al586

I always go with the resident's formal title until I am told otherwise...Mr., Mrs, Dr, Miss, Colonel...so far, it has produced excellent results. Using their title is an expression of respect.

"12. (To my administrator) You walked right past that call light to tell me to answer it? Oh, I see. When you said anybody can answer a call light, you meant anyone but you." I LOVE this!!!

" I picked a he** of a day to quit drinking." " I think I'll try a new approach during this surgery today." "Is this the bilateral AKA or the appendectomy?"

I've had a few experiences like this myself! There are nurses like this at every facility. I don't know why they attack other nurses...maybe it makes them feel better about themselves, or somehow superior to other people. Don't stop asking questions! You are there for the patient, not for a snippy coworker.

I agree...run!!

The best nurse I ever had was male. I no longer care about the sex of a nurse, only their abilities.

That is a great cartoon! I often wonder what scrub designers are thinking these days. So many of the print scrubs have the pattern of a tacky shower curtain!

They have no idea. Until I see a doc wiping a patient's behind, I will not believe they have the slightest idea of all we do.

I wish someone in administration at my facility would read this post....

Thank you for this post. As a LTC nurse,I really needed to hear this tonight.

I am ambivalent about Omnicare. I hate that I can't get the meds I need from them, but in my area, they seem as frustrated as I am. Usually, the delay in receiving medications is due to reimbursement issues or a MD who can't be bothered to call in an order.

I have experienced this unfortunate situation all too often in my short time as a nurse in LTC. Docs appear to believe that LTC facilities have the same resources as a hospital...on-site labs and pharmacies, access to necessary equipment, etc. Unfortunately, that is not reality. "Stat" labs can take hours, and essential equipment can be impossible to procure. With this in mind, I will transfer a patient to the ER in a heartbeat if I believe they will receive better care there than I am able to provide at my facility. Reimbursement worries are the problem of administration, patient worries are mine. I may get in trouble, but if the patient receives what they need, that is what matters.

God forgive me, but it's a shame you can't Gibb's slap a person for a complaint like this.

I run into this situation often at work...I have no problem helping someone out when they've been slammed with work, but I won't let people take advantage of that fact. He doesn't fax reports or follow up with MDs? I would ask, "Is Dr. Doolittle aware of these lab results? I see they came in at 10 am." Or, "Did you follow up with the pharmacy regarding this medication?" Sometimes, a simple question will help a person realize the duties they are expected to perform. I'm just curious...is he signing off on orders and leaving the paperwork and follow up for you? In that situation, I might mention that if they signed off on an order, they are responsible for for noting it, and the paperwork, even if they cannot perform the actual order.

Hmmm...this is a tough one. I'd have to say "Flirtin' with Disaster" by Molly Hatchet or "We Care A Lot" by Faith No More.

I agree that it is perfectly normal to feel the way you do right now. I would be worried if you didn't have concerns! I still do! If you don't know something, ASK. Don't worry that you should should already know the answer, or that you will appear "stupid." It will make you a better nurse in the long run. Also, I have found time management and prioritizing essential. When coming on day shift, I try to find out during report which residents are diabetic (they may need accuchecks & insulin before breakfast & lunch), how each person takes their pills, which residents leave the floor for meals (so I can be sure to give them meds before they leave), who has labs & appointments that day, who has IVs running, emergent conditions and so on. After a quick check on any emergent patients, I go for the diabetics & residents who leave the floor first. That way, I don't have to chase them all over the facility to give them what they need. If there's time, I'll flip through the treatment book and mark who needs what treatments. I also systemically mark off each resident on my list as I give them their meds, noting the ones I will need to return to later. ( Each nurse has their own way of noting this - I use a highlighter to block off only the room number if I need to return, or block off both the room number & the resident's name if I don't need to give them any more meds.) I then assist feeding, do charting, some treatments, etc. Then, I do my second pass, remaining treatments & charting. Of course, the inevitable SNAFUs will through a monkey wrench in my system on a daily basis...falls, changes in condition, a barrage of orders, and so on, so I try to remain flexible. I hope this helps!

I swear by Sanita clogs...they work the best for me. However, you need to find the best fit for you. To achieve the best fit, might I suggest having your feet sized by a professional? I made the mistake of buying the shoe size I thought I was (38) until I was measured by a professional, who informed me I was actually a size 39. The comfort difference was immediately obvious. My feet, back and hips no longer ached at the end of a shift.

I cover up my tattoos & piercings at work. This is quite a project, as I was a tattoo artist prior to being a nurse. I do it because there are many cases where my tattoos and piercings might make my patients uncomfortable. They are my top priority.

Nothing...zip...nada.

I'm in PA, & I do start and administer IVs often. There are certain restrictions ( administration of blood, titrated drips,IV pushes etc.), but IVs are a part of my daily practice.

I have 30 residents on my 3-11 shift...2 wound vacs, 2 g tubes & one with a g tube & trach. Thankfully, I only have 6 diabetics & 4 habitual jumpers. The wing across from mine is much worse, so I go over there to help whenever I can.

I wish!!! I'm dealing with this now with a hospice patient. I only hope that one day, those rotten doctors are placed in the same situation..desperately needing an order from their MD, and the doc can't be bothered to call in an order. [h=1][/h]

congrats on your new job! Don't be afraid to ask questions, & as Midwest4me said, Prioritize! Who needs labs, who needs accuchecks, who needs essential meds, and so on. Embrace the British motto: "Keep Calm and Carry On"

As a nurse in LTC, I can say truthfully, without shame or embarrassment, the full moon phenomenon exists. I don't know why, but my more difficult patients get considerably more difficult during a full moon - I have the bruises to prove it.