PrettyLady87

So, although I'm an RN and all...dermatology isn't exactly my area of expertise. My question: Can I clean a navel piercing with the "ExSept" solution? [h=1]ExSept Plus Skin & Wound Cleanser by Angelini Pharma Inc.[/h]ExSept Plus - Skin and Wound Cleanser for epidermal and dermal wounds. A safe non-sensitizing, non-allergenic wound cleanser that is non-cytotoxic to the wound site. ExSept Plus Wound Cleanser is ideal for the cleansing and debridement of onychocryptosis and other podiatry needs. ExSept Plus Wound Cleanser is an FDA-cleared cleanser that is non-irritating, non-sensitizing and safe for use on skin and wounds. I've had my navel pierced twice before when I was a teen and young adult. Now that I'm a nurse, I can better care for it. Thoughts?

I've been looking for med surg jobs but they all want experienced nurses and I'm a little too late in the game for a residency program

Thank you all for your input! And now I am still more undecided than ever lol. I'm scared to do acute dialysis although I think it would be the best of both worlds as far as med surge and dialysis are concerned? I have several job offers in other dialysis units, but I am not confident that I would excel anywhere else bc I don't have anyone precepting me to tell me otherwise. I know that if i tell myself "I'm gonna mess up" then i will bc I'm putting it in my head, but i can't help still thinking that way. I'm so desperate that I'm willing to relocate to almost any state, and I'm beginning to look into residency programs (before my yr is up).

Job hunt still unsuccessful, and Im still undecided as to where I want to work...I don't know what I like anymore...

Greetings everyone, Some of you might already know that I am an unhappy new dialysis nurse from my previous posts several months back. I got into dialysis after passing my nclex bc it was fast money (my mistake). Although I am grateful for some of the experience i have already acquired while working at this extremely political, unprofessional facility, I still hunger for more. I don't feel that I was properly trained at all, we don't even have a nurse educator there! I understand that learning is by doing, so by all means I kept on working and asking as many questions as I could, but for every new problem that arises, I am sometimes utterly clueless. I want proper training, and I want to see more! Right now I am putting my resume out there with an interest in the med-surg unit. My question is....is this an easy transition? Has anyone ever converted like this before? I am very scared and unsure of myself 70% of the time...I know this is a dangerous trait to have as a nurse, but I think my fear will slowly diminish the more I do, the more I learn. I remember being very scared to touch dialysis machines or pull out needles from heavy bleeders and hep c pts, but now it's all becoming second nature to me. Anyway...I am not sure what to do...I am even afraid of going to another dialysis unit bc I think that they are gonna be able to handle myself like I'm a pro...but I'm really just 5 months in.

My Kaplan course was apart of my tuition, so I do not know how much it costs, but I'm sure you can find out on their website. As for your second attempt: Make sure you've had enough time to grieve from the first attempt; Take time to enjoy the free time and focus on something else because you need to have a fresh clear mind to embrace the commitment of studying the second time around. Try using different sources until you find one that clicks, one that makes sense...set up a schedule and follow it. ? Good luck to you, and thank you! Glad I helped! ?

Glad to help :) Congrats!!

You should write a professional article or a book or something in defense of dialysis nursing or specialty nursing in general. I find it terrible with all of these stereotypes and stigmas associated. Maybe the same thing that happened to you will happen to me...maybe in a different environment with more experience under my belt I will feel loads better, and feel deserving of higher pay.

I have been helping these techs as much as I can, I just need to time manage my nursing on top of their duties, because taking off pts, or cleaning and priming the machines have taken away time for documenting and closing charts, even lunchtime/break-times. I have gotten job offers to work elsewhere, but I am not confident in myself enough to work anywhere else, (let alone acute! yikes!). I still need to get ACLS certified, amongst some other attractive certifications to have under my belt. Thanks for the advice though, I feel more hopeful, still unhappy, but now I can develop a new strategy to keep me going in this ****** facility until I get into a hospital.

Do you mean administering it directly into the tubing of the needle? Not actually PUNCTURING the tubing right? In any case, I haven't heard of this practice yet. I know that we're suppose to administer the heparin through the needle tubing if they get it, or the venous chamber of the lines.

I work for a small private company (we only have 4 centers in NYC), so they aren't crazy about the overtime, but my NM covers A LOT of stuff...A LOT of stuff Whether or not I get paid the overtime is out of my control, but most of the time when I stay late is because I am charting, fixing some notes, counting the Epogen, putting in any verbal lab orders, or just trying to get to know my pts a little more. I am so distracted with interpersonal staff nonsense bc my techs don't respect me and I get attitude ALL day long 75% of the time, that I've been slacking with the most important stuff (nursing)... The list goes on with the amount of BS in this particular center, but I'm trying to study dialysis and stuff into detail so that I can make them respect me.

I'm going through the same thing except I'm THE NURSE! Most of my CHTs/PCTs/LPNs have been extremely rude to me! I've complained to my nurse manager several times, but she favorites them and one is her step-daughter. The more I pick at them, the more my manager picks at me. I feel that before I can go complain to the nursing administrator and higher ups I need to be proficient in everything about dialysis...but I'm not. I still don't remember all of my lab values, and a few times I forgot to update the meds for my pts...I've been so distracted with the nonsense at work that it's causing me so much anxiety and depression. I question my capabilities as a nurse ALL the time! I hardly cannulate anyone, so I can't really troubleshoot the accesses yet if there's a problem (i hate asking that step-daughter tech for help). Ironically, most of my pts seem to like me and think I'm an awesome nurse (I just check up on them a lot during their tx). Sometimes I really regret going into dialysis bc I get ridiculed by my fellow grad classmates for not being a "real" nurse bc I'm not in a hospital doing foleys, etc. At this point I'm not confident to go anywhere else bc of the poor training my job gave me. Although I have an exceptionally experienced and nice Charge Nurse, the nurse manager is like Hitler over here, so she's not allowed to talk to me much unless I'm having an issue with a pt (the step-daughter is the spy for the entire center). I want to transfer to one of our other centers, but I'm attached to my pts, and like I said, I want to be proficient so I don't embarrass myself in front of other medical staff who are expecting me to be fully "trained". Anyway, enough with my ranting...it definitely takes time though! I have to admit, although this tech of mine is a complete B**** it isn't as difficult as when I first started since I am seeing more and understanding more... Im even able to clean, prime, and rinse back pts...so I'm helping more during turnover! You'll get it, just don't let your nurse discourage you!

Even though I'm a new nurse let alone new to dialysis, my manager, charge nurse, and fellow staff RNs have all stressed turning off the UF when the pt is in distress whether it be cramping or low BPs. Why continue stressing the body and heart on pulling more fluid if the BP is too low or the HR is too high? I'm still trying to learn what my pts can tolerate...41 a day is stressful

I graduated August 2013, and started my first job in dialysis in December 2013 (I truly regret this decision, but bills were priority at the time). Anyway, I am scheduled to work T,Th,S from 5am-9:45pm and I still hate it. I can never go to bed early enough the night before because my mind is always racing about what the next work day will bring. Taking naps on my days off has gotten me into more trouble, and I've been late a few times bc I can't seem to peel myself out of bed no earlier than 4am Travel time is about 15-20 min, so not too terrible. I am single, no kids, and I live at home with my mom. There are probably other factors that play into my restless nights, but I'm still trying to figure it all out.

Thank you all for your comments and congrats! I haven't been on this in forever! I've been working as a Dialysis Nurse since the beginning of December and life has bee tiresome and stressful to say the least. This isn't my dream job, I am still looking for an opportunity to work in a hospital; however I am absorbing every skill that I can while i'm here. As far as these study guides are concern, I'm a little confused...are you all asking me for MY guide which is this article itself, or the free ones that I used while studying? I don't have those guides anymore, but I'm sure that you can find them on websites like quizlet. I apologize for any inconvenience, and for the delayed response, but on my days off I like doing just that, enjoying alone time and such lol. If I don't email you pls don't take it personal but I've been getting a lot of requests, and I refuse to email over 5-6 ppl every other day; it's just easier for you guys to google it. Hope this doesn't come off as harsh. Good luck to you guys! Study hard! it's all worth it in the end!