Phenomenon

I cant thank you enough for your words of support, Drifternurse. It is people like you that help the ones like us, going through difficult times, to keep in mind that there is a light at the end of tunnel. I know it will be the hardest thing to do but in the end is the best thing for my life. i know there will be some kind of nursing for me when I am done treatment, probably not in a hospital setting or anywhere with access to narcs. i would rather have it that way. Thanks again

This is the hardest thing I have ever done. I am that nurse. a drug addict. I am currently on the wait list for detox to start tomorrow and rehab to follow. It is such a horrible thing. I never stole from pts, not that that makes it OK. I took large quantities of pills for a long time and was almost a relief to be caught. Like thank god, i can stop this! If you do know of or suspect a drug user at work, please understand that they are seriously crying for help, the hate themselves and what they are doing and that you would be doing the biggest favour of their lives to talk to them directly about it and/or assist in getting them help and/or going forward to the DON or management. Every day I lived with shame, guilt, and fear of being caught, ingesting approx 100-150mg oxycodone per day! All while going on with my daily life. There may be no obvious signs. As your body becomes more adjusted to the drugs, you actually NEED them to function and can function just as well as anyone else. it is if you don't have them that's the problem. i would drive, take my daughter to school, fieldtrips, work, etc. Never once did I appear intoxicated. It was pharmacy that caught on to me. My hubby didn't even know! What started as a pain problem quickly turned into lying and deceit and an addiction spun so far out of control there were days I didn't want to go on anymore and the serious self-hatred for being so weak. Whay can't I just stop!! I am starting my journey tomorrow, wish me luck. From someone who has been through it, it is a a battle like no other and I wish that other nurses would be more supportive of their peers that may have gone through the same thing. Because I am sick of living this way and I am going to work damn hard everyday to prove myself back to my family, coworkers, god, and most of all myself. Thanks for listening

She definitely had a seizure causing her to come in to hospital, but the head trauma from the fall in the bathroom is what caused the seizure. Problem is 2-3% of all brain hemorrhages (excuse my spelling!) are NOT seen at CT, sometimes not at all. If it was a subdural it would probably grow and would show up by now. If it is a subarachnoid hemm or an intracerebral hemm it may take cerebral angios for diagnosis and/or treatment. You client is in imminent danger if they do not receive further neuro evaluation. Even a an LP would indicate a SAH. How do I know these things, I work in emerg but also in neurosurgery!! And as we know any injury or insult/irritation to the brain can cause seizures causing me to have a high index of suspicion that something is still going on in there. :)

Could be a cardiac event such as a run of v-tach?? Also consider the possibility of seizure. Some can manifest themselves in different ways,not to mention the unresponsiveness and difficulty waking up afterwards could be the post-ictal phase (after seizure). This is NOT narcolepsy. I have seeni t and though they do fall asleep suddenly they are usually easy to arouse. This pt needs a cardiac and neuro work-up. Hope that helps!

So I called in for a shift, and dummy me, made the mistake of saying that it was not due to an illness but my children. there was an outbreak of something at school I need to pick them up. I was called a while later to say sorry but you HAVE to come in. No options. You have X number of hours to make arrangements for your kids and then you need to be here as we are 5 nurses short. Uh excuse me?? OK, so I am going to go in but I am kind of ticked. Can they do that? What about the other 4 nurses who are not coming in? Why is that that I have to? Was it that my excuse was not valid enough? Why is it my problem that they cannot staff the unit. Sorry, just a vent as I am not sure this is legal? Where I live we have no mandatory OT or call ins in our contract.............................arggggggggg:madface:

Ackkkk!! Now what! I have a follow up meeting scheduled where I will have to sit in with said co-worker and now there is another co-worker who is friend of other one who is backing her on some of the lies that were told...........both there longer at the facility......both against me now?? I don't know why this is happening I am so upset and distraught. I can't fathom doing this to somebody!! It blows my mind! I am devastated. If these co-workers are believed I could lose my job/reference/reputation, even be reported even to the licensing body! Somehow this got way out of hand and all I can do now is cry! I am lost and don't know what to do! Just after I thought it was all going to be OK and turn out alright.............

Thanks for the wonderful advice!! I did listen and also took my union rep to my meeting. It was OK. I felt horrible. All I did what state the facts as they happened and admit to what I did do wrong and how sorry I was for that. I, in no way, brought up anyone else (including said co-worker). I think that that is an issue to discuss at another time. My rep also had some good advice. It was to not resign right away. At least see what they are going to decide (follow up meeting is tomorrow to decide what I may face) and deal with that first. Then, if after working, I am still having issues with said person than to bring that up as a separate isuue with simply facts about incidents that have happened rather than just feelings. Good point. On the other hand it is also disturbing how some nurses will go out of their way to nitpick and 'find' things, so to speak to write you up for if they dont like you. Unbelieveable. There is a part of me that obviously feels that maybe I should take it upon myself to start writing up said co-worker for every thing I find....which I m sure there are a few. On the other hand, I just take a deep breath and remind myself that stooping to that level is going to get me nowhere and is certainly lower than I am willing to go. Thanks everyone

Thanks for your quick response! The problem with getting others support on this is that it is not something acceptable to do. I DID do something wrong here. The issue that it has become is that it has been falsified and made out to look much worse than it is. There probably wont be any nurses jumping at the bit to help me by saying 'oh ya, I do this too'. It just wont happen. The whole thing has just been blown out of proportion and some things got twisted and screwed around. I am fully willing to take responsibility for owning up to my part!! But am terrified of possibily losing a job/reference/ etc based on something that is not true and has more to do with a personal vendetta. Im just scared

:o I will try to tell as much as I can without giving details in case someone I know is lurking around. I am still fairly new on my unit, about 1.5 years. Recently I did something that I shouldnt have, but that isnt necessarily regarded on my unit as serious. The problem is this coworker that I have to deal with. I have no probs at work with anyone besides her!! She has had it out for me since the moment i stepped on that unit. Now i know it would help to give more details about what it was but please understand that I cannot right now. Basically, it has been done by many OTHER nurses and nothing happens to them. But, because of her distaste for me she took it upon herself to c/o to the manager and HR and now I am facing a serious meeting with them. To make matters worse, I talked with my manager briefly and the details she was provided by this nurse were entirely falsified and exaggerated and there was at least one blatant lie!! THe problem lies in that I cannot prove it, as it is basically her word against mine and she has been there for years and years, has much more seniority and much more of an ongoing relationship with the 'higher ups'. I am dumbfounded! The whole thing has me spinning. I now even contacted my union and asked for advice. I told her I wanted out I wanted to resign. She stated that would be a bad idea at this time as it would appear as though I am running away from the problem. True enough, and please also understand that I will and do take full responsibility for the error that I did make. Just burns my butt how it is overlooked in other ppl, but because someone doesnt like you they can use it as a way to unfairly railroad you. I cant imagine working with this person for 1 more second!! But union rep says if I resign I may be losing a reference. Wont I anyways based on this?? How will I get another job without a reference?? I am so angry/hurt/upset etc. Secondly, this is not the first incident I have had with this woman!! I dont understand what her problem is!! Any advice???????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Morning everyone, Second preg I am at about 8-9 weeks. Have had the last 3 weeks off work. Cannot stop vomiting!! Any tips you have seen that may help!! I am taking diclectin (which is also known as bendectin which was taken off the US market some time ago...I am in Canada...anyways it is vit B6 and an antihistamine....taking up to 6/day). Sometimes I throw it up. But generally even if it stays down i do nothing but hover over the side of my couch day and night trying not to wretch. I cant take this insanity!!!!!

I would love to hear some of these experiences from anybody! I am very interested in the topic!!

My schedule is awesome. Its a 12 week rotation that repeats itself. The most I work in a row is 3 12s. Yes those are killers. Usually at least 2 off between shifts. But in my 12 weeks, I have a stretch of 9 days off, a stretch of 7 days off, and a stretch of 5....not to mention the 2-3 off between shifts...its great!! Who needs to take vacation with that rotaion! And its a 0.8 to boot!

HI, just wanted to comment. I am sure you are a wonderful person and will someday make a wonderful nurse. We have all made errors/mistakes and hopefully learn from them. On the other hand, you are 4 weeks away from being out in the real world on your own. A world where you may have 5 or 6 or 7 patients, not only 3. A world where there is no instructor to page and decisions have to be made quickly using critical thinking. I think that forgetting to assess a post-op dressing is unacceptable. The person could have bled out underneath them and you would not have known. Would you want someone nursing you like that? I am not trying to put you down at all or say you will make a bad nurse but I do think you could benefit from some more time as a student. This is my honest opinion. Just to get a little more organized. Try not to be offended from this advice as I am also trying to look out for your best interests. How awful would you feel if you took a new job and could not keep up and made a potentially fatal error? I really do wish you the best of luck. Keep your chin up and I hope you will consider taking a little more time in school:)

My heart truly goes out to you because I sooooo know how you feel!! I have been suffering with sinus problems for 2.5 years now!! It started the same as you, only never went away. Pain in the head, extreme fatigue, sometimes pain radiating in my jaw, teeth, neck, etc. Used to take advil and motrin around the clock. Then Naproxen. Nothing helped. Oral toradol didnt either. Only relief I got came from percocet but unfortunately it knocks you out so you can't really function. Ceratinly can't work on it!! As for antibiotics, cipro is one of the worst for treating sinuses. I recommend going back and starting on another. Clindamycin works well, as does biaxin or zithromax. But definitely you need an extended course. 21 days is the minimum. Once you geta good antibiotic you can expect to feel better within 4-5 days. The only down side would be if your sinuses are blocked or plugged (which is what I have) in which case no amount of antibiotics will help and surgery to open up the sinuses is the only answer. In any event, I am waaaaaaaaay jumping the gun here but if you don't get some improvement within the next week I would honestly BEG you to ask for a referral to an ENT doc!! Trust me, I have suffered for exactly with what you are feeling for a looooooooong time! And painkillers are not the answer as nothing really helps~!! Take care hope you feel better!!!:) :)

This is an awesome thread! How about the 15 family at the bedside: "How does that thing measure oxygen? Can you check mine and my 6 kids, not to mention dad here has high BP can you check his while you are here? Can you check mine for fun?" SURE!! I have NOTHING BETTER TO DO You haven't been in the pt's room for the last 25 min as you do have 6 other pts to tend to. Family "MY GOD THERE HASN"T BEEN A NURSE IN HERE ALL DAY!" "My poor father hasn't had a bowel movement since yesterday!" "Do you know how to work that thing?" "Do you mind changing the garbages and mopping the floor over there?" "Can you send me home with a years supply of morphine and throw in some gravol so I don't have to run to the pharmacy" "What do you mean I have to drink more? I'll have to get out of bed to use the bathroom during the night!" "I'm a nurse you know" (might be an aid) "I work here" (SO!) "You know, you have to turn my father every two hours because if you don't then he could end up with a wound" REALLY???? When you check a pt's vitals and the the pt's family in the opposite bed yells out "well, aren't you going to check her vitals too?" NO, I just did 2 hours ago and she's fine while your other pt is on q 1 hour V/S

Thanks for the quick replies! I love neuro, I am fascinated by it, but can't imagine working like this for long-term. I am not on contract, I am casual, but I have kids at home to support so I end up working almost full-time (they call every day!) Orientation was 5 days of classes followed by 10 shifts with a mentor. I am completely on my own. Unfortunately, I feel that if I find a new job that I would just be jumping in to the same thing! From what I have heard, this kind of thing is commonplace almost everywhere. The set up is also primary care, however, due to the number of total care pts, they staff 2 nursing attendants around the clock. But they end up helping everyone else and not me (cause I am the newbie). Can you imagine turning 4 heavy pts yourself evry 2 hours? I have been doing it for weeks, have even had to ask family to help me because nobody else will. Some of the nurses giving me hassle aren't even the old ones! There are new grads that have been there only a year that are just as bad. They make rude comments to me and glare and basically it is not a friendly environment. I am so terrified of being written up all the time that I never take my breaks. we are supposed to have 3 on a 12 hour shift and I literally chart in the report room on my breaks. Any other tips for dealing with nasty, unhelpful co-workers would be great. I would love to offer my help but it is not reciprocated and I am too busy that if I were to offer help to others, I would be compromising my pts!

I am a new grad RN, graduated in Oct 2004 been working since Novemeber. I am struggling to say the least! It is not the work that is necessarily too hard (although I am just barely keeping up) but I am finding that the staff is what is getting to me. Some of the other RNs are very snotty and do not help me at all. I may ask a question and they say they are too busy to answer it. Or if they do answer it, they will look at me like I am incompetent and should know this already. Truth of the matter is, I am a very good nurse but am still being treated like an incompetent fool. At times, even the nursing attendents are refusing to help me turn or wash pts (I work neurosurg). I am left to turn total care pts on my own! Then one shift I already had the full pt load and the charge RN insisted that we were short staffed and that I had to take another pt. I told her that I could not do that _ I did not feel comfortable but was told that I had no choice. So I received this fresh post-op cervical discectomy on PCA morphine. NVS q 15 minutes X 12 hours. Needless to say betwen all the pts and meds and assessments and charting and turning I was running around like a madman. NO help at all. And I missed filling out one section on a sheet (for charting) and was almost written up. I was almost in tears. I am not sure what to do. I am completely unhappy and dread going to work. This is not what I pictured my career being. I am not sure if this is a normal phenomenon and I should just stick it out or should I look to work somewhere else with more supportive staff?? Any advice would be appreciated for this overwhelmed new grad!

You area good sister for caring! I have a 4.5 yr old girl. Very picky eater, can also be manipulative at times. At times she does get skinnier, but I always manage to get her back up. I do not refuse junk, however, I do not just give it to her all the time. If she wants a cookie, I will say OK, but you have to eat this apple first, or this banana. Other thing, a flinstone vitamin every morning (not that that makes up for a lot but I am sure it helps). The thing about small frequent meals also helps. Ask your sister to offer snacks throughout the day (healthy ones). The thing is often times children do use food as a means of control/manipulation, but one muct also be careful to rule out metabolic/health conditions. Has the peds doc done this? Also, shakes are often fun for kids - I throw in frozen or regular yogurt, bananass, berries, almost any kind of fruit with milk. Last but not least, is this kid in a daycare or preschool? I actually found that that helped my daughter to broaden her food choices as she saw the other kids trying new things. Ultimately, though, there is not much you can do but offer your suport and advice.

For almost a year, I have been suffering with chronic sinusitis, seen numerous docs, been on numerous antibiotics. I can't deal with this anymore. If anything, the worst part about it is the chronic pain. It is not only in my sinuses but radiates into my jaw so bad - I can barely sleep at night. It hurts to lay my head on my pillow. I have been taking up to 8 extra strength tylenol and 6 extra strength advil per day - now that does not even touch the pain. I have taken that much pain meds for over a year. My doc refused to refer me to ENT - saying x-ray is normal. But how can that be??!! I have green/yellow slime coming out, pain and pressure, I cannot bend over forwards, dripping down my throat, body aches, etc. I have tries Biaxin for 30 days, now on amo/clav for 30 days - it's just not working. Tried steroid nasal sprays, saline nasal sprays - all with no results. Went to ER last week because the pain was soooo bad. Finally gave me oxycodone and different antibiotics but it has now been 7 days and those are not working!! I am so frustrated. tired of living in chronic pain, and don't want to take any more pills. Anyone heard or suffered with this? What can help me?? Thanks - any advice would be soooo much appreciated - I am at my wits end:crying2:

Get him to an ER stat! Coud be TIAs, mini-strokes, or who knows. Better to be safe than sorry. Are you a nurse yet? If not, you need to know that this is potentially serious - emergent. Do not wait! You will regret it.

:angryfire I am in my last few months before becoming an RN and this course is so insanely insane, it makes me question why I am in nursing! It is a busy medical unit, in one of the busiest hospitals in North America. Enough said- it is positively crazy trying to have pts on this unit. The unit clerk is a B***H and many of the nurses are not so friendly-mostly because they do not have time. The instructor is OK, but contradicts herself a lot (do the dressing this way, then 30min later rells you to do it another way). The careplans at night are killing me. I have had maybe 6 hours sleep in 1 week and spent many nights completetly awake, just finishing in time to start the next shift. Working with the pts is hard because it is so busy that you get no satisfaction or reward at the end of the day that you have helped anyone. It is just too busy! I mean, I could be doing meds every half hour, have chem strips every 2 hours , 6 dressing changes, more meds, 1/2 the pts are on isolation for MRSA or gross infections, suctioning trachs, catheters, IV meds, IV changes, IV starts, blood, V/S evry 2 hours plus all the regular care (bathing, full head to toe assessments) plus charting plus we have to chart everything that we put on the charts into our "care plans" during the day for the instructor to see by the end of the day. I know this may not sound too bad but it is waaaaaaaay different than any other clinical experience. I keep thinking - I dont want to do this if this is what nursing is!! 4/8 students have considered quitting already, just in this course. I keep thinking, only 4 more months to go...... Any one experience this. Is working any different because I am not enjoying this at all.

:angryfire I am in my last few months before becoming an RN and this course is so insanely insane, it makes me question why I am in nursing! It is a busy medical unit, in one of the busiest hospitals in North America. Enough said- it is positively crazy trying to have pts on this unit. The unit clerk is a B***H and many of the nurses are not so friendly-mostly because they do not have time. The instructor is OK, but contradicts herself a lot (do the dressing this way, then 30min later rells you to do it another way). The careplans at night are killing me. I have had maybe 6 hours sleep in 1 week and spent many nights completetly awake, just finishing in time to start the next shift. Working with the pts is hard because it is so busy that you get no satisfaction or reward at the end of the day that you have helped anyone. It is just too busy! I mean, I could be doing meds every half hour, have chem strips every 2 hours , 6 dressing changes, more meds, 1/2 the pts are on isolation for MRSA or gross infections, suctioning trachs, catheters, IV meds, IV changes, IV starts, blood, V/S evry 2 hours plus all the regular care (bathing, full head to toe assessments) plus charting plus we have to chart everything that we put on the charts into our "care plans" during the day for the instructor to see by the end of the day. I know this may not sound too bad but it is waaaaaaaay different than any other clinical experience. I keep thinking - I dont want to do this if this is what nursing is!! 4/8 students have considered quitting already, just in this course. I keep thinking, only 4 more months to go...... Any one experience this. Is working any different because I am not enjoying this at all.

There was a previous post on here about a lady whose mother was recently diagnosed with DM and also felt like she has ice water running through her veins. I have the same thing! Sometimes very dizzy, feel as though I have stepped on or off an elevator, like the floor is moving. Also, today felt like I had water or ice running through my legs. Actually checked to see if they were wet because the sensation is so real and scary! Lately I have also had severe weakness in the muscles in my legs, sometimes arms. Anywho, I have been having weird symptoms for a little while but I do not have diabetes as my blood sugar is normal. The other thing too is strange headaches, like zapping or electrical shocking pain that feels like I am being stabbed in one spot. Only lasts 2-3 seconds. Sometimes radiates over my eyebrow, cheek, and by my chin. I am only 25! Too young to be having all these strange things! Any ideas?

:) I feel for you, definitely know what it is like! As for potty training, it is so true that the child has to be ready. Don't beat yourself up because he is two! Some kids are ready by then, but the majority are ready closer to three. I bought a small potty and had it in the bathroom what felt like forever. All our efforts at trying to get my daughter trained were useless. When she was close to turning three, we had given up and barely talked about it. Then boom. Just like that she said "I want to use this potty now" and she was trained from that point on. What I realized was that she was going to do this major developmental step on her OWN terms, when she was ready. As other posts stated, just forget about it for a while, and give yourself permission to NOT feel guilty about it!! Your son will do it in his own time. As for you as a mom and student, I know how that is!! It is so hard to try and be a good student and keep up with all the work, and tend to children and make meals and clean the house and pay bills and do laundry and spend time with your hubby. I found, for me, I had to change my whole mindset and way of thinking to be able to get through it. And I know what it feels like with the guilt. It is overwhelming guilt! But, I had to make choices or I know I would self-destruct. For example, I had to let a lot of my ideas of how clean I want my house to be, go out the drain. I realized it wont kill us to have a messy house. And whenever I get a week or two off, I clean then. I had to let go and most of all, not let myself feel guilty about it! That is the worst feeling, it can eat you up inside. Second, I also had to let the guilt go about my daughter. No, I am not always there when I want to be. But I make our time quality time. And when I finish school, I have to realize how much better we will be for it. I am honoring my dream, and that will teach my child that even as a parent, it is so important to honor your dreams and goals. Eventually, she will model this behaviour. You are doing the best you can, and the fact that you care so much proves that you are a great mom! I wish you all the encouragement in the world and the strength to get through this time!!!:)

Yes, I too am wondering if anyone has dealt with this before? Have you ever gotten involved with a pt or has someone you know done so? What has been the end result? It always helps to hear from someone who has dealt with this kind of thing. It makes it even more complex that he has these serious psych issues and is a possible danger......