xokelly2

Hi friends! I have been a floor nurse for the past three years on a telemetry unit and have been doing charge nurse for the past 5 months one night a week. I really do enjoy doing it and believe that I am capable but I am have an issue adjusting. When I wasn't charge I prided myself on always having a positive attitude and going with the flow....and long story short I felt like I was received better by my peers. Now as charge nurse I feel like all I ever am is the bearer of bad news (Admits, needing to work a mandatory overtime, bugets) I do try my hardest to do whats right for the floor nurses and the unit at the same time. Granted I'm not perfect and my decisions sometimes reflect my novice status, but I always have a significant rationale backing up my decisions. The accusations (not outwardly but insinuated) of playing favorites, purposefully making bad assignments, etc... gets me pretty down. Any advice on how to adjust to a "management" like role where you there's no avoiding being the bad guy? I love the challenge and experiences as charge but as petty as it sounds, I guess I'm really having a hard time not having my co-workers like me as much as they use to. I'm really nervous for when peer eval. time comes around. My fiance says it's just a learning curve that I will outgrow but it gets me down everytime. Thanks so much for any words of wisdom!

I agree with the pp. I'm still no IV expert but the only way I felt comfortable doing them was to volunteer to try everyone (within reason) Practice is the only thing that will make pefect.

My hospital gets around calling it overtime because it isn't added to the end of our scheduled shift...(way to get around the law passed in IL several years ago) But...every month we are scheduled an 8 hour shift in addition to our FT hours (that is overtime) if staffing is short, we work if they don't need us then we stay at home. Downside is they can call anytime overnight 11pm-7am (im a night shifter) to have us come in based on admissions. This is one of the few things I hate about my hospital...oh well we also have voluntary OT as well.......

...I really appriciate your closing statement!!!! So funny! Made me laugh while trying to stay awake at 5am......... thanks

We use ultrafiltration at my hospital but not very often. Forget about peripheral access, beeps way too much. In fact it beeps a lot when hooked up to a central line as well. All the ultrafiltration central line caths are inserted at the bedside and I have seen one too many get infected. Does an excellent job of fluid removal but can be cumbersome, and it's one o those things you dread having a pt with. The set-up is a PIA too. I'm no expert and don't see it very often but My limited experience has not given me a good opinion. Needs a little bit more tweaking. p.s. also very expensive..........

you should do fine. 90% of the stuff I know and use on a daily basis I learned here on the unit during preceptorship and while having been on my own for a year now . Nursing school tidbits help every now and then but I think you should be fine, a year isn't that long...goodluck!

Sorry if this question was already discussed I tried to do a search but came up with nothing. Pt started on a new med, lisinopril. I printed up some new med teaching info and noticed no advil, aleve, ibuprofen under the instructions. I looked into and only came up with contraindicated because of "increased risk for cardiac incident". How exactly do you explain this to pt?? I know I've seen a tylenol commercial mentioning this. Does anyone have any info or know where I can research more on this to better explain to pts? Is it even a significant enough risk to avoid altogether, or at a doctors discretion? Thanks. xokell

....Lovebeagles, please understand my dogs are my babies. I would never want to give them up, let alone consider beagle rescues. On my days off we spend four hours a day at the dog park, they are far from neglected and I would rather quit work then think I was doing so. I am possibly thinking maybe a dog walker or such to at least not have them be alone for more then 8 hours at a time. I don't know it is just a preliminary concern before I do anything drastic. Thanks for the advice everyone! xoxokell

I really need some advice. I have two dogs (beagles) and I wonder if anyone else has dogs and works 12 hour shifts. I do the night shift, right now the dogs stay with my boyfriend but if that were to no longer be an option ~ I would feel cruel leaving them alone from 630 when I leave at night until 815 when I came home 3 days a week. Does anyone else have this dilemma and find a way to work it out. Normally if I was at home they sleep from 9pm until 7am. They have free rein of my finished basement, but occasionally are crated for short amounts of time. I would just feel so guilty. I don't have family close by to really help. Is it possible to have my dogs and still work12 hour shifts. Thanks for any advice.

...patients who complain about everything under the sun to the nurse, then as soon as the doctor walks in the room they have nothing to say... ...the pt's who talk about everything under the sun, and don't get the hint when you start inching towards the door... (thank heavens for spectra links and coworkers who understand there are times you really need to be called away for "something important".) ....when pt's are admitted and have a thousand visitors who all ask a million questions when the patient is in the hospital for non-compliance with medication. HEEELLLOOO if you're so concerned, make sure they get what they should be taking at home in the first place!!!...

Just wanted to share a quick related story....I'm rounding out my first year in nursing and there was one nurse in particular who (20+ years experience) gave all the new grads a hard time. She'd roll her eyes during report and thorw her arms in the air with fusteration if you didn't know something, refer to doctors by their first names then snicker when you had no idea who she was talking about, complain at meetings that the new people "don't know anything"...etc... I definatly don't act like a know it all and I really tried my best. I think those kind of people youre referring to just have ugly personalities to begin with which just in combination with having lots of experience, gives such impression......

My hospital had things planned all week...... a majority of which got canned when JACHO showed up...... What a way to ruin the celebration!!!!

I sleep normal hours on my days off, go to bed around 8pm though. If I work one night then work the following I take 2 benedryl and sleep from about 9am-4pm. If I have the next night off I come home and nap for an hour or two then go to sleep normally around 9 or 10 that night......goodluck!!! It isn't so bad! I always considered myself a morning person but almost a year into night and I love it. I actually had to wake up at 530 am for jury duty one morning and I just about died having to get up!!! Normally I wake up early anyways..about 7 or so, but just going through the motions....I cant imagine myself doing days.....

What happens when a DNI status pt gets intubated? I know they don't just pull it out but does anyone have experience with the ramifications after the fact?? Thanks

I know at my work, all RN's fill in as PCT's because we are super short on PCT's. As long as they pay me my RN salary which is almost three times that of a new PCT, then I am more than willing to help out and it is kind of a nice reprieve. I don't know if my place of employment would act as harshly as yours did if an employee refused, but I'm sorry this happened to you. Maybe you could sit down with them and discuss what happened. As for threatening you about sending you to the philipines, on what ground???? Goodluck!

I gave them a copy of chicken soup for the nurses soul and wrote a cute note in the front cover, with the date and what not, I included a gift receipt because I figured that to be a common gift for a nurse, but I see now that it probably wasn't so smart with the inscription I included in the cover.......hehe...... I do know Costco sells 2 dozen long stem roses for 12.99 (do you have one of those stores by you?) that come beautifully and are cheap!!! Congratulations on youre graduation!!!!!

Welcome..... I sent you a private message..... Goodluck!

Great, what an exciting feeling......How did the administration go? What was your time frame, did you have to call Dr. before or was it protocol/standing order? Good for you!!!!

Wow, such an interesting topic, and so many point of views! I love it! Had I been in this situation, I probably would have just made a comment to the staff member right when she said that, what kind of comment I don't know..... I wonder what would have provoked her to refer to herself this way... Did she know you were one? A lot of people who aren't in the medical field or familiar with it aren't even sure of the differences between a nurse/rn/lpn...etc... So I wonder what her motivation was to be so specific. Thats probably what I would have asked just from curiosity. I understand the seriousness of the professional/legal aspect but hey on a lighter note maybe she was just trying to impress you or relate to you. Imitation is the highest form of flattery. She should feel proud of her title whatever it may be. Animal nurse, I would have been cool with but yeah OP you're not alone in feeling a little stange about this........

I too tried to stay awake the night before my first night shift, and then sleep the whole day and it didn't work.(I still have trouble sleeping during the day. By the way, thanks for the tips all you night shifters!!) I recommend sleeping regular the night before then try to nap during the day. Thats what works best for me. That first night it was a little struggle but it really hasn't been as bad as I envisioned. Straight out of nursing school, my body was use to feeling exhausted. Goodluck!!!!! kell

Oh man....my flu shot hurt for a week, and I felt run down and kinda sick for a few days too, I remember this is why I refused the flu vac in the past and why i'll do it again next year! I am a big baby though. I received the Hep b Vacs about 10 years ago, then attempted to get a new set done and quit after the 1st shot and signed the refusal waiver. It got really sore and swollen as well. I was woozy trying to drive home. Yuck.....

I've been doing 7pm to 7am for about three months now, I have no trouble staying awake, I have a horrible time trying to sleep during the day. If i work three nights in a row forget it.....I'm exhausted. I have a pitch black bedroom and a nice quiet house, any tips on making this transition easier. I love the night shift regardless, work and people are great! I think part of the reason I have trouble is because I almost try too hard to fall asleep! Oh boy, I think you'll be okay especially for only one 8 hour noc shift. when I'm not super busy I usually talk to someone around to keep me awake. Goodluck!!

Hello, isn't ECC a little far of drive from rockford? anywho I was in district at ECC but the wait list was too long and I didnt want to wait so I commuted to chicago. i imagine the clinicals are similar to every other ADN program time wise. I know a few people who went there. Good luck, Kell

Thank you so much for that RN/Writer! It really made me feel better and so very true.... Thanks!!!! xokell

THANK YOU!! I am so happy to see someone recently started this thread because thus far in my nursing career it has been my #1 concern! I have been interning for three months as a new grad (7 months since grad.) and just recently started the night shift on my own. I've begun leaving every morning feeling like I there were things I had forgotten in my charting, lab values I had forgotten to look up, etc... I keep second guessing myself and stressing about stuff all day. So needless to say, I try my darn hardest to do as good of a job as I can. Lately what has been playing into my insecurities has been giving change of shift report in the am to a few select nurses. Now granted there are the few who ask a million questions and keep me there an hour.Thats fine, I have no problem saying I don't know, but i'd be happy to look it up! But... What bothers me are the snide remarks, exasperated sighs, and rolling of the eyes. I have tons of respect for RN's on my unit who have 20, 30+ years experience,(I know, any amount of experience can lead to this, but just in my personal case....) but at the same time, it sucks being obviously/blantantly looked down upon because I do not have the same logocal thinking they do. They questiong my critical thinking/rationale/interventions of everything, nit pick my charting, get upset when I don't have time to start discharge paperwork, etc... It really brings me down, it adds to my fustration and I drive home in tears. I wish there were some kind way to let them know I just feel feel really beat up, there is no intentional slacking involved. I do try my hardest. and I don't think some of them realize how much it can affect someone. (i.e: me) I offer to stay late and finish d/c paperwork, check off with consults, call dr's etc..... that makes them sigh even harder. I understand from thier point of view it has to be very fusterating.... but I feel stupid apologizing. I love the work, love the pts, and the staff.... but this is really getting to me, I also do not want to complain to anyone, because I think it is just personal quirks and, I hope nothing intentional. I even rationalize to myself that they must be having a rough day, but I still feel like total crap..... Thanks for letting me vent......any advice on how to tactfully let them know I am waving my white flag, and please no more beration????