pixie6089

Absolutely no penalties whatsoever.

There is no telling, so enjoy it while you can.

I have put in a two weeks notice at a contract after the staff started getting very unappreciative of me. Comments, bad attitudes, giving me the worse assignments. (1) they don’t see the expenses we have to go through to get there. From housing, commuting, missed time with family, car repairs etc. (2) if they had the skills and gull to be a travel nurse, they would have by now. So that’s their choice. Not your problem. My advice would be to put in a two weeks notice, let your recruiter know why you’re leaving and yank one of the many well-paying assignments elsewhere. Maybe after they figure out they are scaring away the people that help them, they might change, but most likely not.

DO NOT work for Spectrum. I took a travel assignment there and they have an ***-backwards policy where they will not give out references for anyone who has worked in thier system. It has been a big pain for me because I needed their reference but they stated it is policy.

Head at the wall end, but flipped the other way if on the oscillator. This is the only way we could fit the tubing through the isolette and get to the babies' heads. There was talk that we would be alternating all the babies every week (with baby's head against the wall one week, then where the feet usually go the next). The rationale was that babies like to look at the side where you stand and have been getting flat heads on their right, which is where we stand while doing care. But some people didn't like that idea and it never went into action. I thought it was a good idea as long as it was helping the baby, but I think some people are set on old ways and had a problem with this idea of change.

That's a terribly strict policy. I'm sorry you have to work there. I would think about going somewhere else. Unless the current position was so awesome in other ways to balance out this overly strict policy.

Go for the work environment that seems the most comfortable to you. Since you enjoy both fields, you need to make sure your co-workers and managers are people you trust and see yourself working with. Good colleges will lift you up and never make you feel dumb for asking a question or for help. It is disappointing to pick the wrong field to go into but you can always switch after you give it a few years and it's not working for your. But being in a toxic work environment can ruin it for you entirely.

On the ortho floor I regularly float to, we alternate ultram or Tylenol with dilaudid or morphine. All the other floors do recommend Tylenol for mild pain, lortab or Percocet for mild-mod pain, and morphine or dilaudid for severe pain. If the patient has been taking lortab or Percocet, I would not ever give Tylenol unless they havn't had it in greater than 24 hours and they state to me they aren't planning on taking it again soon because those things already have acetaminophen.

Wow, sounds like you are on a very busy med-surg floor and have had some terrible days. We have all had days like that, but if it continues to be this physically and mentally straining, you can be on a quick road to burnout. You need more help. I am not a traveling nurse but am a float nurse so I know what it's like to be the outsider. One thing that took me a long time to realize was, if I don't learn how to ask for help when I need it, I would not be able to do this job. Usually, but not always, the float nurse or outsider gets the heavier patient load. When you are in the thick of it and have several important things to do at the same time and notice someone sitting at the desk, just go up to them and say, "Hey you guys, I am having a really hard time right now and I have two critical things that need to be done at the same time. Can you please give me a hand?" You need to ask other nurses to help with lifting transferring. Not acceptable if they can't help you with this. You already said you hurt yourself physically but you don't want to hurt your back so much to the point that you can't work at all. If they are not able to help for whatever reason, you may need to talk to the manager. Everyone on the floor, even the float nurse or the traveling nurse, should be seen as part of a team. The other RN's may not know that you need help. If you reach out to them and still don't get any help, and after talking to the manager, it may be worth it to break contract. This sounds dangerous what your doing right now. Something has to change. Good luck!

I agree with OKinOKC, give the quickest one first, then the one that runs longest second. Sometimes, you can call the pharmacy and ask them to re-time the meds so that they are not due at the same time. Q24 ones just have to be done when you have time, then have it retimed for the same time the following days.

Hello all and thank you for taking the time to read this. I had posted a question last year about how to get into the NICU. My background is med-surg x 5 yrs and have been applying to get into NICU every chance I get, but those applications have been with high hopes since they require "current NICU experience" and I have not heard back from any of them. So, my questions is how in the heck does anyone ever get NICU experience if they won't let you try unless you already have? It's the ultimate catch-22. My hospital is a teaching hospital and there is a position posted for the adult critical care fellowship program that is an 8 week course meant to transition experienced RN's into the intensive care units (adult). I am planning on getting my BSN starting next year so once I have 4-5 yrs adult ICU experience and a BSN, do you think this would help my chances of being hired into NICU? I am wondering if it would help me with transitioning from acute care to critical care, and just caring/treating a critically ill human, no matter what the age they are. Any and all comments/suggestions are much appreciated, thanks again.

It's always hard when the family of the dying refuses to take a less aggressive approach. Denial is a very powerful coping mechanism.

Since graduating nursing school 5 years ago, I've had no problem with finding a position in med-surg, but I can't seem to get ahead on the career path. I had my first child earlier than planned (a wonderful oops), and although I love my kids I find it really difficult to juggle working full-time and being there for them like I want to. So, I have been per diem for a couple years, only working a couple times a month and staying home with the kiddos during the week. Since my youngest has recently turned 2, I now have him in daycare and am working part-time hours. But now I don't have enough hours for the 2,000 minimum clinical hours to get my certification which I'm really bummed out about. I feel like my career is in limbo. Want to get my BSN but I need to wait for the kids to grow up a bit since it's my husband that's going to school right now to further his career. Both parents going to school and working would just be to much strain for the family. Oh, how the rest of the world doesn't know the sacrifices of a mother....I will just have to enjoy my children while they are so young. They will never be this little and cute again!

Started my shift at 7:00 but I hadn't had time to drink water or pee until now...

I understand where you are coming from. As nurses, we have assaults thrown at us sometimes just for showing up to work. This wasn't the first time something like this has happened and it won't be the last. Next time you receive another "assault" by anyone: a doctor, family member, patient, fellow nurse or aid, envision yourself responding in a calm and patient-as-possible manor. You don't have to be a saint, just patient as possible. When you show the assaulter how professional you can be you will beat him at the game. If they are just being overly unprofessional you are allowed to turn your back and walk away while saying, "I don't have to put up with this, I'm getting the manager." Then vent with anyone willing to listen on your break.

Aquinas College is a small, Catholic college known for a great nursing school in the area. It doesn't matter if you are out or in state since it's a private school. I went there, not being a Catholic but the nuns are a great inspiration, and felt they were a great school and prepared me well. I got my ASN and had no problem finding a job in 2009 on a med-surg floor.

The other day I was working on a my med-surg floor when my tech approached me to tell me that my patient was smoking marijuana in their room (good thing it was a private room). You could smell it out in the hallway and the room was a little smoky inside. My manager called security and all they said was to inform the house nursing supervisor, which there was nothing further done. Except I had to go in ask if they were smoking, which they denied, and re-inform them of the hospital's non-smoking policy. I was only in the room for probably two minutes. After I came out of there, I was feeling a little "funny" and kept laughing. I asked someone if I smelled like it and they said yes, luckily after about 20 minutes I was feeling better. Just wondering if this has ever happened to you and what would you do in that situation? If I knew it would affect me going in there, I would have never done it. Looking back I find it slightly humorous but will learn never to go into a room if this happens again!

Went in with a family member who was taking a lot of nephro toxic meds for an infection and suddenly came up with a 6 to 7 out of 10 flank/back pain. Wanted to make sure it wasn't acute kidney injury or failure and needed labs done. He had them done early in the morning and I called at the end of the day to see if they had results. I was told it would take 24 hours before the results would get back. Being that it would put us into the weekend, we would have to wait until Monday before hearing back. Just wondering is this standard procedure for most doctors offices to make you wait at least a day before you can possibly hear back results?

Thanks for sharing! You are an inspiration!

Although those are all great suggestions above, I have some more tips on a successful interview. Make up a list of 3-5 of your best traits/characteristics, but not only have those in mind, have examples as to why you believe these things are true. Such as, "I am a hard worker and career driven because I worked as a PCA on a women's unit while going to nursing school. End with a conslusion as to what this means to add another positive: "so I know how to balance a hectic schedule." Good luck!

Racism has no place in nursing. Not every foreign nurse is incompetent and not every incompetent nurse is foreign. Grow up!

Thank you all so much for your help. My husband knows the NICU Manager because he works with their department and is going to ask her what exactly the experience is they're looking for to get my foot in the door. It may be that if I got adult ICU experience first it would help? Or maybe utilizing this personal connection is the way to go. Thanks again for the guidance, and yes staycalm, NRP is what I should have said. Thanks you, thank you, thank you!

Hi, I am a current med-surg float nurse that has been doing med-surg for over 4 years now. I have recently made the decision that nicu nursing is where I would like to go from here. Although I have a strong med-surg base, like they told me to get when I graduated, it seems that it is not helping me get into the field of neonatal care. My current hospital has a level 3 nicu, but every time a position opens they require recent NICU experience and a current NRCP card. So my question is how did you break into the field? What is an NRCP card and is there any classes or any action you could recommend me doing to increase my chances of getting into the nicu? Thank you so much for your time in answering!

I currently work there and I think Sparrow is a great place to work. Low patient to nurse ratios make it so much better than other facilities I have worked for. Although it is not perfect, we still have hard jobs and they have been cutting down on other services (environmental services, unit secretaries, and iv team have been cut back and nurses do more to replace what they use to do) I still think it's one of the best hospitals to nurse. As far as area reputation, we are the best. Most everyone I know would rather be a patient at Sparrow than other hospitals.

When I lived in Nashville all the major hospitals started floor RN's at $18.-- an hour. It's not Jackson, but pretty close.