Yiggs

Hi Patrick, congratulations on your soon to be converted e -book. Do you still own the rights to your book or you sold the rights to the company who is re packaging your book. I am also thinking of re-doing my book Heart Talk as an e-book. Did you have to pay this company any money up front for picking up the publication of your book? Yiggs

Congratulations! I too think you should stick to one shift as it's difficult for your body to regulate your sleep cycle when you are going from one shift to the other. I have worked both shifts at different times and I like each for different reasons. I liked night shift because it goes at much slower pace in terms of ADLS, catering to visitors and it definitely has less traffic - doctors, nurses, case managers, students etc. The downside was although I started nights as a new nurse, because there was less staff I found that I had to be mentally and clinically prepared at all times to take charge if someone called in or to act prudently in an emergency situation despite the little experience that I had. I preferred days because I was able to sleep in my bed at nights - I hate not being able to go to sleep at will because of obligations! The down side to working days was that I worked like "a Hebrew slave" as we say on my job. There are a lot of unnecessary demands made on you on day shift by Supervisors, Head Nurses, Doctors, visitors and patients alike. On the other hand when I started out on days I learned much more and was exposed to the various in-services and clinical rounds. Long and short of the story is that nothing beats a good night sleep! Good luck!

I felt real compassion for you after reading your post. Seems like you feel "lost" now that you are out of the nursing scene. The profession really grows on us and to a great extent defines who we are over the years. Nursing is like being in a marriage whether good or bad - you are always seen or referred to as Mr so and so wife. In the event of a divorce, whether you wanted it or not you experience untold grief and a sense of loss of identity in most cases. I worked on a Trauma Unit for years and was becoming so burnt out - I new it because I found myself hating the thought of going to work and being depressed the night before I go to to work, not only that but I was resenting the patients for no apparent reason. Subsequently, I transferred to Behavioral Health and love it. I have started making plans for what I want to do after I leave nursing or retire so I don't feel like I have sacrificed my years in a marriage only to be divorced after years of investing in it (I think this is exactly how it feels) although I have never been divorced or left my job abruptly or retire! If you are affiliated with a Church or a community club of some sorts, offer to do mini seminars or health education; or offer to plan a health fair ... anything that you can do to utilize your skill and experience while you do it. How about starting a Blog of some sorts utilizing your vast knowledge. If you go on line you will find step by step instructions plus everything else you'll need to start your project. All the best!

I have worked on all different units in the hospital at which I work. When I just started a couple years ago it was very common for patients to be restrained, including elderly confused patients. Patients are still being restrained but not as frequently and without discretion as before. JACHO has strict regulations concerning restraint of patients because I think in the past restraints has resulted in the death of patients - whether during or after restraints have been removed. In my hospital we have a specific order form to be completed by physicians and specific forms to be completed by the nurses when we have a patient in restraints.

`I am also for pressing charges! Most of these patients know exactly what they are doing and saying. It seems sometimes we present ourselves as " a sacrifice" for patients and act as if we are at their mercy. I think this talk about "the customer is always rights" and the advent of "patient advocates" who in trying to keep their jobs act as if every complaint from a patient is valid, encourage some patients to act out since they know the possibility of a consequence for their behavior is far fetched or unlikely. I always ask myself the question, 'why do customers in a post office or in a bank have to obey the rules and respect the staff, while the same customers we see in the post office and the banks disrespect and assault the staff when they are in the hospital - at the bank and the post office (there are expectations!) they are expected to stand in line no matter how short or how small the transaction they want to make ... stand in line even if they want to ask a question! They dare not behave in a threatening or unpredictable manner or the police will be called and they would be escorted out in style. Why then should nurses tolerate abuse and disrespect from patients - if we allow them to feel it's okay and that we have no recourse one of us might be fatally wounded leaving our family to suffer silently. I say press charges whether hospital policy or no policy! We definitely deserve to be respected, at least I do!

Why do you sound so disgruntled? I thought the whole thing was really heart warming and inspirational. It is true what's related in the post! Most of us Nurses do put our lives on hold and make sacrifices to ensure positive outcomes for our patients/clients minute by minute. It might sound frivolous because it is written in a poetic form but it is the reality for most of us. Whoever wrote it, echoes the sentiments of many of us hardworking, self sacrificing nurses. Encore:yeah:

Hi Tlancio, thank you for your insightful response. How long is the holistic course you mentioned, more than a year if one already has a Bachelors Degree and can one do this course on line? Yiggs

Cosmicmama, how long have you been practicing. How long was the course and was it very expensive. It's an area of interest for me. Do you find building a clientele easy. Yiggs

I feel very badly that this happened to you. The reality is, 'first impression is lasting.' I hardly think the job offer for which you were a no call, no show will reconsider you. As the other poster said, send a thank you card to the other job with a brief apology to the person who you interviewed with. They are quick to move to the next applicant because their are so many people competing for the position. Word of mouth might be your best bet; ask nurses who know how you work and know your work ethics when you were doing clinicals to put in a word for you if there are positions available in the facility. Good luck.

How do you feel about nurses discussing spirituality with patients who need emotional support, especially those who express feelings of hopelessness, helplessness and suicidal thoughts?

Good idea! I think your idea is more than feaseable because you have experience in almost all areas of the business. Also, your current job will be an asset. As you go to these places to do your job, look for areas that need improvement and look for shortcomings in their practices and policies; also, look for commonalities with "issues" that you identify in each facility and try to come up with ideas on how to fix these problems. I would also ask the owners/administrators if they had the opportunity to improve in one area, what area would it be. Again, look for commonalities in the answers and use that to your advantage. Good luck, keep us informed.

Congratulations on being so proactive and ambitious. I wrote a book a couple years ago titled, "Heart Talk." How To Express Negative Feelings in a Positive way. I had a press release in the daily paper with my picture and a narrative about the content of the book. You could also search on line for people/places that do free book reviews. To my surprise someone from New York sent me a copy of a review on my book done by a writer for a New York news paper. Don't know how that person heard about it; also a student nurse saw my name and asked me if I wrote a book, I said yes and she said her instructor was quoting in class from it! (that was very flattering for me.) I had my book in several Hallmark stores and one local bookstore. I haven't done a reprint on it and I am planning to republish as an e-book soon. What is your book about? How you market it will depend on your target audience and where they are located. If you offer more information on content I might have suggestions (unless you did so in a previous post). All the best and keep us informed.

It is unfortunate that this is the reality in most long term care facilities. The unfortunate thing is that the people who get the brunt of the neglect are the residents who happen to be someone's mother, father, sister, brother, child etc. None of the residents I am sure, asked to be in the position they are in. I am proud that you saw the need to assist the aide ensuring the clients were well cared for. Who can tell if one of us or one of our family member won't end up in a facility like this one in the future. Like Dave said, keep on doing what you are doing. The Bible teaches us to do unto others what we would want others to do for us. I hope you made a note of all the things you encountered that were courting medical errors like residents with no "name band." That is what the supervisor needs to concern herself with - using her energy and initiative to make rounds, checking to ensure client safety and that her staff has the support they need. From personal experience, most supervisors who avoid staff and stuff like this actually feels inadequate and are afraid they'll be asked questions they have no answer to, or they may be asked to help with a procedure that they have no clue about. Miss Tang, you did the right thang. As long as you are not neglecting your duties at the expense of helping someone else - keep up the good works. Many of us would love to work with you!

How would you deal with peers/coworkers who talk down to patients and are obviously rude and disrespectful to them?

Couldn't you work week-ends only or work two days a week and have someone watch your kid(s). I feel your pain! The last thing you want is to loose your skills - make sure you keep renewing your liscence and your BLS/ACLS. Also, try to read nursing journals etc. Have you considered doing Home Health nursing as the other poster suggests? All the best ... your kids will eventually get older and you will be able to return to your first love - ICU nursing:D