tweetieRN

I've been in critical care for many years - recently went PRN and oriented to our 8 bed psych unit so that I can pick up shifts there. I'm ordering a book course to have some background with the terms and conditions. Here's my question - does any un...

As long as I've been in nursing there has been a push to elevate and promote us to the 'professional level'. Some have suggested that this would be done by obtaining a bachelors degree and some by pursuing advanced certifications. None of which I h...

Our hospital is union. Recently admin decided that they were going to require everyone to pick up an extra shift per pay period. The union stepped in and told them uh-uh, no way.

Our hospital is union. I belong, but don't really do much with it. You don't hear much from them most of the time, but recently an issue came up. Staffing is poor as it is in many places, so admin decided they were going to institute a policy that...

All I have to say is - when I was a new grad, I had my behind saved by an LPN on more than one occasion.

Hi bunky - one of the areas of dissatisfaction on a recent survey was the IV stick. They hurt! Well, duh. No kidding.

depends on their level of experience, and their level of common sense. Just because a person has an 'MD' after their name doesn't make them knowledgebly better.

In our ICU, we take turns - charge nurse technically is supposed to take less critical patients, assign new patients, assist others if possible, and give general end of shift report. Doesn't always work that way, but everyone up there works pretty w...

I think its mostly the pay they get for what they do, plus the lack of respect in many places. I think they should be paid a lot more, then maybe you could attract the kind of people who you could depend on. To be honest, there are many times I'd rat...

In how many other professions could you find a person with a dead body on one side and a pile of poop on the other, enjoying a meal. It could be the only time all noc that they'll find time to eat.

I'm an RN and I agree that everyone should get the same. Don't know about LPN's, but I think CNA's on the whole are grossly underpaid.

That might not be a bad idea, but keep your peds certifications up to date or obtain new ones such as PALS. Med surg, if you've never done it, can be an excellent way to obtain general skills, organizational abilities. Or, do these hospitals have f...

MICH - don't know how to advise you. Med-surg is the foundation of nursing. You may be happier in an ICU or ER setting, but I feel that some general bedside nursing experience is essential to help build skills, confidence, organizational skills. Do...

I don't believe our hospital has a policy about fingernails - I personally dislike having my nails grow long because of the chance of getting gunk under them, and also I always worry that I'll gouge the skin of some of our elderly patients as we turn...

Occasionally, I've wanted to go in with a restaurant order pad and say"May I take your order, please."

I feel differently about this than a lot of people. I don't feel that just because a person is a hospital employee that they have a need to know anything, unless they're directly involved in that patients care. I guard my charts from curiosity seek...

Jimbob - I spent 10years in acute and ICU care. Oriented to psych after going PRN cause I wanted to do something entirely different. Yes - psych nursing should be considered a specialty! All my other nursing skills matter very little is that setti...

My feeling is that the more the regular staff covers for shortages, the less likely management will be to hire float or PRN nurses. Sometimes crap happens, maybe a last minute family emergency, etc., and I don't have a problem with that. But to exp...

Sorry, but I don't feel that there should be a pay difference for doing the same job. I also question the quality of the extra education. At least in our area, it takes 3 yrs, all three semesters, with heavy focus on health related subjects and cli...

I replyed in this vein in the 'whats the fuss about customer service'. Our hospital has open visiting and has recently installed futons in all rooms - even ICU. I understand what all of you are saying, and when management doesn't care, it makes it ...

I've always felt that 'customer service' is a part of my job, and I don't think any class can teach what's really important. If an employee doesn't practice this, then I think its a matter between that person and management. Our institution has rec...

We were promised a care technician a long time ago on the nite shift, but haven't seen one yet. If I didn't have to spend so much time cleaning up bottoms and giving baths, maybe I could spend some time thinking about the condition that brings them ...

With the increase in silly paperwork in the last 10 years, I frequently don't feel we have time to give the best care. Our ICU beds have increased, but not the staff. It seems like a lot of the time management only cares about the head count and no...

The funniest ER story I ever heard came from a friend. On a slow nite this older gentleman came in - he was kind of fidgeting around. His story was "My hemmorhoids were acting up, and I was out of Preparation H. Didn't know what to do until I saw ...

We don't bet for money, but we've had bets on ABG's, hgb, anything else that may have been pertinent.