nsFAMU

I think I'm starting to regret going into nursing as are most of my nurse friends. I graduated 12/05 and went right into ER on nights. I was terrified when I realized that not only did I have to be a nurse but I had to to follow a million rules and regulations, catch the doctors mistakes, and deal with rude patients and coworkers while staying pleasant. I used to hate giving report to the floor nurses because they were always so rude, I don't understand why there has to be such a war between the ER and the floors. It was overwhelming but it was okay, I knew it would get better and I loved it. A yr later I did 2 travel assignments in ER. The second was pure hell. I only got along with the secretary, techs, some other travelers and the doctors. Praying everyday before I went in is the only thing that got me through it. The manager even came to me once and asked why I gave a med because it was ordered in the patients chart but it wasnt in the doctors notes! What do I have to do with the doctor's notes, I just followed the order that he personally handed to me and even told me what he had written. They ended my assignment early and I was so happy, but I was done with ER. I had worked my *** off hardly ever getting a dinner break, holding my pee all night and they had the nerve to treat me like that! I switched to NICU but then I had the problem where one person says do it this way and the other says do it that way and there is no policy. That was frustrating being that I was new to NICU but most of the nurses were great and helpful. Working nights was driving me nuts too but everytime I wanted to go to days someone else with seniority all of a sudden wanted to go too. I just quit that job 10/09 to move from FL to NV and I'm miserable because I feel like I trapped myself once again. People are nice so but now I have to prove myself to another group of catty backstabbing women. I'm so nervous and anxious I always get a stomach ache before I go in. Everyday I wish I would have listened to my aunt done pharmacy. I'm also still on nights and it has only gotten harder over the years but then again I know dayshift has its own drama. It gets depressing being up all night by yourself and being tired when you're trying to be up during the day. I love the babies but it feels like all I do is go to work and try not to kill my patients, try not to loose my license, try not to get sued, try not to make my coworkers think I don't know what I'm doing, try not to give the next shift something to ***** about.....how can I enjoy that? Maybe I just need to find something outside of the hospital with normal hours. Thanks for listening to my venting!

Wow I actually came on here to write something just like this! I've been a nurse for 4 years and I'm starting to feel the same way. I'm thinking maybe I should have done pharmacy. I would be better off finanically and maybe I wouldn't have to deal with so much drama. I used to do ER and yes I did meet some very nice people but most of them were just like the ones you spoke about. Now I do NICU and the patients are much better but the politics are still there. It could be working with so many women, working 12's or working nights that has me feeling like this and not necessarily nursing but i don't know. I love helping people but trying to do that while complying with all the rules and regulating agencies, policies, one doc or one charge nurse wanting you to do it this way and another wanting you to do it that way is too much pressure. Also the thought that two yrs down the road someone can hit us with a lawsuit and I have go to court about something I barely remember has always scared me. Most of the nurses I know that graduated around the same time as me feel the same way and end up hoping around to different types of nursing hoping to find something better. I just started a new job and its okay so far, hopefully I can stick it out. I'm hoping to get out of the hospital and off of nights sooner than later though. As a matter of fact I need to go get ready for work now!

I interviewed at UMC and valley hospital (on the phone) and was offered both positions but I'm taking the one at valley. I will be relocating from Florida and I've never even been to Vegas! Anyway, the interview will depend on the manager but it won't be hard. You might be asked how you handled certain situations or patients but if you really can't think of being in that exact situation just think of one close to it and make up something that sounds good. They won't know the difference. I have had face to face interviews in the past where I was asked about 10 questions from 3 to 7 people but these 2 were only a couple of questions from the managers. O and they might ask you why you chose the hospital. Good luck! BTW if it says forwarded to hiring manager thats the next step. Valley hospital said it for 2 weeks before I was called for an interview.

Hi I was wondering if you have relocated to Vegas yet and which hospital you went with. I'm relocating also and was just offered a position at UMC but I'm still thinking about it. Thanks

Hi I just wanted to find out if you were able to adopt the child. I'm single and considering adopting a baby from my NICU but his mom hasn't made a final decision yet. The parents never told anyone that they were expecting a child and they still havn't told anyone that she had it so maybe there won't be any family stepping in.

Well I would check my waveform for wide complexes and verify it by looking at the heart rate from the pulse ox reading too. If you still have doubts then change the leads. Does the baby desat or have any color change with the brady? How many weeks is the baby? Sometimes they have more bradys during/after feeing. In report ask the off going nurse if they also noticed increased bradys or check back in their notes. Do you feel comfortable with your preceptor? If you feel that you can't ask her qestions or that she is annoyed by you then maybe they can put you with someone else. These babies are you highest concern not your preceptors feelings. No one know's everything and because you just graduated there may be new things that you know more about than she does. You are allowed to have your own nursing judgement and she needs to respect that.

We never clamp off the the secondary port, doesn't that defeat the purpose of using a double lumen catheter? Depending on the neo that is there we either use two bags of TPN, run fluid like 1/4NS at 0.5/hr, or take TPN from the bag from the port after the filter with a syringe and run it on a med pump (we split the tpn rate between the two).

I used to do that all the time when I first started working in the ER 3 years ago. It might have been nice if I would have taken it back to be honest and blah blah but, I didn't, just myself I had to do better with emptying my pockets next time. Don't beat yourself up its a learning experience and it probably won't be the last time. You could find out the hosptial policy so you can know how they expect you to handle it.

I agree with you. We really need to get out of that "I'm just the nurse" mentality. We are professionals and we should be compensated accordingly. I probably don't even want to know what nurses would be getting if there wasn't a shortage. We shouldn't have to work flex, pool, and agency in addition to a full time job just to make it. The flex, pool and agency rates should be what we get on our regular full time jobs. What we do is physically and emotionally demanding and so many nurses are pushing themselves to work 5 and 6 12hour shifts per week to feed their families. Other careers may make less than nursing but that is their struggle and they need to come together and demand what they are worth as well. Yes I love and appreciate my job but that doesn't mean that I should accept anything less than what I deserve.

Wow I was came on here to write the same thing! I'm relocating too and I really wanted to be there by now but I'm not getting any calls back either. One job I applied for back on 4/7 and on 5/5 I see it listed on careerbuilder! I do NICU 3 and it was a NICU 2 position. I called the recruiter and he says they're not going to call you because you don't have level 2 experience. I said but I have level 3 and he says whats the difference. I said level 3 is higher than level 2 its micropreemies, vents and osillators! He says but you don't have level 2 experience. I said when you do level 3 you do level 2 so he says ok I'll forward your resume to the manager. Well 2 days later the position was gone after my application sat there for a month! I have also been looking since March. Good luck

Hi I was just wondering if you are still planning to move to Phoenix. How is your job search going? I'm still looking but I don't see many NICU, peds, M/B etc. I was told by a recruiter that NICU usually picks up when it gets hot because moms don't drink enough water so they get dehydrated and go into preterm labor.

Wow I just came on here to ask the exact same question! I'm planning to move to phoenix from Miami sometime during the summer. Where are you coming from and when? I'm also looking for level II or III NICU. I'm also thinking of Chandler, Mesa and Tempe but want to find a hospital first. I'm thinking of using a permanent placement firm. Good luck with your search.

We have twin boys Fredmarie and Willmarie but I think the winner is a mom we had whos name is Andromeda.

I havent traveled here but a nurse I worked with said Cedars Sinai in LA was great. She said it was NICU heaven, they treat there nurses well and have the NICU is designed to be pratical for the nurse. This is a hospital that celebritys go to so Im sure they have lots of money to invest into being practical, LOL.

All except one place that I've worked had travelers go to the business office and sign in/out. I do some agency work now to and I have to sign in, clock in and fill out a time card. Im staff now and at my hospital they started this incremental overtime sheet that you have to fill out with a reason why youre leaving late and have the charge nurse sign it, and that includes staff! Personally, I want to leave ASAP but theres always that person that hangs around and talks or hangs out in the break room after giving report and I think its geared more for them.