directcare4me

We have lived full-time for 4 years now in our motorhome, a 40ft diesel pusher with 2 slides. I love it; I don't do travel nursing (yet), but this is our first step toward doing so. I wanted to list a good forum for anyone interested in RV's that I have used a lot. It's motorhomemagazine.com, and it's free. Happy travels!

Thanks, TiffyRN, for the info. Appreciate it.

Thanks both of you, for your replies. TiffyRN, are you saying that JPS is a level 3/4, or just a 3? And about the neo's, (neonatologists)--do you know anything about them? Appreciate it guys.

Good morning. I posted this yesterday in the Texas forum, but have had no replies yet, so decided to cross-post it here. I'm interested in any info about the NICU at John Peter Smith hospital in Fort Worth; size, level, number and type of neo's, (easy to work with?), etc. Looking to possibly relocate to this area and am interested in the area NICU's. Thanks.

I also think it's funny. And some of it is true, which is why it's funny. And maybe I'm warped, but I don't see anything wrong with it, even the parts that I think are true. Made me laugh, and that helps me survive and keep going back. And that's the key, to keep going back. Back for another shift, back for more of the same. But going back again and again. This form of humor is ancient and is in every walk of life, every occupation. Sorry it offended you.

Agree with everybody else. Sounds like they are trying to get their bluff in on you. As previous poster said, unless you are formally on call- written down on the schedule, not just "told"--you are never obligated to your place of employment on your days off. Caller ID is your best friend; use it, and just do not speak with anyone from work on your days off.

We do all remember being the student. Many years ago I enjoyed working with students, more than I do these days. I guess, after 30 years, I am just tired. I try very hard not to be rude, and I don't think I am, I just don't seem to have the energy to explain everything I'm doing for the 20,000th time. I work at a large teaching hospital, so we have lots of students. Every day, all day; several schools at a time. I have had two students from different schools have the same patient from 7-3, and then two more on the same patient 2-8. My biggest frustration though is with the instructors, who leave the students with us and disappear. Never to be seen again. As if it is our responsibility, and ours alone, to teach these nurses-to-be. A long time ago, when I was a student, our instructor was present on the floor when we were, and all our questions, procedures, med-giving was done with her supervision. I don't remember using the staff at all. The students that I don't mind working with are those who genuinely want to learn and show interest in the patients. I do still get enthused explaining something to someone who genuinely wants to know, and isn't just using me to fill out her/his care plan. You students, you hang in there. Don't let tired nurses like me discourage you. It's not personal. Your focus is different from ours; we are trying to get a lot of work done in a short amount of time. Also, please remember, what you perceive as rudeness might be just a lack of enthusiasm on my part. Just show interest in the patient, ask specific questions, not just "tell me all about ....". Good luck to you.

I'm not sure I'm reading your post correctly, but if I am, I'm sure we are all in agreement with you. I don't think any of us are saying that we don't need to wash our hands, or that we don't wash our hands, or that we don't have time to wash our hands. It has sounded to me reading all these posts that we all DO wash our hands, and understand the importance of handwashing (which is why we do it). It sounds to me as if you have misunderstood most of our postings; we (I think) are saying that wearing a button like this is an insult because we do either wash or use the hand sanitizer; we are saying that it is usually other health care providers (physicians) who are less diligent about this. As well as family members, visitors, and the patients themselves. I do not use short-staffing as an excuse to not wash my hands and I don't imagine any of us do. I am pretty compulsive about it for my own sake, as well as patients' sake. If I misunderstood your post I apologize.

I imagine it did. Have y'all ever noticed that nurses and other health care team members who are actually providing hands-on patient care NEVER come up with these ideas. Hmmmmm..... So...do you think it's because we just aren't creative enough? Yeah, right.

I think we should wear buttons that say "ask me if I've had lunch today". Seriously, I wouldn't wear it either. It is demeaning, and implies everything that everyone else has said. Might as well ask me to wear one that says " ask me if I calculated this dose correctly", or "ask me if I know what I am doing".

I'm very glad to hear from you; glad you're OK. Also glad you evacuated, but sorry it was such a dreadful experience. It sounds like it actually was as bad as we were hearing on the news. It sounds to me like your head is on straight, that your priorities are in good order. Much good luck to you.

Hope you get some days off now. :)

Actually, I wasn't asking if your daughter was a nurse. I was just wondering, if she were a nurse, would you be OK with her staying behind during a mandatory evacuation in an empty hospital, just in case people who disregarded the mandatory orders needed medical attention? I guess what I was trying to ask in a clumsy fashion is, would you be comfortable with those you love staying behind, putting themselves in harm's way, for those people who are purposely putting themselves in harm's way by not evacuating? I also saw the physician interviewed who was at a hospital in Galveston, and you're correct, they still had a very few patients, and supposedly had all-volunteer staff who were staying. But I'm not sure that this hospital is the one that the OP works at; she didn't say she was in Galveston. So her hospital might be a different one. I am taking her comments at face value, that her hospital had NO patients. I guess that I think that we all have free choice, and if someone actively decides to ignore mandatory evacuation orders, they have the right to put themselves in danger. But I don't think they have the right to put me, or anyone else, in danger also. As to your question about police and firefighters evacuating, this would be a call for the officials to make, and if it were deemed prudent for their safety to all retreat to the closest safest area, then I have no problem with it, and would be relieved to know that they would be safe. That way, they would be available to come in afterwards ASAP, instead of possibly being injured themselves.

I respect your feelings on this, I really do. I can tell that you feel a strong moral obligation to be available to help others. You mentioned your daughter; if she were a nurse, and in this OP's position, would you feel this strongly about her obligation to stay? I know that I wouldn't want any of my family members to; and I should make clear, that I think there's a difference in staying when there's a real need, as in, there are still patients in the hospital, and in staying when there are no patients, and you are only putting yourself in harm's way for those who "might" need help, who didn't follow mandatory evacuation orders.

First I would like to say that you have a more noble and unselfish attitude than I do; just basing this reply on what the OP said in her post, that her statements are indeed the truth at her facility, I would not have stayed. Once our obligation to the patients in house was satisfied--moved them to safety--I would feel no obligation to those folks who decided to "ride it out". I don't believe I'm supposed to suffer the consequences of their foolish decision. I earnestly hope and pray that I never find myself in a situation that forces me to choose between putting my life at grave risk, and remaining "on the job". And for the record, I am a seasoned nurse of the baby boomer generation, in my mid-50's. I guess there is something wrong with me. I respect and honor sacrifice, especially those that our parents made in their generation. But not needlessly, for the "job".