws such as these will force pts to be even more accountable for their actions. Pts will think twice before raising a fist to a nurse from now on. My only issue, I wish all hospital staff were covered by this law. Techs/CNAe do alot for us nurses, most times THEY take the beating!

Im sure most nurses here are pretty wild and crazy on their days off; getting drunk, doing drag, going to swinger clubs, or participating in roller derby, etc. One thing most nurses (no matter how 'wild' they may be) can agree on, is that we are professionals. We stayed up studying into the wee hours of the morning, we slaved through clinics, we took test until we wanted to self harm...all to obtain that degree and pass that NCLEX so we could call ourselves nurses. As you know, the public sets high standards for us nurses. We are to be proper and look the part of a professional nurse. Can you imagine yourself being deathly ill, and meeting your nurse...shes all tatted up, cherry red hair with blue streaks, a nose, eye and lip peircing...what would be your first impression? Now she may be an AWESOME nurse, but you wont truly trust thats shes skilled and competent until you have more interaction with her. Or you may not trust her at all and always question her judgement because of how she presented herself. I would even question why the unit manager would allow his/her staff to come to work that way. Bottom line, even if the hospital says its okay to work dressed as a clown, you have to hold yourself to a higher standard. Take pride in your profession and yourself. Look the part of an educated professional. Sorry for misspelling...my thumbs are bigger than the buttons on my phone ?

Hey yall....I've had many "baby RNs" as well as seasoned RN's shy me away from LTACH jobs and insist that Med/Surg was a better oppurtunity for new grads. I've got an interview with a LTCH hopital, yes it's a job, but I was wondering what some of the more seasoned RN's had to say regarding LTACH and new grads. Thanks!

I reckon it comes down to doing what's best for you and your situation. When You graduate, you won't be an RN yet anyhow (as I've learned), you've gotta take the NCLEX, which you could do pretty soon after graduating since it'll be May. When you pass, you can apply for RN jobs...may take some time to get hired...then you have the week long orientation, plus the 10-16 weeks of orientation on the floor, then you’re on your own. So you went through all that, not you're packing your bags to move, and you'll have to find a job, orient, and get accustomed to a new hospital all over again. You've gotta look at the pros and cons of the situation. You could take a low paying job as an aide or do something else in between time, but it's up to you. Pray about it.

Thank you all for replying and giving me abit more insight, I was just abit confused, but you all gave me clarity on the matter. I agree that i should be getting paid CNA wages if I'm doing a CNA job...my job has agreed to pay me CNA wages since they have my performing skills that CNA's perform. Anyhow...thanks again everyone. Back to studying for the NCLEX.

Hey yall, a new grad here (Dcc. 18th 2010!!!). Got my BSN, thank GOD!!!! ANyhow..got some questions....are we considered nurses NOW or after we pass the NCLEX...and another thing. I just went back to me home health job, I have my BSN, should i still be getting paid the same amount as an aide, or should I atleast be getting paid the amount as a CNA? Getting paid $9/hr with a degree in Nursing is kinda demeaning to me because the other folks with a CNA are getting paind more than I am...I'm not gready, I'll take the same pay as a CNA, just wanna get paid what I'm worth.

Just got laid off from my Nurse Tech job since I just graduated, so I've went back to being a home health aide. I'm also doing NCLEX pratice questions. I'm kinda upset because I have this degree and I'm getting paid less than a CNA who works at the same company as I. eeeewww

I' not an RN yet, not even a grad yet (graduate in DEC 2010)...but I'm a tech. I've done the same thing you've done as a Tech...taken a BP on an arm with that has a pretty pink bracelt on it. Yes you feel terrible when you realize you've made a terrible and tragic mistake that will shake the Earth and make the heavens come crashing down, then you brush it off if the pt isn't harmed (thank God). Not making light of the situation, but we've gotta learn to laugh at ourselves as RN's. It can be a stressful job at times, but it's also a very rewarding career if it's your passion. Simple mistake, you lived, the pt is alive an well, the Earth didn't shake, and the heavens are still up there. Keep it moving and get out there and be all that you can be. :yelclap:

SO....I've been on this journey towards becoming an RN for the past two years. When you begin the program, you know for a fact that you no NOTHING about being a nurse. You're all filled with excitement and enthusiasm because you're one of the lucky ones to get in the highly competitive program. You're thinking, "Okay, I'm at the begging of making my dreams come true!". You hit Med/Surg and critical care, you've been in the program for awhile, you think you finally know what's going on. You finally under stand the difference between Lovenox, and Coumidin. You finally get that beta blockers and calcium channel blockers effect the heart. You get a puff of wind in your chest because you can FINALLY name the correct diagnosis and create a superb care plan. But then....Senior Capstone hits. You hit the floor for 150-350 clinical hours, trying to be the "big nurse", you find that you still don't know much, because you've been sitting in class reading this stuff in a book for the past two years but don't have much clinical experience. So it's 60 days until you get that coveted BSN, you're realizing you're gonna have to find a job to pay back those loans. You se those GN positions, you're scared and realizing, "Good LORDY!!!! THIS IS IT!! I'M GONNA BE A NURSE!!!". I"m scared y'all. Scared I wont leave work until 2 hours after my shift because of the computerized charting. Scared I'll forget the basics of pt care. Afraid that my time management skills suck, afraid I'll be overwhelmed. Are there any other soon to be grads who are shaking in their boots about finally putting on their "big girl panties" and becoming an RN?

Hello all. I'm a Sr. SN, I'm about to complete my Sr. Capstone where you pretty much practice in the role of the RN for a number of shifts. I plan to give my preceptor a thank you card, but should I give her a thank you letter instead, this way she can put this in her professional portfolio? Also, I would like to that the charge RN for the unit for allowing me to perform my clinical on that floor. I was wondering if this would be doing too much. Should I also get a small gift for my preceptor or no. Thanks for your feedback in advance.