Days on that type of unit can brutal constantly transferring or discharging to make room for admits from the cath lab means it never ends! Have you considered finishing out your year on nights? WAY...
Thank you for the suggestions, Ruby Vee. I already do post-shift processing in a variety of forms. I am hoping to figure out some things that might help during the shift too. Some people just seem so...
On average, my job is quite enjoyable with reasonable patient:staff ratios, fair distribution of acuity in assignments, etc. I like my job and might even say that I love my job. Most shifts, a few...
I have many co-workers hired as ASN-RNs who are now completing their BSN's as part of their new hire contract (75% paid by our employer!) for a magnet-certified hospital. Actually, even nurses who...
I think the NA to patient ratio is just as important as the RN to patient ratio, as well as what type of support staff is available. I recently left a second job (med-surg/med-surge tele float pool)...
I was a biochemist before I went to an accelerated second degree program for nursing at 38. I didn't enjoy being a biochemist for two main reasons: (1) turns out I love science but I don't love...
Agreed. Recently some of our physicians have started ordering SCDs for patients currently experiencing a DVT -- and they actually mean for the nurses to apply them (whereas some physicians order them...
Agreed! My first job we usually had 1 NA for 13 patients, no night respiratory therapists, no ECG techs, no phlebotomists and no onsite providers at night (other than an EC doc for codes). At my...
I also think that nursing school prepares you more for the tasks as my clinical instructors never let us have more than 3 patients (except my capstone preceptorship, which for me was in an ICU so I...
Do you have any contacts from your ADN program who might be willing to make introductions (or at least give you a manager's name)? Or maybe from your BSN program? I was initially hired part-time at...
From the research that I have done so far, this doesn't seem to be a problem only at for-profit/private schools. Even many established, seemingly well-respected public university programs are having...
I don't have any different tips than the ones already offered. Just wanted to reassure you that other people have initially struggled but then thrived once they found the right combination of sleep...
One other tip that I didn't notice anyone else suggesting: If you have computerized charting, find out if your system supports "smart phrases." What these phrases are called varies by EHR system, but...
I think I have similar learning opportunities on nights as on days - with more time at night for looking up something that I want to know more about, often the same shift rather than doing it at home...