seashells2011

MAYGABUCKS, thanks for info! I will be in that same program January 2014! I am so happy to hear the program was successful for you. I am very excited, can't wait to start.

Hello All, I am currently an RN with ADN and working in LTC/Post acute care. I am very unhappy doing this type of nursing. Although I enjoy the residents and love giving care, this type of nursing really scares me as far as the charting and the overwhelming amount of work! I have decided to enter into the perioperative nursing program at my alma mater which has a very good reputation. I am very excited to start the program which begins in January 2014 and lasts for one semester with a clinical rotation at one of our local hospitals. I just want some advice as to what to expect and if this program is worth the money (3,000 +). I really want to specialize in perioperative nursing and this is the only way I can see going in order to realize my goal. Thank you so much for any advice you can offer!

KJV, pg 612, Matthew 28: 18-20: "And Jesus came unto them and spoke saying, " all power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore into all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. I have always loved, cherished and tried to uphold this commandment. I have always found great comfort in this passage. I am very happy to share this with those of you who appreciate it! Happy New Year and good wishes to all! Tina

Everyone has given such great support and advice here. I am also a very new nurse (4 months in) working in very busy med surg post acute care facility. I am still feeling so overwhelmed and stressed to the max! We are assigned 10-12 patients in a shift. It's horrible in my opinion! Paperwork is all-consuming! Again, great advice and support...love ALLNURSES! Good luck OP!

At my facility it depends on the nurse who is coming on duty. Most experienced professional CNAs sit in with the nurses as they give report to one another. Other nurses prefer a one on one report with the CNA. Personally, I prefer if the CNA participates in the report from nurse to nurse. Where I work, the CNAs are irreplacable, intelligent, dedicated and more caring than some of the nurses (with exception of course).

I have an ASN and it was fairly easy to secure a job in post acute rehab/LTC. However, I planned ahead and started working for the company as a CNA while I was in my last year of school. They hired me the minute I passed the NCLEX. I do not think it would have been that easy if I was not already an employee in good standing at my present place of employment. I am in eastern PA where the nursing jobs are scarce right now. The majority of hospitals in my area will only hire those with BSN. I do plan to continue with education, however, I am secure with employment right now and want to take a bit of a break from school!!!

I was a floral designer for 15 years and owned my own business for seven of those years while being a full time mom. I started nursing school at 39 and became an RN at 43. While in school I worked as a nanny for a little over a year and as a personal assistant to cognitively challenged individuals for a year and half. Mom first always!!!

Thank you everyone for your responses. All this information has helped me to understand how UTIs affect older adults. The majority are also women which makes sense because of anatomy. I just wasn't understanding the CMS and now I do. Thank you so much! Also I did not realize that older adults are considered immunocompromised... Thank you to those of you who supplied the links...very helpful and educational!

Hi everyone, "newby nurse" just have a quick question. After being a nurse for 4 months now at LTC, I have noticed that patients who are exhibiting "changes in mental status" almost always test positive for UTIs. My question is why does this happen to older patients? They become confused and some even hallucinate. What is the chemistry behind this? Why does this particular infection affect older patients in this way? Thank you in advance for any information you can provide!

Just wanted to chime in...have been caring for a patient now for over a year. Patient has been growing increasingly aggressive and violent as the months pass by. She kicks, punches, bites, spits and curses terribly (according to her I'm a g-damn whore). This, after I've taken care of her so lovingly and tried to nurture her soul. Just have to laugh it off...or I will cry! Anyway, MD has her on depakote, clonapin, and a whole host of other tranquilizing drugs. However, she continues to become more filled with energy and anger. Leslie, thank you for introducing the fact that maybe this person has some unresolved issues...she is 93 yrs old with one daughter who "hides her away" from the rest of her family. Until recently we just found out that she has two other children whom we have never met or heard from. This patient has been at our facility for more than five years. I wonder if there is something missing in the puzzle that is her life and keeping her here beyond even her own wishes...unfortunately, she is suffering with late stage dementia so it is difficult to hold a meaningful conversation with her. Thank you for the insight! Happy holiday season! Tina

Leaving notes for other nurses correcting them can easily be misconstrued as condescending. I suggest that you respectfully speak to coworkers directly when you have issues. If the coworker continues to do things "incorrectly" then you should follow the chain of command until proceedures are done correctly. Sometimes new nurses just receive poor training at the hands of bad management.

I love wound care, and spending time getting to know my patients (their concerns and feelings, their health history), and assessments.

I was just diagnosed with RA back in May (crp and sed rate to confirm). It is a genetic autoimmune disease that can affect not only the joints (mainly toes, knees, hips, hands, wrists, shoulders, and neck), but the major organs as well (heart, lungs). It also causes extreme fatigue. It is treated with anti-inflammatory drugs and immunosuppressants. This is to help slow the irreversable damage done to the joints. So far, I am only exhibiting symptoms such as fatigue, daily joint pain. I once took care of a patient who had severe RA and had to have numerous surgeries to fuse bones in her ankles and her hands had become extremely distorted to the point that she really had no use of her extremities. It was frightening. I am actually really concerned because I am only 43 yrs. old. I have not been to RA doc, but my appt is on Monday, 10/31. I'll keep you posted. P.S. My mother has it, but she was not diagnosed until 5 yrs. ago (60 yrs. old). Hope this helps to answer your question.

I am a new nurse (2 months) and work at a post acute/rehab facility. My husband and I thought that the 3pm to 11pm would work out best for us since he leaves for work at 6am and is usually home btw 3:30-4pm (just in time for the kids when they get home from school. As a new nurse, I have found that this is one of the best shifts to work if you want to learn a lot and gain experience with clinical and administrative duties. On a personal note, it is EXTREMELY exhausting. I don't fall asleep until at least 2-3am and have to get up at 7am to get my kids off to school and then trying to get some more rest before I have to leave at 2:15pm to go back to work...and forget about intimacy with your husband...doesn't exist anymore!!! Nothing gets done around the house either because I'm either too tired or don't have the time! I would not recommend 11pm-7am because you will never learn anything. Most patients are asleep all night, no dressing changes to do. You'll basically do 1, maybe 2 med passes and VS. You may have the occassional "chest pain, need to send out to hospital." This leaves the 7am-3pm shift which you will be able to learn clinical techniques as well as medications, physical therapy, dressing changes, foley cath insertions/care, speak to MDs, have contact with family members and provide education to your patients. It will be overwhelming at first, but after several months you will be more comfortable. Bottom line, after weighing the pros/cons, 7am-3pm shift is probably best if you have children/husband and want to learn. I just put my name on the waiting list for this shift! Good luck to you! Tina

I understand exactly what you are feeling. I am 2 months into my first nursing job. I've made a medication error, thank goodness it was slight and my patient did not get hurt, but I cried so hard I thought my head would explode!! It is the most stressful thing I have ever done and I, too have thought that I might not be cut out for nursing. Hope this makes you laugh: my husband told me that I have been talking in my sleep about giving mrs. so&so her meds, but the best is the other night he said he woke up and I was rubbing his butt (he thought he was going to get lucky) and with my eyes wide open and looking directly at him I said, "do you want me to change your dressing now?" Surely this is disturbing on so many levels!!! My advise to you is to not give up, be gentle with yourself because you are learning, try to find humor in your days and when you're not sure about something, ASK AN EXPERIENCED NURSE!! Slow down and breathe deeply. My DON told me the other day that she did not feel completely sure of her abilities for at least 10 YEARS!! You're not alone and I will be thinking of you and pushing good thoughts your way!! Good Luck!