NewWestNurse

I'd say no, and that's only because if I didn't make opportunities for my clothes, they'd never come outta the closet! Us nurses just don't get to dress up enough. My office working friends curse business casual - I think of it as a treat!

Can I take this thread a step further and bring up the ever peeve-y/somewhat grammar related topic of telephone manners? I think it requires a thread all its own. *would like fellow posters to note her grammatically correct use of its*

I think the know-it-all mentality is a scary, scary thing. I find that a lot of nit pickers out there focus on small details because they do not have the capacity to think critically or deal with complex work situations. It is easy to snark about messy handwriting or not checking the glucometer machine to make yourself look good, isn't it? It almost seems as though these offending nurses are battling with their own incompetence and, as a means of not being "found out," they attack others. Classic bully playground tactics really. Ya know - make fun of others before somebody can make fun of you! Yet I find these same nurses often miss the REAL issues like a patient with a developing PE or compartment syndrome. And for the record, these wiley nurses come in all shapes and sizes, all ages.

I think the know-it-all mentality is a scary, scary thing. I find that a lot of nit pickers out there focus on small details because they do not have the capacity to think critically or deal with complex work situations. It is easy to snark about messy handwriting or not checking the glucometer machine to make yourself look good, isn't it? It almost seems as though these offending nurses are battling with their own incompetence and, as a means of not being "found out," they attack others. Classic bully playground tactics really. Ya know - make fun of others before somebody can make fun of you! Yet I find these same nurses often miss the REAL issues like a patient with a developing PE or compartment syndrome. And for the record, these wiley nurses come in all shapes and sizes, all ages.

Thanks. I knew there had to be more technical way than just "squishing it around" a bit.

I am stressing. I had a patient today who was pre-op for a D+C. While she was in my care, she passed a 6cm x 8cm, dark red, gelatinous mass while trying to void. Assuming it was a clot, I immediately called the surgeon to ask her if she wanted me to send it to the lab. The surgeon asked me if it looked like a clot or a fibroid. I said, "It is gelatinous like a clot. What do you think?" She told me that it probably was nothing to worry about. So I disposed of it in the garbage and documented the incident. Then... I get a call tonight from the night nurse. She asked me how I disposed of the "matter" because the surgeon would like to know. Obviously it was a fibroid? I guess I did the right thing by obviously calling and documenting... but I made the wrong choice and I am thinking about it even though there is nothing I can do now?! Ahh! I guess I should have known the difference more clearly. Now I just feel stupid.

Worked with a nurse who administered 5 times as much Codeine syrup as ordered to a patient... she thought it was a 1:1 ratio when it was really 5:1. The patient expired. The 5 R's are there for a reason people! 5th = right reason. :)

LOL! Gotta remember that one.

My grandmother passed two years ago and I experienced the hospital as a nursing student... I have to admit I was "appalled" as well. I think we have to admit to ourselves, however, that as nurses we can be very "particular." And who here can say that they haven't kept a patient up in a chair despite a family's request to put them to bed? It is definitely a tough situation. Thanks for sharing.

Hi all! I just posted in the meet and greet forum, but thought I would pop in here as well. I am new to the Lower Mainland (grew up on the Island, went to school at UNBC, nursed there in PG for a year, now back here). Started working at RCH in Feb. and am eager to hook up with fellow nurses in the Lower Mainland area. It is hard to break in when you are a new face (and a float nurse - ick). I know there are cool chiquitas out there just like me craving nursing interaction. Brenna :)