mom22many

CT here; passed boards over this past summer. Got in on a Med-Surg floor on days 7a-7p starting at $29.14-36 hours with benefits. Felt like a million dollars because I have struggled and fought to pursue my dream of being a RN. As a single mom with limited resources and 4 children in tow I felt lucky to even get an interview and then was extatic to get offered a position. I just got off of orientation which was originally only 6 weeks and they gave me a 7th week because I suggested I needed another. I was realizing as the weeks went on that this may not be the right place for me but I am aware I need to suck it up and "fight" my way through each shift, for my patients and for my family. Managment seems supportive at times when i actually see a member of managment, but managment is ultimately controlled by their managment and the all mighty dollar. Three full time day nurse have given their notice and left for other facilities.Was told call bells are everyones responsibilty but I feel im the only RN answering bells and when I do go into a patients room I open up a can of mess. I know that there is a "transition shock" between graduate nurse and professional nurse and I am feeling it. There is so much to learn to be able just to hold my own and give good care to patients. As a new nurse I find that I have difficultly delegated to the PCT's at times and everyone is so busy and I don't think it's logical to spend five minutes hunting down a PCT when I could complete the task I'm going to ask them to do. I am developmenting a good system on my assignments but may need to switch it up. I use the large index cards and find it has worked well but having to carry around 5,6 and this week 7 of them many not be the best. There is an accudose and I have to go into med room for each patient throughout the day. The carts we use just have a laptops on them. I can not pull all my meds for the day I have to continue to go into med room for each individual patient which is so time consuming. It's a 32 bed unit in a rural hospital on the border of 3 states. On good days there are 2 PCT's and 3 nurses and I have yet to see the unit full. During my time on orientation the nurses carried 4-5 patients but I understood it was common for them to carry 6. On my orientation I barely got up to 5 patients. I do see that management never takes acuity into the picture only census so this week I got 7 patients; 5 at beginning of shift, one being an admission, then 1 transfer from ICU and 1 admit from the ER. Transfers always seem to come at change of shift, during report. 3 of my patients were on contact, I had 2 dressing changes including packing a wound, PICC dsg; 2 accuchecks AC, 1 detox, 1 who yanked out their saline lock and who was constantly confused and trying to get up. 3 fall risks, many IV antibiotics and many 8,9,12,16,18 medications plus coverage for my 2 accuchecks and this one nurse who was doing all she could to keep up on medications and documentation. Bells constantly going off and another pair of hands never to be found. I rarely get out on time and now without my preceptor my shifts tend to run 14 hours. I am frustrated and questioning my entire path. I have read through some other posts here and staffing seems to be an issue with many facilities which is so frustrating because management wants good scores on these surveys but do not allow for staffing levels to be able to give responsible care. The reality of Nursing is heartbreaking currently and maybe with gaining more experience and knowledge I will feel good about where ever I may be. I am a caretaker that is in the essence of my soul, I am smart, I am kind, I want to help others in their time of need. Just wondering about other novice nurses in Med-Surg or suggestions of areas of nursing you have experienced and liked and why. Thanks for reading.

May 2013 after a long road of 10 years on and off in community college. 4 children have gone on this journey with me and we are all looking forward to me passing the Boards this summer! Yahoo!

Taking Pharma this summer online and we have to take a math dosage calculation test at the beginning of each Nursing semester. We have Pharmacology for Nursing Care 8th edition iand its 1500 pages long...HEAVY!!! We just started with general characteristics of pharmacology and the roleof the nurse and this week we get into the pharmacological managment of the OB neonate client which is awesome cause i rotate through OB starting this week for 3 weeks.....lots of work for 1 credit through im trying to finish a chart on 30 medications that has to be completed before we even step on the OB unit......yikes.....SERIOUS BUSINESS this nursing...lol good luck everyone

I must live in the right state because ive never heard any restrictions or work requirements for SNAP (food stamps) TANF on the other hand has multiple requirements but food stamps?!?!?! Every human is flawed, i didnt make good choices in my past and this lead me down a road to state services, i always held a job and continued to take a class here and there and one semester had to take 12 credits and i made Deans List while being a single parent to 4 children!! The community i live in has many resources including a truck that comes once a month with fresh fruits and vegtables that they hand out to anyone who shows up. We have a church that offers restuarent style package meats and other perishables at discounted prices. We have multiple consignment shops in the area and i always shop the clearance racks when i do venture out. I have food stamps and am in school full time, work per diem at the local community hospital, sometimes going a week or two with no hours. I always say it's either better to be rich or poor in this state, middle class are tortured. ..... Know your resources...always where ever you are!! Good Luck everyone i have 7 more medications to write up for my first OB rotation in a couple days....

I went to orientation 50 pounds lighter and i just stopped smoking cold turkey and within 6 months gained 60 pounds.....never have i been so large and i feel it could hinder my employability. But im in nursing school up late, munching and alot of the time sitting on my bum.lol I dont want to graduate obese (never have been obese until now) im thinking this is my new set point. LOL. anyway with summer here i hope to make better food choices and get my bum moving. Graduations May 13 and i would like to be atleast 30 pounds lighter.

Started in January 2012 and go all summer infact really for the next 26 weeks because the break between summer semester and fall is 5 days! First week of 2nd semester just finished and i just have to have hope and keep pushing. We are doing OB/maternity and med/surg and im taking a pharmacology class online for a credit although the workload is worth 10 credits it seems. I am focused on the May 2013 graduation where i can walk across the stage with my four children behind me who are also sacrificing during this program. Single mother working, 2nd semester nursing student and riding on hard work, long hours, lots of java. I play to win..........Keep it up everyone........see you on the other side :)

We have to hand write ours~ Drug Classification Uses:all uses Actions:all actions Names:both generic & trade Side Effects: life threatening side effects first, define vocab unknown to student in () example of Med name & Dose: Generic (trade), dose range Example of Nursing considerations: list all, putting important ones first Baseline Assessment: Intervention/Evaluation: Patient teaching: We may use accepted medical abbreviations All this on a 4x6 WHITE index card, which we can only use our drug book NO internet or purchased drug cards. All this on a 4X6 index card...ouch my hand and carpal tunnel. Good luck

Wow......so relatable, at many times in my life...best wishes for ya~

I work at a community hospital and many people have tattoos and sleeves no less, it will all depend on what community and hospital. We also have a policy on piercings but i have seen many co-workers, nurses, techs who wear their nose rings and multiple earrings!?!?!? good luck, during school we have to cover all tattoos and can only have 1 pair of studs.

We as humans are all flawed~Nursing attracts a montley crew of people from all kinds of backgrounds and expierences. Im now 35 with four children and no partner and i start NS in Jan 2012, we all have battles~Good Luck to you and all of us trying to make a difference~

Im sorry to hear about your situation, my input is i would not leave my children if it were me and i left i would take the children with me. I am a single mother to 4 children 11,9,6,2. I finshed up all my pre reqs and start an ADN-RN (not sure if thats the right acronymn) in January. I am currently recieveing assistance like food stamps and health insurance and picked up a job in the local community hospital (pt sitter). I had my CNA but it has lapsed so i need to retest so i can move over to PCT (more hands on im craving). im in debt but keep my eye on the prize which is graduating and passing NCLEX. With organization anything is possible, people are flawed but we only have a short time here to fulfill our dreams, it will take courage, endurance and character...you CAN accomplish great things~keep the faith

khanacademy.org

I will graduate 2013 but the program i choose starts in Jan and runs straight thru no breaks, summer and all. Its a new location for the States RN program not a new program so we shall see. I have orientation on July 19 and have 6 months before i begin. Trying to use this time to organize my home & family and work on "Nursing Math", Terminology, and group drugs together stuff i can memorize now~Good Luck Everyone

Protein, some glucose, water, D3, B12, Omega 3's through food sources, and Mountian Dew its my naughty pleasure....good luck!

We have a calendar tacked to the wall, During my childrens school year, i will not study from 330 till 800 in the evenings, do all the parenting & dinner, showers, reading, and i will hope to schedule time during Sunday for some family fun, other then that its controlled chaos with activities keeping them busy thoughout the week. Now i havent started the program but i know it goes through the summer and using the calendar so everyone can see that maybe not right now mom can play, but tonight is movie night or were going to the library on this day, around this time~it helps them to visualize~i have 4 children 11,9,7 and 2 1/2 this is the only way i think everyone will keep their sanity~Sometimes all the need to 20 minutes and then the feel connected and can go play and give you an hour~good luck ~Peaceful Studying~