EmmieRN

No news yet. I called last week and was told that they hadn't pulled anyone from the wait list yet and could not say whether or not that would even be happening. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed and will definitely roll over my application if I don't make it in for Spring. I have my heart set on Duke so I haven't thought about other schools just yet. What about you?

I'm still on the waitlist. I called back when the decisions first came out and was told that they would make decisions about who would get a slot in 4-6 weeks, so that should be going on right now. I'm also wondering if anyone has heard anything.

I am waitlisted for the online FNP program for spring I hope I get in!

Okay, well let me clarify. I don't have a problem with free-text charting alone and everyone should know how to do it correctly since even the best systems end up having downtimes. My concern is that if I've already charted information in a flowsheet, I don't want to also reiterate the same info in a note that will become part of the chart. I'm happy to write this down important highlights with pen and paper in order to give communication to the next shift and give a nice thorough verbal report, but the double charting worries me.

Dudette, I find that our charting system allows for sufficient detail to describe the patient in detail. It also allows for addition of words that are not in a drop down list. (I should maybe add that all of our charting is computerized) Here is an example of what I'm talking about. This is what I might find in a note: "Alert and oriented. Medicated for pain twice. Heparin drip infusing. Dressing to abdomen clean, dry and intact. Bowel movement x1". My problem with this is...I've ALREADY charted all of this. If I use the wrong wording, but this is as much a part of the legal document as my head-to-toe flowsheet (which is not just a one-time flowsheet, it allows for documentation of any changes such as charting pain med effectiveness, bowel movements, dressing changes, and implementation of new orders, etc.), then does my head-to-toe flowsheet credibility come into question if it contradicts my note? Like if I have a blood sugar entered into the chart in real time, and then I write in the note that I gave d50, but accidentally cite the time as 5 minutes prior to the actual blood sugar check, for example. Not sure if this is a good example, but hopefully gives you a better idea of what I'm concerned about here.

It's literally opening up a word document and typing away. It's not necessarily a SOAP note or SBAR etc., it's just whatever you want to say. Like I said, communication is vital, but it makes me uncomfortable that my communication to the next shift is on paper and ends up in the patient's permanent chart. In addition to this, we do a hand-written note that is given to the next shift that essentially would be the same information. (And of course, we do a complete head-to-toe assessment on a flowsheet in the chart).

I have started a new job in a new hospital and of course there are differences in policies, but one that I'm particularly concerned about is free-text charting. In my previous job, we were instructed to keep free-text charting to a minimum as what you write can be taken the wrong way (in court). We generally would write notes, but they would be very vague and they were really intended to just chart that you did indeed do a rounding with the patient. In my new job, the nurses do a free-text note that is intended to give the oncoming shift a rundown of what has been going on with the patient in general, and specifically during your shift. I agree that communication is extremely important, but I feel uncomfortable ENTERING this communication into the patient's permanent chart. It seems to me that free texting about medications I gave, descriptions of wounds etc. is double charting since I've already carefully documented my assessment in the chart. Also, there doesn't seem to be a standard for this, everyone does it very differently and it's not even mandatory. A few nurses say they refuse to enter these notes because of the legal implications. Any thoughts on this? I'm a little confused and not sure what to think. Thanks!

I'm glad to hear that others have lived this schedule and survived! I'm particular about making sure I get enough sleep to avoid burning out, but I still want to be able to spend time with my husband and my young daughter. One one hand, I probably wouldn't sleep more than 8 hours in a 24-hour period anyway, so that's why the 3 shifts seems more appealing to me--fewer overnights and more full days off. But on the other hand, 8-hour shifts seems to offer some flexibility so that I can still have a life during my work week. (Either sleep in the a.m. to have dinner and the evening with my family or sleep say, after 3p.m. if I want to do something in the morning and afternoon). Like pp noted, the thing I don't like about 12's is that during the workweek, I'm either at work, in the shower, or asleep. I just hope I don't turn into a vampire and stay up alllll night ALL week long too!

I apologize that I'm reposting this thread, I think I posted it in the wrong place. Oops! I just moved from a different state and I am used to working 12-hour shifts. A hospital I applied to and have an interview with next week works on 8-hour shifts. The job is .9, so that's NINE 8-hour shifts in two weeks, and they are 11p.m. to 7:30 a.m. I'm a night shift nurse, but I'm worried that this is going to burn me out. (I was hoping for fewer shifts, but can't find anything else) Is this common, and are there any success stories or advice? There aren't a whole lot of jobs around here, so I'm sort of taking what I can get. The hospital is supposed to be wonderful and only a couple of miles from my house, so hopefully that will make up for the bad hours? Thanks for any thoughts you might have for me!

I would advise you to apply well in advance of your move to the different state. I just moved to California and applied for the temporary license, which should have taken 2 weeks. It took 7 weeks and it will be another month before my permanent license goes through. The hospital I applied to said they couldn't even CONSIDER me for a position until I already had the license in place, so that means that if you want to apply for jobs early, then you better have your license early too just in case. Good luck!

I just moved from a different state and I am used to working 12-hour shifts. A hospital I applied to and have an interview with next week works on 8-hour shifts. The job is .9, so that's NINE 8-hour shifts in two weeks, and they are 11p.m. to 7:30 a.m. I'm a night shift nurse, but I'm worried that this is going to burn me out. (I was hoping for fewer shifts, but can't find anything else) Is this common, and are there any success stories or advice? There aren't a whole lot of jobs around here, so I'm sort of taking what I can get. The hospital is supposed to be wonderful and only a couple of miles from my house, so hopefully that will make up for the bad hours? Thanks for any thoughts you might have for me!