kwaziness

I have a Texas license I need to renew by June 30 and getting CNE ducks in a row. Does Texas BON accept CNEs that are approved by other states? I read on the website they do, but they do not specify which states. Is California or Florida accepted? Everything I have taken is approved by the American Nurse Credentialing Center, however. Thanks!

Sometimes I actually curse my decision to ever become a nurse. Does it ever get better? I work in a crazy-busy telemetry unit with old, sick, obese, demented, indigent patients and I am so tired of taking care of people who don't take responsibility for themselves, who are lazy and disgusting and yell at me for things that aren't my fault. I get little respect from doctors who, when they're not coming on to me, are yelling at me or talking to me like I'm stupid. There was one doctor who actually grabbed my ass. I get no respect from my family who joke and ask me "how many diapers did you change today?" and think it's funny. I'm sick of overbearing family members who have little understanding that other patients exist, managers who push their clipboards and paperwork but don't have to guts to be on the front lines, gossipy coworkers who think my business should be their business. I take great pleasure from helping the legitimately sick patients who NEED help and are appreciative, not the ones who think they can boss me around and think they can call the charge nurse/***** to the manager when they don't get their way when I'm doing EVERYTHING I can to help them. If I could go back in time, I would choose a different field. I hate this so much. I had an emotional breakdown a few months ago where my personal life was suffering too and I was cursing that I even woke up in the morning anymore. Did nursing always be like this, should I stick it out, or jump ship and be a nutritionist like I always wanted. The only thing I like about my job is the paycheck, and it's a MEAGER one at that! Does anyone feel my pain? I just want to find JOY again.

I hate it too, and so do my coworkers. Our managers (who seem to have forgotten their bedside days) think it's a wonderful idea. We just implemented it and I have found that it drags out report, delays my morning routine, and makes me leave late when I so very much want to go home. I like to get report outside the patient's room, then go in and introduce myself and tell them I'm aware of what's going on, the plan of care, dr. so and so will come today, npo status, next time for pain meds, if they need anything, etc. That way, at least I can SEE the patient and make sure the IV is not infiltrated, the room is not dirty, and the patient is STABLE! I have found that a complete report inside the patient's room is impossible because there is almost always something the off going nurse will need to tell me privately (pain med junkies, if the patient is demanding, Dr. so-and-so ****** off the patient yesterday, etc.) Doing both reports inside and outside just gets me behind!

Whoa, now I feel guilty for feeling I am underpaid! $26.50 per hour with benefits and I'm at a small hospital in Houston, telemetry unit, 1 year experience. But trust me, this job is SO stressful that I earned every stinkin' penny!

I work on a Telemetry floor (only 1 year of nursing experience) and I recently had a patient post Burr hole surgery for a subdural hematoma. She didn't recover well and was basically in a vegetative state, although she was awake. She could barely talk or move, just stared at me and her family, and was fed via OJ tube feeding. Her family made the decision to stop the tube feedings and send her to hospice care. Her husband did have power of attorney and a copy of her living will was present on the chart, which was in accordance with her husband's wishes. I then removed the OJ tube and she was given comfort measures only at that point until she was transported to a hospice facility. Maybe it's just the fact that I haven't been doing nursing long enough and this was my first patient like this, but I felt so guilty about stopping her feeding and when I left that day I cried. I know it was her wishes to not be kept alive by "artificial" means, but I feel like I was killing her. I feel like I killed another person!!!! I know it's silly to feel this way and that to the patient and her family I was only respecting her dignity as a human being, but my conscious feels guilt that I contributed to the "death" of someone. I know that medicine is not always about "curing" the patient and that she didn't have much quality of life at that point, but I can't help feeling this way. I tried explaining this to my family (none of whom are in the medical field) and they just don't get it. I was depressed for a week after that happened, and my family doesn't understand. Anyone ever face anything similar? Is this something that will get easier with over time?

I recently had a MG patient who was hospitalized for breathing difficulties. He ultimately had to have an IGG drip, which I think is the only thing that was going to help him. You should also tell your patient to avoid beta blockers and calcium channel blockers because they make MG worse. This is what the patient's neurologist told me, and I was proud when I corrected the cardiologist when he wrote for the patient to get Metoprolol and Procardia. MG is one mean disease!

I'm a new grad RN working on the floor of a Telemetry unit of a small hospital, and going through a residency program with a preceptor as well. A few days ago, the primary doctor of one of my patients offered me a position at his office location. The thing is, I don't think what he described is a nurse position? He said he needs someone to go around to other physician's offices to "thank them" for working with him, like physician specialists/consults that work with him on cases... or something like that? He told me that I had a "pleasant personality" and would be good for it. At this point, I didn't know if he was hitting on me or what?! He was busy at the time and had to leave, and I am going to call him tomorrow to ask him more about it, but before I did I wanted to research what exactly he is talking about because I've never heard of this job position before. Any ideas?? I just graduated nursing school so I'm new to the medical world, and there's so much I don't know yet! Thanks!

I think I may have given you some wrong information! I talked to one of my professors and regarding the contract that you must sign, it is only in the case if they give you a sign on bonus or some other financial incentive to work there. Not merely because of the internship program itself. Sorry for the misinformation!

Female opinion here... I'm a nursing student, and at my school we have nursing students, med students, pharmacy students, etc. who all share the same building together, so there's a lot of mingling of the groups. I met and dated a medical student for a few semesters, but it didn't work out and we broke up. But, we still share the same building, so whenever we see each other now, needless to say it's incredibly awkward!!!! I would recommend staying away from dating your fellow classmates. It's hard to reject your feelings, but what what is really more important? You're there to study and get a degree, leave all the drama out of it. If things turn sour, you also run the risk of turning some of your classmates (her friends) against you. If you want to date that special someone in your class, wait until you graduate or your last semester.

You're welcome! I have no idea when each of those individual places open up because I did not apply there, but I have classmates who did and I can tell you it was definitely not before December!!! We all pretty much used the Christmas break to fine tune our resumes and then started the application processes immediately when we came back from the break (January). In terms of pay, the new grad range is typically between $21-$26 depending on the institution and the location. Night shifts are usually between $3-$4 more. I don't know if they let you work weekend/night shifts immediately. That sounds like more of a managerial question specific to each institution. One other thing... I think calling those places is the best bet, because trying to navigate the websites of some places is highly frustrating. Just give HR a call. You get it from the horse's mouth, if you know what I mean!

Thanks soxie! And it was for Ben Taub only.

In terms of the retention question... many places that offer internships do require the new grad to sign a contract. The whole purpose of the internship is an investment to attract and retain qualified nurses. It costs the hospital money to have these internships, so they want to make sure the nurses in these programs will actually stay and work at the hospital when the internship is over. If you leave before the contract is over (many are for 2 or 3 years), you have to pay THEM the prorated amount that it cost to have the internship in the first place. For example, if it cost them $10,000 to have the internship and you leave 1 1/2 year into the contract, you must pay them $5,000 or else they could take legal action against you. I don't know which hospitals are the best in terms of pay, benefits, etc. That sounds like it requires a lot of research and the info is not available all in one place. Sorry Hope this was helpful

Looks like you posted this a few months ago, but I thought I'd answer anyway. If you graduate in May, you really should start this whole process in the December before you graduate. Do NOT wait until you graduate!!!!! The ideal scenario, no matter what industry you're in, is to have a job lined up BEFORE you graduate. First, you need to polish your resume and think about which professors you want to ask for letters of recommendation. Next, you need to research, research, research! I would say an ideal job for a new grad would be an internship, rather than an entry RN job. You are going to get an orientation no matter where you work, but an internship is ideal. You should search for where internships are being offered, and be aware of when applications open and when are the deadlines. Even if the applications don't open until March, be proactive and visit the HR departments beforehand and ask about the program they offer there. I did this at one facility and the HR people remembered me when I came to interview. This gives you an edge! Good luck and let me know if you have other questions!

Thanks a lot, stash!!! I don't know when the program starts this summer, I think I have it written down somewhere in my mess of notes. As far as I remember the application for the summer internship was open from March 1-28. I don't definitively know how much they offer new grads, but I heard from a classmate who interviewed for the CCU position that it was around $26 or so. Don't know how accurate that is, though. Will let you know new info as it comes available...!

I was also asked to choose my top 3 choices for med surg. What happened, I think, was rather an odd situation. I had an internship at a hospital in Europe prior to nursing school that was very applicable to what the interviewer/clinical manager does (neuropsych) so a large portion of my interview was talking about that. She told me she'd give a verbal offer for the medsurg/psych position and if I wanted something else (I'm assuming she meant other than med surg?), I'd have to interview with the manager from the different department. I haven't gotten a call yet but if they don't call by tomorrow or Wednesday, I'm going to call them! I wish you best of luck and hope you get a call soon, too!!!!! :yelclap: