P_RN

P_RN is my screen name. It's sort of complicated, but my first name is Pat and I am an RN. Ergo....

A pinch of sugar on the tongue not to be swallowed. It should stop the hiccoughs. Of course, when the kid tells Mommie she will accuse you of giving precious diabetes.

I once had a client in rehab who had a "lifetime long" foley catheter. It seems it was like a 30 or 32 HUGE one. Her mom changed it maybe 4x a year! Even though it had a large bulb, MOM would overinflate the bulb with about 30cc of air to keep it from pulling out. I'm happy I never had to be subjected to doing a removal on her.

I've been in both situations. Left my hospital job to go to day shift public health. I was an experienced RN but not in public health. I was given 1 day of watching aa film (I had to load the projector) 1 day to show I knew CPR. Then I was given peds shot clinics and WIC clinics. (Never worked peds before) Well I didnt' do something right and got called in and told to resign or get fired. OK I did. I didn't like them any more than they liked me. I went back to the hospital and stayed over 20 more years. THEN: I ruptured 2 discs and long story short they gave me FEMLA, and forgot about me after about 6 weeks. About year late someone from personnel called and said what was your last day.....I told them the date the FMLA ended and I thought all was OK. Money was getting tight and I went to the state to see about getting disability retirement...I filled the forms, got an estimate of what my income would be. It finally came to me that I was ending my career because I literally could do no NUrsing, I was nearing 60. Guess what. I was then DENIED and told I was FIRED. Long, long story short I had to sue the hospital, I had to apply for workers compensation (that too was a mess) . The hospital (what can I say.) Someone checked the wrong box or something. 3 years later Attorney fees alone were nearly 80k for that and 30 k for the Retirement disability. The hospital coughed up approximately a million-not for me-for their legals. You might just want to get an attorney's OPINION, they might just back off and let you keep the resignation.

I've been in both situations. Left my hospital job to go to day shift public health. I was an experienced RN but not in public health. I was given 1 day of watching aa film (I had to load the projector) 1 day to show I knew CPR. Then I was given peds shot clinics and WIC clinics. (Never worked peds before) Well I didnt' do something right and got called in and told to resign or get fired. OK I did. I didn't like them any more than they liked me. I went back to the hospital and stayed over 20 more years. THEN: I ruptured 2 discs and long story short they gave me FEMLA, and forgot about me after about 6 weeks. About year late someone from personnel called and said what was your last day.....I told them the date the FMLA ended and I thought all was OK. Money was getting tight and I went to the state to see about getting disability retirement...I filled the forms, got an estimate of what my income would be. It finally came to me that I was ending my career because I literally could do no NUrsing, I was nearing 60. Guess what. I was then DENIED and told I was FIRED. Long, long story short I had to sue the hospital, I had to apply for workers compensation (that too was a mess) . The hospital (what can I say.) Someone checked the wrong box or something. 3 years later Attorney fees alone were nearly 80k for that and 30 k for the Retirement disability. The hospital coughed up approximately a million-not for me-for their legals. You might just want to get an attorney's OPINION, they might just back off and let you keep the resignation.

I'm a terribly old ortho nurse, but I took the ONC in 1989, again in 93, again in 95 and again in 99. It cost me approximately $1000 each time. (Oh I passed every time with honors). I'm a good test taker but to me it was the hardest dang test I'd ever taken. Back then you had to drive to where it was offered it wasn't computer based. I admire anyone who gets that ONC, so congrats! What helped me most was remembering what the doctors discussed on their rounds. I did the book study but to me the one on one was irreplaceable.

I blame it on the 70s. When I left Nursing school in '65,to get married, have 2 kids...Caps were IN. When I returned to University to finish school (1973) skirts were up to yonder, no slips heck no bra required. Only had to buy one wash and wear uniform, instead of the 6 starch and iron ones from before... and the director actually said... if you want a cap go to XXXX uniform shop and pick out one you like. No school cap, no ribbon, just pick. So I got a catalog from Kay's Caps and picked one I liked (more to choose from). I put it in a display case with my pin, my original license and the ticket for my family to see me graduate in a sea of black gowns and mortarboards. No white dress,no cap.

I will be beating a dead horse here. The first thing *I* would do is contact my Malpractice Insurance Service. And yes, I said MY not the hospital's. Any facility that supports a system that allows what happened is not to be trusted to look out for the person compromised. That $99+ a year is well worth having as they have YOUR reputation/license et. al. to protect./

At your annual eval...do you have to sign it? I just put "I do not agree with this eval/line/comment and will not sign." I have always gotten the option of a revised paper without that comment. Just because someone hands you a paper to sign DOESN'T mean you must sign it.

I understand your embarrassment. But you missed a teaching moment. "Mr Jones, I see you need care/position change etc." Then quietly move him within sight for safety and snugly put a sheet over his lap. When you get back to the desk you probably will only have to give a look to each staff member. They know what they did was wrong, and they know what you did was right.

12 hr shifts handle the shift wars nicely. You get report from the person you will report to in the morning. I did "first rounds....I called them "eyeball rounds" you can do it walking to put your stuff away. Hi, I'm Pat, you are my patient tonight until 6:45 when I will be giving report to your next nurse. Say I have 15 patients (I know that's unreasonable)...So 15 patients, 15 eyeballs,15 patients still breathing, not on floor, not wandering in the lobby, 15 information exchanges-takes about 17-20 minutes. They can see who you are, they know you just got there (handbag, sweater whatever). they can see you haven't settled in. Believe it or not, this WORKS. I've been doing Nursing for 39 years and was a med tech for 7 years before that. Love, Pat, RN

I agree with Florence... your heart is with the child, but you have to go up the chain of command. Replacement *MAY* have info one the kid you don't have. My opinion is to let the RN/Replacement handle it.

A NP at my doctor's office would tell them they had some skin problem...for example an area near their buttocks, neck whatever and she would give them a "treatment kit" (wash cloth, large bottle of water, soap, shampoo). They also kept a free clothes closet from Goodwill, with easy stuff-T Shirt, boxers/panties and directions to the nearest shelter. She also had connections with a laundromat company to salvage what clothes they could and return them. She would also ask them if they had a problem with not feeling "fresh." No as far as YOU vs.the odor: Vicks vaporub just under your nares, oil of wintergreen with a 4x4 as a wick. Try not to open your mouth unless you are speaking...hand signals and inquiring facies can help not intake the nasty.

I just love these. Good wake-uo laugh.

The NCLEX is the same everywhere. The requirements for getting an active license are what varies. The BON where you live will be able to tell you what you need to do. I am in SC and the requirements go by the number of years out, the number of hours in that period of time that were met, Call the BON. The south Dakota re-up is a good idea if that's what your BON says you need in number of hours to re-up.