workingmama77

I had a similar experience a few months ago. Hubby and I were flying from Bahamas into North Carolina. Just as we landed and people were exiting the plane there was a commotion. He and I look at each other and sure enough the flight attendant starts yelling "Is there a doctor or nurse on board?". I tell him to yell that I'm an RN and I start heading forward. A 20-30ish guy with an insulin pump was seizing a few aisles ahead of us. An ER nurse and an ICU nurse also were coming forward. We checked his blood sugar & vitals and he started to come around. We gave him glucose gel until paramedics could get on board and take over. He started to come through so I left after giving the flight attendant my name and contact numbers. Hubby and I then had to RUN across the airport to make our connecting flight home. I hope the guy ended up ok. Never heard from anyone about that.

My better half works for the local cable company.

I used to work in a geriatric Acute Care unit with a large Hospice patient population. I have to admit that I loved taking care of my Hospice patients. I got to know them and their families, loved hearing their stories, and nothing was as rewarding as making sure their passing was comfortable and peaceful. I always tried to give my patients and their families the care and support I would want someone to give to me and my loved ones. My days were not always easy. I had many families that had a tough time letting go, no matter if the patient was in their 20s or their 90s. And there is nothing harder than trying to get someone with terminal agitation calm and relaxed. It's painful for the family to watch and was hard for me as well. I now work at a short term rehab facility but I am itching to return to Hospice. It was definitely the most rewarding part of my nursing career so far.

I remember working nights and depending on what staff was working there was a tendency to get loud occasionally. Always irritated me, especially one certain staff member who had no problem talking loudly right outside patients' rooms about getting prescription drugs from relatives illegally. Needless to say she got reported. As for noise volume, if you notice it getting too loud a gentle reminder usually works to settle everyone down.

I floated to a different unit than my own this week & walked into the room of a patient with C. diff who had her family in visiting. No isolation protection on any of them, sitting on her bed and one relative was sitting right next to the bed breastfeeding a newborn. I have no problem with family visiting or children & infants but if you know your loved one has C. diff you have to be at least a little careful. Tried to very politely talk to them and they basically just shut me down & ignored what I was saying.

Thank you for this article. In all the hustle and bustle of working and getting two kids ready for back to school, I just realized this is the first time in quite a long time I won't be going back to school. Makes me happy and sad at the same time. Great article.

Thank you RubyVee for this article. I am just finishing up my first year of nursing and I am just now starting to feel like I can handle a lot of my job duties better. Don't get me wrong, there are days when I think to myself "How did I think this would be a good job for me?" But I put my all into it, try my best, ask for help when needed and tell myself the next day will be better. So far so good . Thanks again Ruby for sharing.

Just found your wonderful article today. I am a little over a year into my first nursing job & just switched to days about a month and a half ago. Still adjusting and definitely still learning! Thanks for sharing:)

I floated to our facility's locked psych unit yesterday and was hit in the face when trying to give care to a patient. First time being hit by a patient and I immediately stepped back and started crying in the hall. Felt teary-eyed most of the morning like a big wuss but staff was sympathetic. It wasn't that it hurt that much, it was more of the shock of it all. On top of that I have been having a rough week with some tough assignments on my own floor so the hit sent me over the edge with emotion. Trying so hard to have a thicker skin at work, but it's just not my nature yet. I'll just keep on keeping on.

I must be a glutton for punishment because I volunteered to pick up an extra shift this Friday the 13th - and I work nights.

I worked evenings as a unit secretary on the same unit I now work on as an RN.

"I feel like no one can really 'hear' me."

Yogurt, sliced apples with peanut butter and lots of water.

I agree RNperdiem. I'm a new-ish nurse (5 1/2 months) and I only get anxious once in a while, usually when I know census is low enough that I may be floated to a different unit. I had previously worked 3-11 in a different job and the days felt wasted. I was never home for dinner or afterschool stuff . 11-7 may not work for everyone, but I like tucking my kids in at night before my shift and being home to get them off to school. Also when they have school vacation or are home sick I'm there.

Very true HouTx. It's important to be aware of how work affects you and know that there is help available when you need it.

I work nights & we don't have a charge nurse. Nursing staff decide and we base it on either who has less patients or less acute patients. Or we mostly work together to get everything done, although one of us is the main nurse in charge of the admission.

I work on an acute care floor in a nursing home, but we do have a lot of hospice patients. I usually have the hospice assignment. As a new nurse it wasn't easy at first, but I consider it a great privilege and honor to take care of these patients (and their families) during their last days. On my days off I try not to let work get into my head. I enjoy the time with my family even more now and I go for some very long runs to get everything out.

I usually try to do that too, that way when I start to get sleepy between 3:30 and 4 am I don't feel bad that I didn't pull an all-nighter on my night off.

I have been an RN for 6 months, graduated at age 35. Happily married for 15 years (anniversary was this past week). Two kids - one in elementary school & one in middle school. I knew two girls who were pregnant in their last year of nursing school. Both had their babies during summer break before final semester. Tough for them (I don't know how they did it) but their timing was great.

I'm a new nurse and have been on nights since October. I love the shift, where I work & my coworkers but getting my sleep schedule worked out was and is hard sometimes. Defininitely need a dark room and quietness, along with a winding down routine when I come home. I have accepted the fact that sometimes my first day and night off after working a few nights in a row will be just sleep. Otherwise I do try to stay close to my night shift hours. This shift is not easy and not for everyone.

Some of the long term care floors in my facility have anywhere from 40-60 patients to one RN or LPN on nights. I was just floated over there this past week as part of my orientation ( my usual floor is Acute Care with up to 7 patients per RN) and it was a lot just to have half of the floor. I give anyone who does that day in and day out big time credit. The LPN who precepted me on that floor was AWESOME. She had been there for a few years and had her system down. She really did care for her patients and they all loved her. It is tough.

We orient on not just our unit, but a few days on the others. We get a month on our own on our "home unit" then we can float just like everyone else. Some people do need more time & the facility will give it if needed.

As a new nurse (5 months) I appreciate your sound advice. I also respect the fact that you realized this is not where you want to be or what you want to do. Best wishes in whatever you decide to do. I think you'll be amazing at it.

I have this posted on my fridge so I can look at it every day before work. So true .

I think they were unrealistic and didn't do their homework on what the job market is really like out there. To go back to school to get your nursing degree and think you can just get a job in the legal department of a hospital or become a medical writer is ridiculous. Those of us who went to school to get a standard floor nurse position had a hard enough time as it is. They are in for a rude awakening once they make it through their program (and good luck with that).