SweetsRN522

I originally took ACLS without telemetry and I understand it well, unfortunately I am not seeing it alot on my current floor. I am working on recertification for my ACLS and then getting PALS with hope that I will be able to get into the ER by the end of the year. I have a telemetry class I am working on as well. I think having the experience helps to keep the ACLS information current. I am hopeful I will pass but I haven't studied as much as I should have.

I can sympathize with you there. I often feel like my passion is being sucked out of me working on a MS unit. I too was not a fan of MS when I was in school and because of the economy I was thrilled to get a job and I appreciate having the opportunity I have been given, but I too am looking for a change with little to no help from HR at the moment. It is my co workers, the appreciative patients and the respect I get from management that keeps me going. Keep your head up and know that there will be challenges ahead and when the time is right the right job will come along. I have to keep telling myself that and change my attitude, because if not I will continue to make myself miserable in the job I am doing. Good luck!

Any advice for a MS nurse with 2 years experience, ACLS and currently taking a Telemetry course. My applications never make it to the manager because they require ER or ICU experience, even at the hospital when I apply internally? Any suggestions? I have gone to HR and they tell me to obtain telemetry experience, but other nurses with the same experience in some cases less are able to obtain jobs in ICU and ER. Any advice would be beneficial. I plan on obtaining my FNP and working in an ER someday! :)

When you become a new nurse out of school on your first job it is easy to be shocked when the glamorous job nursing is made out to be in schools is brought to light. We all assume we will work 12 hour shifts (most want days), we will work on our dream unit and will be able to provide the high quality care that nursing school teaches us to provide. The sad truth is that working in a hospital is similar to working in any environment. You will always have individuals who will cause drama and unfortunately in nursing, we are primarily female populated so the estrogen levels are higher. There will always be individuals who will go to work for the paycheck and forget about what it takes to be a nurse, it makes the individuals who care frustrated, but you cannot forget why you became a nurse regardless of how those individuals act. Depending on what shift you work, sometimes you have to make yourself more available to your boss. I would email my former boss(recently units split and we have a new boss), routinely stop in her office and also talk with other new graduate nurses in our new grad program about my frustrations and wins. I have been working as a MS nurse for 2 years and the feelings you are stating are similar to the ones I felt. I felt overwhelmed, unsatisfied with how much time I had to provide quality care, and guilty that I didn't have the time for my patients as making a difference in the lives of those I serve was a big reason why I became a nurse. I think overtime what helped me is seeing the differences and hearing the thank yous and appreciation from the families I did serve. Getting recognized for the good I did made me realize I can make a difference, even if it is not with every patient I take care of. I know someday will be better than others and I remind myself that I have to focus on the good while I am there and good things come to those that wait. I have higher aspirations and hope to obtain a position in the ER or ICU some day as I would love to pursue advanced practice nursing in the future.Medical Surgical nursing is one of the hardest floors to start out as a new graduate because of all the skills, time management, and patient load you have. Sure it is not as intense and challenging as an ICU or ER, but it is an area that definitely weighs on the individuals, that is one reason that attributes to high burn out rates among MS nurses. I would suggest to stay on your unit for a year possible 2 if you can make it. Many other RN jobs, depending where you live require at least a year, many state 2 years. Keep working and doing the best you can. Remember why you became a nurse and know that the feelings you feel now will pass. Are their other individuals that you can turn to for support? If so try to talk to them and find out what they do to manage. As mentioned before I struggle with an dreams of becoming an ER or ICU nurse and having to live with constant rejections because of lack of experience in the areas, but it is the patients who remind me it is not where you perform nursing, it is how you perform nursing.

Thanks everyone for your helpful tips! Most of the jobs I have had in my life I have worked afternoons. The schedule is nice, however I was never seeing my husband and it was tough. I am considering going back to 12 hour days when position becomes avaliable or just working on getting these things in place. I know one thing is I need better blinds to block out the sun. I agree I do not think all people can adjust to this type of schedule. I worked Friday into Sat and it has taken me until this morning to feel better. After sleeping for 8 hours on Sat then staying up to 7 am on Sun and sleeping until 6pm on Sun and going back to sleep at 1 am until 8. I am all messed up. In all fairness I am currently sick so that is playing a role on my health too. I just went to the doctor Saturday and finally I am starting to feel better again!(well as good as I am going to be working at night lol).

I hear ya!! :hug: I am in the same boat as you. I graduated in May 2010, obtained my first position on a medical surgical unit (no telemetry) :uhoh21: and I too have applied at over 100 positions both internally and externally. I have interviewed for 5 positions and nothing has panned out either. I am currently completing my MSN in nursing education and once I complete that I am scheduled to start the FNP certification program in April. I agree with the above posters that bedside nursing does not allow enough autonomy and respect. I too often feel as disrespected as I did when I was a CNA. What keeps me going each day is my awesome co-workers and the impact I leave on patients (even if it is just a few at a time). We all are in the same boat and on NOC's like I work now, we support each other. When I worked on days we were always running around having a million things to do so, it was hard at times to get help when you needed it. Do you have any ideas of what kind of nursing you would like to work in? If so I would work toward getting certifications in in certain areas to increase the likelyhood that you will be selected for another job. Also going back to school also allows you more autonomy. There are several jobs out there for nursing in several different areas. Hospital nursing is a starting point, but it is not always for everyone. I am currently trying to obtain a position in the ER and without ER experience, ICU, or Tele. I have been having a difficult time, despite being ACLS certified and almost having my Masters. I always say that when the right time comes, you will find your passion. I do not recommend walking away from your job just now. Is there anything you can do to make it better (switch shifts, decrease your hours, internally transfer?) If this is really where you do not want to be often talking to managers and HR to help you works. I know some girls who were not a fan of my current floor went and talked to my manager, and were moved to another floor that suited them better. I have tried this and they tell me to stick it out lol (I don't think they want to lose a good worker lol). Best of luck to you. Consider this nursing has a vast variety of opportunities and hospital nursing is just one route. With 6 more months (or so I am told) you should be able to transition into a job that better suites you! Good luck!

I am in the process of getting blackout curtains. I never thought of ear plugs, but during the day it is usually pretty quiet here. I do drink coffee and tea beverages at work, but I try to stop around 3am, and drink more h20. Exercise is definitely a factor for me I just bought an eliptical and after I fight off this nasty respiratory infection I plan to start using it. Anyone ever try sleeping masks? If so do they work? What about white noise(sleeping machines)? I have taken benadryl before bed and it makes me feel groggy for longer, but it helps me get to sleep quicker. All great suggestions. I would like to keep working nights for the financial and stress purposes. (nights is relaxing and you can actually interact with your patients on my floor), but days is better on your body. I will take your suggestions and try implementing some of them into my routine. I work tonight so we will see. As far as sleeping patterns go, do you guys usually go home and sleep until your next shift, or do you stagger your sleep? I have heard it done both ways.

Is there a such thing as "night shift syndrome"? I just started working 12 hour nights in July after working 12 hour days for about 6 months. I decided to go to nights because in my current position, the environment was chaotic, stressful, without any resources for help. I basically felt like I was not providing the quality of care that I wanted to provide. At first I felt awake and refreshed, but as the months have gone on I have been feeling increasingly fatigued, sore, and hazy. I sometimes can sleep 12-14 hours after a shift or two and still feel tired. Before you ask, I am not looking for medical advice or anything, I am just curious on what other night shift nurses do to stay a float with this unusual schedule and not feel so fatigued all the time? I am just wondering if any other night shifters out there have experienced this and if so, what did they do to correct it? The weight of the fatigue is making me want to go back to days, but unfortunately at the hospital I currently work at there are no 12 hour day positions or even 8 hours that I can bid on right not and returning to 12's on my floor would not be my cup of tea, but if needed I could do it. So I am exploring my options at other facilities as well. But in the mean time, does anyone have any suggestions?

Haha very creative!

You have plenty of time still! Meet with your academic adviser and start contacting different hospitals and ask them if they would be willing to offer you a shadow day. Do some research as well at the same time. Make sure you know what you absolutely want to do at this point in your educational career. I take it you will be starting your 2nd semester of your sophmore year, there is still time to change your schedule if you decide nursing. Think it over many schools also offer summer classes for sciences as well to help you get there quicker. Now is the time to start talking to someone do not hesitate. I always knew I wanted to be a nurse, but I obtained my degree in psychology first (while taking sciences for nursing in case the whole time) then I went back 4 months after I graduated for an accelerated program. It is more cost effective if you make the switch now if it is something you want to do. With winter break around the corner, you have the opportunity to shadow, do some research and find your passion! A lot of pre-prerequisites are similar in the fields. Nursing requires more science classes and specified criteria, if you want to go that route talk to your academic advisor and possible set up a meeting with the nursing department at your school. It may take longer to graduate, but if nursing or another field is something you want time won't matter :)

EWWWW!!!:barf01:His practices are not only hazardous to himself but to the patients he takes care of!! He is a walking vector of infection!! I cannot believe he does not stop to think of the effect he is having not on himself but all the other patients and things he is touching throughout the day. A 5 second rinse is not effective at removing fecal matter and infection off your hands. I would definately report him, if IDPH was there they would have a field day with this guy. Old school is one thing but not following standard precautions is another. He may be used to practicing in his old ways but new information about diseases and transmission has been discovered since he was trained. It is his obligation as a professional to follow the rules to prevent endangerment to his patients, fellow co-workers and himself!:hdvwl: I wouldn't "shake his hand" either!

You could always double major in psych and nursing and utilize them in your nursing career. I have a degree in Psychology and in Nursing. I do not work as a Psych nurse, but my understanding of human interactions and feelings has allowed me to be a better nurse. Case managers work with social workers on the floor to arrange for outpatient placement and services. Case managers in the hospital try to make sure that patients are getting treated effectively, both cost effective and medically and that the patients stay is not prolonged for any reason because they know how long insurance will pay. If you want to work with all age groups the only level of nursing would be in the Emergency department. There you will be utilizing your nursing skills, psych skills, and social work(to a degree because you can anticipate future needs and pass it on to the floor nurse). Psych nursing is not for everyone and I am one of those people, at this point in my career I enjoy utilizing my psychology background but do not want to work in the psych department at this time, it isn't for everyone. Do some reasearch about the different departments and maybe you can arrange a shadow day at the local hospital and follow around a nurse, case manager, and a social worker. In psychology if you get a BA there are few jobs available, in order to be effective with a psych degree you have to at minimum get your master's but getting your doctorate looks better. So you have an additional 5 years of school to get through befor using your degree fully. GOOD LUCK!

Why do you want to work for our organization? Tell me about a time you had a conflict with another employee and how you resolved it? What are your strengths and weaknesses?(always turn weakness into a positive outlook) Why should we hire you?(Let them know skills and attributes that make u stand out from among the rest look at their mission and values and see how you fit into their organization) How to you manage stress? How do you organize your time? How would you handle XYZ situation? (Follow the ABC's and how you would do something always Assess first) If you never had any experience explain I have never had an experience like this but this is what I would do? Research the organization first before you go to the interview and make sure you dress nice. Preferably a suit, little jewelry and makeup, hair pulled back. You want to portray yourself as a professional. Make sure to bring copies of your resume, references, license and anything else such as BLS, ACLS, PALS or any other certifications you may have. You always check on the patient who fell on the toliet first because that is the patient who immediately needs help. The patient from surgery was in holding and is probably still under sedation and would not have been transferred up to the floor if not stable enough to do so(hopefully!!). You have to think of the immediate consequences of a fall they could have hit their head, broken a bone or something (I have seen some pretty horrific falls (fortunately none of my own knock on wood lol). Assess the situation with the fall victim, call charge inform them of fall, call doctor and inform them of fall, implement physicians orders, and if patient is able to move get assistance moving them(if any serious injuries are suspected to the C-spine follow protocol per facility(do not move patient!) once stable go and check on the post surgical patient..it also depends what they are post op for. If charge is free you can inform them that you just had a fall and your patient from surgery is coming back would she mind checking on him or her. They usually do not ask you situations like that. Interviewers want to see that you are confident and you know about the chain of command and how to prioritize your care. They want to know that you are able to carefully and thoroughly think out your care plan and act on it. Usually when I have a patient fall I am at the bedside assessing the patient, with my portable phone on my ear calling the doctor. That way you are with the patient assessing, and obtaining orders to implement (it is a way to multi task while informing the physician of what is going on in real time). Also the charge can speak to the physcian if she is available and you are busy assessing and stablizing the situation. I have had to do that before too. Always make sure to ask them questions as well?

Yeast infections, extremely foul odors, individuals ripping them out(not my patients), irrigation, CBI, BPH( and the doctor forced a catheter BLOOD EVERYWHERE once again not my patient but I assisted the other nurse). Straight cath, very large caths that required numbing medication!! The invisible hole, the land of no return. Usually I can find and insert a foley no problem, but sometimes there are cases where you wonder "what, where and how"? I do not know how many times I have seen individuals insert it into the wrong area!!:nuke::uhoh21:

In the hospital I work at we usually have 5-6 on nights (mostly 6) and one nursing assistant and a charge nurse who sometimes carries patients depending on census on a busy Medical/Surgical Unit. It can be hectic at times depending the acuity of the patients, if they are getting tube feedings, IV abx, if they are detox, fall precautions, or total care NH patients. I agree that 5 patients is doable, but at the 6th or 7th and it totally throws you off, with all the medications, chart checks, orders, MARS, charting, and everything else that you need to do. When I hear people saying 60 patients in the nursing home I about fall over, that is why I never wanted to work in LTC because of the staffing. I do not see how anyone can provide "safe and effective" care for 60patients over the course of 8 hours even 12 if you have 60 patients and need to do 60 assessments, and meds for all in your 12 hours you would get 5 minutes per patient and that doesn't even include your charting? I know people are sleeping at night (sometimes) but that is ridiculous and not safe at all. If one of them went bad in the middle of the night, it may take you longer to react because you are watching 59 other patients, while trying to pass your meds, obtain vitals and document.11 to 1 is too many people to assess, document, pass meds and manage no matter what time of the day it is! Safe ratios for nurses is 6:1 max for a medical surgical unit is what I have found in research. I have trouble managing the 6th patient I do not see how I could manage another 5 on top of that. WOW. WOW that is not safe at all and I would consider looking for another job in an environment that cares about the well being of the staff and of their patients.

I am not sure what the dynamics are of your relationship with this charge nurse, it could be jealously, bullying, or simply lack of communication. When I graduated and started my first job, I was very task orientated, I was serious on the floor, friendly but focused. Anyways I portrayed myself as being "serious" and people read my body language differently then I was feeling. ER nurse's statements from what I can determine are meant for you to not only evaluate the situation you are in, but to also evaluate yourself and how your body language or interactions are affecting this person. I am not saying you did anything wrong, however I am merely stating to think about your interactions with this individual. I agree on ALL levels that if this person is bullying you, then the situation requires conflict resolution. Disrespecting you in front of co-workers, students, and patients is completely unacceptable and unprofessional, I agree with you that way. Have you ever just asked if you could talk to this person in private? I think it is always best to try to uncover the issue, before bringing in a third party to mediate. Perhaps she feels you "think"(even if you do not portray) yourself as being superior because of a degree, or because you just graduated, or maybe she is jealous how the manager and other staff interact with you. What ever it is I have found that trying to chum up to individuals like that and ask them for their knowledge and support, will get your further then bringing on WW3. I suggest talk to her and say that you feel that we started off on the wrong foot and that you would like to work with her more effectively and "learn from senior staff like herself". If you let her know she is needed and valued (hopefully) she will turn around. A lot of newer graduates come in with the (know it all attitude) it isn't intentional it is just because we just graduated and passed our boards and feel high and mighty when we are done lol. Whatever you do, do not start talking about this individual to other staff members there! You are still new and do not know who you can fully trust, plus gossip always finds it's way back. I was intimidated by a few staff members who would say things about "new nurses". Guess what I chummed up to them and let them know that I appreciated their knowledge and went to them for questions, made them feel needed. My relationships with them are great now.:hug: GOOD LUCK! We work with a bunch of women so we always face these issues, but it is how we handle them that set us apart from the rest.

You built rapport and a connection with the family and the patient and that is nothing to be ashamed about. You are a caring and compassionate nurse and you feel obligated to that patient. I know what it is like to build relationships with people it is hard when you don't have them the next day or when you are off you wonder if they are getting as good of care as you provide them. As long as you can focus and react appropriately like Esme said, then there is nothing wrong with being emotional and attached to your patients.

Working 12's may seem great, but when you have a family you have to consider you will be working weekends, holidays, and often they will ask you to pick up extra in the hospital. I currently work 12[s 7pm-7am and I have worked pms and days as well. Working 5 days may stink, but you don't have to work the weekends, your holidays are free and you are off at a decent time. Is there anyway that you can drop down to .9 instead of 1.0 at your job so you work 4 instead of 5? Would that help at all? I think you should stick it out for a while and see how it goes. The hospital will interfere with your life even more and it is harder to get time off because there is usually more staff requests. Good Luck!

Dr Haque (pronounced Hack) loogies anyone lol.

SICK!!!!:barf01:That is why they are called "disposable gloves" because they are meant to be disposed of after use lol.

COME ON PEOPLE lets keep this thread moving along. More stories!!

I agree I didn't watch E.R much but I remember seeing, it was accurate. As far as Mercy went I thought some of the dilemmas that they went through resembled real life nursing and some of the skills, unfortunately all the doctor nurse relationships and alcoholism kind of overshadowed it. I like house because it shows things more realistically as far as medical tasks go, but the doctors have training from MRI's to Intravenous sticks really? When have you ever seen a doctor insert an IV at the bedside or draw blood? In code situations on house too, he is always yelling for the nurses like they are garbage. You are right nurses are the most involved in codes doing several of the tasks. :anpom: I have been to several codes, but only had to rapid my patients and get them to higher levels of care "knock on wood" I am ACLS certified but it has been so long since my training and working on a general medical floor we never really see them. Most patients who die are DNR's. I think a lot of shows over dramatize certain aspects of nursing and take away from what we really do. I wish a show would come out again that would clearly demonstrate who we are. It seems shows based on real people have not had good ratings lately though and are getting axed after one season.

I hear where you are coming from however, I do think you owe it to the hospital to at least give them a fair shot. Out of 100 applications they called you and gave you a chance. That is kind of where I am at I have been at my current job for 1 1/2. I was told in orientation that they would help "the new grads" transition in house to different positions that would help them in their career paths. I have been on 4 interviews 2 in house since July and still no offers. The main reason I am looking for change is because I want to be an educator and an FNP one day so I am looking to enhance my skill base. I would like to stay in the network I am in because they gave me chance and hired me. I feel I owe them that. Not to mention it is close to home and pays well. I go on interviews to see what is out there, no harm in that right? I don't want to look like a job hopper or someone who doesn't like their job. It is not that I do not like my job, I just am looking for new experiences, so I know how it goes. I always wanted to work in CVICU and then I interviewed for several ICU positions and so far it seems that it may not be for me. I am happy in my position, I have good co-workers and everything else is fine except the experience. I work on a Medical surgical unit and we frequently see the same patient population, so sometimes it becomes boring. Anyways I share my story let you know there are others out there that struggle with these decisions as well. If I were you I would finish your orientation, obtain experience, and see if there are any opportunities for you there. If you like it there stay, you may leave and hate it at the new facility and the old one may not be willing to take you back.Best of luck.

From what I have noticed it really depends on the facility and the location where you are applying at. I know in the Chicagoland area (where I am from) that many hospitals list BSN preferred on their application and some say BSN as a requirement. Others say ADN, so it really depends. I weighed out this decision based on what I wanted to do in the future. I knew I wanted to continue my education and eventually work my way up in nursing so I went for my BSN, I am now a 150 hours short of my MSN!! I would weigh the pros and cons of the situation. First off an ADN program is usually shorter, and cheaper however with all the waiting lists the amount of time it takes to get into an ADN program, it may be longer. BSN programs provide you with a wider array of classes such as professionalism, research, advanced concepts and other specialty classes. I was able to take elective nursing classes such as Alternative therapies, Forensic nursing, and Critical Care to name a few. These classes taught me to look at nursing from a different view point, how to present myself as a nurse, and they increased my knowledge base and critical thinking abilities. I usually tell people if there is a waiting list and it will take 4 years to get through the ADN, then they may as well go for a 4 1/2 to 5 year BSN program. If they have their prerequisites already then the program will only take 2-3 years depending on the program length. There has been talk about having all nurses get their BSN from the ANA, but nothing has been implemented yet. In my opinion they both will get you to be a nurse, however the BSN appears to open more doors for growth in the future and many hospitals are looking at BSN canidates as favorable to ADN canidates.:hpygrp: GOOD LUCK!!

Do not fret it is all part of the transition period for new nurses. It may take time to learn how to get through things quicker and that is ok. Passing meds should be done in a timely but safe manner, and I would rather pass meds knowing they were all given correctly but took longer, then passing them and risking making a mistake. As you progress into your nursing career, you will learn the tricks of the trade of getting tasks accomplished quicker. As far as 4 hour shifts, yeah they are tough. When I work 4 hours in the hospital I feel like I have barely had any time with my patients so I understand you worries and frustration. Take a look at this website, (page 3 is the image)http://www.nursingthefuture.ca/assets/File/Stages.pdf. When I was in the new nurse orientation program they shared this with me and it helped me to understand where I should be in the transition into practice. No worries it will all work out for you