RN0820

I was an aid on a tele floor...and my patient was complaining of her PICC site hurting. I looked and noticed the cath had migrated about 4-5 inches out of her skin. I called the nurse, who proceeded to undo the dressing without gloves on, wipe the cath with alcohol...and reinsert it. This patient was on neutropenic precautions to boot.

Buttermilk perhaps?

Yea we both posted a thread without knowing we were until we looked at the board after it was done. Oops sorry for the replicas but we r both-needless to say- p*ssed! Yea next time I won't answer...the only reason I did was because they called twice in a row and I thought something was wrong.

Although that would work...I like to save my sick days and points for when I am sick...I'm always worried I will get sick (prime flu season) and I like to know I won't get fired when I am sick.

SAMSIES! Haha

I'm trying to get a feel for what fellow nurses would do in the situation that was just handed to me...any comments are appreciated. My facility requires RNs to take a certain number of "core classes" per year. We do these on our days off, and we are paid for them. We do self-scheduling and we make sure to write "class" in the day so we can have off. It was approved 3 weeks ago for me to go to this class tomorrow and work the next three days after and the weekend (evening shift) I just got a call from my charge nurse (2030 the night before) that I may get a call in the morning...and if I do...I have to work day shift on the floor. And not just my floor...but any of the 3 floors my manager is responsible for. There was no word of on-call pay, bonus pay, etc. My facility does not to mandatory OT...but this is manadatory OT...I'm already scheduled my required hours this week...and they are telling me I HAVE to come in if I am called. Mind you, I'm a med-surg nurse...we don't get on-call!! What would you do/say? This is being decided by my unit manager and the nursing supervisor. I simply don't know my options and I'm afraid if I speak up I will be fired.

We do rotating shift...I currently rotate D/E week by week (which sucks) but the schedule this month has me working off,D,D, off,E,E, off, D,D,D, off,E. Basically rotating shift multiple times through the week. I am usually able to stay on one shift a week but one of our girls left and now its fill-in. It just plain sucks...its better than nights but I'm still up till 4 or 5 in the morning

My hospital has been recycling cardboard/packaging materials, lab chemicals, and flourecent bulbs for a while. They have started recycling pulse ox probs, batteries on tele units, phone books and paper. We have recycling bins for glass and cans, and have done away with disposable sharps containers and now have reusable ones. We also have motion activated lighting, electronic pay stubs, and paperless billing. They are starting a community pharmaceutical disposal program to reduce drugs being flushed into the sewer system. Hope this helps :)

Strictly by number...unfortunately. also depends if we have an LPN. Also, the nurses that work 12s like to stay where they are and the nurses who have worked the day before keep their sections for continuity of care. Hope this helps.

I was always told during my clinicals that student can be held accountable for mistakes and they can be sued. It may vary by state but as far as I know you really aren't under the "umbrella" of ur instructor as you have experience and are going through classes you are accountable for the information taught to you. If you are unsure I know the NSO website can cover students with malpractice insurance...may be worth looking into for the peace of mind. And as always, look at the hospital policy before you do anything you have never done before. Good luck :)

Nope. As I've gotten older I have found greater passions than nursing. Yes, I chose nursing because I like to help people and I always heard it was an outstanding, rewarding, high paying career. Bogus! Althought the hospital pay is good, I'd gladly trade that for peace of mind and sanity. Some days I feel like this career has changed my personality for the worse. As a result of stress I have found other things I love so much more, and I wish I would have done those. Maybe once I get these pesky student loans payed down I will

Agreed! I am not a clinic nurse but I have been looking for jobs in this field. If there was a section I think it would be very helpful to not only the clinic nurses to vent but for us "outsiders" to get a feel for the issues/frustrations facing clinic nurses before we make a jump into a new realm of nursing. Go you :)

I guess I should clarify that I don't like floor nursing...not bedside all together. And most of the specialty floors are more intense and certainly more complicated. This leaves me with clinic/MD office or non bedside..

GI or endo wouldnt be bad...i will have to look into that. Thanks! I have thought about Dr's offices but it seems I'm either under-qualified or over-qualified in my area....everyone wants MA's, LPN's, or NP's...no in between unless its telephone triage and I know I'm not experienced enough for that. But in truth that is the environment I need! Low stress! I have applied to the local health dept....keeping my fingers crossed on that one. As for same day...my cousin works in Pre-admission testing and is trying to get me a job in there as I hear it is a less complicated environment and it sounds nice! We'll see....probably wouldn't happen until the first of the year. cookderosa- Your right, the people make a big difference. Most of the people have been VERY helpful when I ask them....but no one lends a helping hand when s--- hits the fan...we are all too busy keeping our heads above water! They have all helped when asked, but no one volunteers when it gets busy. Not that I blame them for this. Good point about the degree....I never thought about it that way. And I love your mother's story! I have thought about a culinary arts degree myself...my background was in the restaurant business before I discovered healthcare and I am nostalgic about it. Her story made me smile...I know I might screw this up but I HAVE to find what makes me happy. Thanks !

I have...PACU is too critical (high risk patients make me the most anxious), I will pass out in OR and OB I have heard is sooo hard to get into. I was thinking Psych but I'm not sure how the more manipulative patients would fair with me...I guess that would come with experience? I feel like if I can't handle the "basic" med/surg floor I wouldn't be able to handle a specialty. This might be me being to hard on myself...

I think it is hard for nurses, who are by nature self-less, to leave bedside nursing because of working conditions. I have almost 6 months in on a general Surgical floor and I am finally going to admit that I want to leave bedside nursing. Althought I am a new nurse, I have been struggling with this thought since I have started on the floor. And I mean struggling! I have to learn how to be selfish in this case, and it's hard for me. I say selfish in a sense that I have to think of my license and my family and my mental health above the unit. My first instinct is to tough it out, see if it gets better, and keep working/worrying/not sleeping/crying and having anxiety attacks, but it's just not worth it. This is not why I went to school! I love working with the patients in a time of need and I really like teaching them, but I haven't been able to do as much as I've wanted and I feel like we are never staffed to the point where I think is safe. The ratio is usually 6 patients primary and 7-16 teaming with an LPN. We are lucky to get NAs, and as soon as we discharge someone we get an admission from PACU. The anxiety of liability at the bedside is so high that is is consuming! The problem I have is this: I know I want to get away from the bedside, but I am so young I'm afraid no one will hire me or that I won't like it. I have only ever been on a floor (as an aid for 6 yrs too) and I do not understand (nor have I been trained on) "background" things like insurance co.'s, case management, informatics, utilization review, or other terms that I have heard in association to non-bedside nursing roles that seem to be fuzzy for me. Anyone that can clear up these roles for me? And a background fear: what if I apply and get trained on these positions and hate them? And are there any certifications or degrees that would help in the non-bedside nursing roles? I am willing to go back to school as well. All comments are appreciated!! :redpinkhe

steelydanfan- your right it would be nice to have a job with no liability....And daring to become the best at something you enjoy...that was insirational...thanks. GHGoonette-Your right, I should shadow. And stop the What If's! As for Toydemom- Wow. First of all, I did not accept a job where I could not safely take care of patients. I just said the high risk meds and patients scare me! I'm a new grad...I'm going to be scared of all the responsibility and liability. We have people's lives in our hands and I am smart enough to know this and be scared of it at the same time!! If anything it makes me more careful. And if it was between me quitting or me knowliny hurting a patient I would quit in a heart beat but I know it isnt to that point nor will I let it! So please, this whole warning me I can lose my license isnt a help and if anything worsens anxiety for a new grad. I can safely take care of my patients....these are just fears, not unsafe practice. The point of this was just to explain that I don't want to work in such a high stress area and a more low key job sounds nice!

surferbettycrocker--I think we do both need a niche! Hoepfully it gets better for you too. Thanks for the insight. mentalhealth rn- Thank you for your insight. I have thought about the psych field, not sure what to think though (do you see a trend? LOL) Our facility has a small psych floor, two PICU rooms, no peds and barely any geriatrics, and about 10-12 regular psych beds. I floated there as an intern quite a bit, and I noticed I was sensitive to patient's comments. Sometimes they would group up and say things as you walk by, or would do things that were prohibited in front of me just to test my limits. Sometimes that was upsetting, I would get all red-faced and have a hard time shrugging it off. How do you deal with the more manipulating pts? sneakfreak- Good for you. ER would be too risky for me, but along the same lines I have thought about possibly getting my public health or occupational health nursing certificates on the side to help broaden the horizons a bit. Thanks for your help :)

New RN here needing some advice. I graduated in May and have been working in a very busy post surgical floor for the last 5.5 months. I have learned ALOT...both about nursing and about myself. I had two very good preceptors and most of the staff on the unit is very helpful and supportive, the unit manager is very involved with her unit and has an open door policy. BUT, I just don't like it. I took the job because I worked in the hospital as an aid and had a foot in the door, but now I'm just second guessing everything I have worked for. I know being a new grad takes time, but things keep getting wrose, not better. I am on a 8 hour Days/Evenings WEEKLY rotations and my personal life (I used to love to run/work out, spend times with family/friends) have fallen to the wayside. My work schedule is irratic and my personal life has suffered. The unit itself is one of the most stressful of the med/surg units in the hospital. We take on extended recoveries and observational patients along with our regular post ops, so some days I discharge my whole team and readmit all new ones....adding up to 8-10 patients a day. I have made some mistakes...thank God no one was hurt, but it has made me fearful of, and very anxious of, high risk meds and high risk patients. I am very anxious in general. I feel like any day someone will sue me for missing something. I have spoken to my unit manager, and she was very understanding, and also said she did not want to lose me as a nurse and offered me positions on her other units (ortho and rehab....ortho openings are because she had 6 nurses leave at once...not a good sign) Rehab opening is only for midnights, which I feel would screw up my personal life even more. Also, she also offered to have a senior nurse follow me for time management (since I wasnt getting lunch breaks and staying over 2+ hrs charting) but I havent seen it, and I have reminded her three times. It all comes down to this: I don't want to stay in a position where my mental health takes a beating. I don't want to strain my personal life anymore. I don't want to fear being sued or killing someone every day. I dont want to start taking anti-depressants because of a job! I want to go into pulbic health or occupational health nursing, maybe even pre admission testing....more of a clinic nursing type job with regular hours and a less stressful atmosphere. I want to teach patients, I love explaining the How's and Why's. The local health dept. has an opening I applied for (same pay as the hospital), along with another occupational health position that is an hour away. I'm not sure if I am making a mistake by getting away from the floor so early. I am afraid that if i go somewhere else I won't like it either and jobs are so scarce i dont want to burn bridges. What if they aren't as supportive? What if the MD is a nightmare? What if I dont have enough experience to be in a more independant nursing setting? Maybe I should just stay until something less stressful opens up at the hospital? AHH! These quesitons are never ending! Thanks for being patient and reading all of this, I really appreciate any advice you can offer :redbeathe:redbeathe:redbeathe Especially if you have made the transition between the hospital and the office setting with less than a year experience. Peace & Love