Gluteus Maximus

Yeah, the Canadian government has even issued a travel advisory, especially non-essential travel b/t the Mexican and US borders. No way, Jose! The Canadian guy killed there a few weeks ago was a local businessman. You couldn't pay me enough to go down there.

Ha! This part cracked me up. In my career being bilingual (English/French) is part of the job description. I'm often called in by other nurses who are supposed to be able to speak french but don't, to translate one thing or another. More often than not I'm agreeable to assist, for the patient, not so much for the nurse as I'm just not that nice; but somehow, somewhere, a select few are allowed to fall through the cracks. Meh. I can deal with that. But what I can't accept is the ones that not only have a very poor grasp of the French language but remarkably, the English language as well. How on earth did they get hired? I'm required to pass an oral and comprehension french test to prove my worth but they get by not being able to communicate at all? Bah. It's like affirmative action for the illiterate.

Wow, just goes to show the international differences. Our BCLS teaches the following: You only interfere if the person is severely choking. How do you know? Ask them, "are you choking?" and if they can speak, cough or breathe, watch and wait. If the person is unable to speak or can't breath or has wheezy breathing, you perform HM, for both adults and children (may have to kneel for the child.) For pregnant women or very large people, it's a modified HM - chest thrusts instead of abd thrusts. Never blows to the back for an adult. If you're the one choking and alone, you're supposed to impale yourself on the back of a chair. A baby is the only one you do back thrusts - b/t the shoulder blades while baby is face down straddling your non-dominant arm, - 5 thrusts then flip baby over and 5 quick compressions with two fingers b/t the nipples. Repeat. Of course only ever on a conscious person, if/when unconscious - it's CPR time.

My NM would okay a sitter if required but not for an elderly lady who's biggest crime is ringing the bell. You should look into getting a prn sedation order for her, if all her needs are met, but she keeps ringing d/t confusion. When all else fails, we wheel their bed over by the nursing station for closer monitoring. It's not unusual to have 2-3 hallway patients overnight.

Y'all have me confused. Isn't a chemstick the urine dip test for glucose? As opposed to finger stick? I've never heard a glucometer called a chemstick either.

Remember that by giving report, you're doing the oncoming nurse a favour by directing his/her attention to the more important details from your shift, so you're helping THEM out. If someone is giving you attitude, just quickly muddle through the critical part and call it a day. You've done your job. If they crash and burn because of not appropriately listening to you, then it's their problem - not yours.

If that's the case then be sure to tell your fellow Americans to "stay in your own country" as well.

Those poppy seed bagels must be providing quite the hallucination.... Keep dreamin'... if you think this excuse will pass with the authorities.

Why Scott... I had no idea you were so buff.... are you the one on top or bottom?

Looked for any possible way to pass you? Are you for real? Obviously you weren't a straight A student if you were failing your labs/clinicals. Maybe you're book smart but that's only half the job of nursing - you've got the science but you're missing the art. Everything about your posts screams nursing is not for you. Stick with your Plan B.

Always and forever. It's the nature of the beast.

I don't understand the problem. What does being involved in sports have to do with your career as a nurse? Who is is you think is going to allow, or disallow, your choice of extracurricular activities? Confused.

Job fairs, as already mentioned, can get your hired on the spot. Also check out: americanmobile.com nursezone.com nursesrx.com There's some red tape, but it's doable.

:yeah: And that's why we women may not be the stronger sex, but we definitely are the smarter sex!

If the worst thing that happens to me is a patient's family making a trivial comment about something I'm wearing, then I'd consider that a pretty good shift.