witnurse

:smokin: I think this is a great question and I plan to share some of your answers with the nurses where I work. I too am so tired of hearing the "horror stories". I became a nurse because I was an aide from the time I was in high school and wanted to be a nurse for the 13 years I was an aide. The only reason I waited was money. I was busy with a young family and a challenging husband:devil:. I have been a critical care nurse now for 25 years and love every minute of it. As a matter of fact I did a year and a half stint in administration recently and "RAN" back to the floor and my 3 -12 hour nights. I will be doing this until they tell me I have to retire or until I can't do it any longer. It is such a joy to see the majority of my patients get well and resume their lives. I also count it a privilege to assist the ones who don't make it to their final destination caring for them and their families. I have never been "eaten" by any of my colleagues and have enjoyed mostly wonderful, collaborative relationships with providers. Don't give up and find your own joy in every day, every assignment and every patient. Even the difficult ones because they need you the most. Welcome to the sister hood and now brotherhood of nursing!! One must be politically correct. Eeyore

Did you know that loss of memory is not a NORMAL part of aging. :angryfire I am 52 years old. I have a frien who is still working at our county nursing home at 76 years old and I would rather take medications from her any day than a newbie 2 year nurse who last week told me "we did not get to give any IM injections. Could you show me how?" Or the nurse who is 28 years old and barely squeaks by with her mandated CEU's and thinks contiuing education should be optional. I hope you realize that age discrimination is truly the prejudice which makes absolutely no sense because we will all be there one day!! The whole point is competency and age has nothing to do with it. If these nurses are truly unsafe do something about it. But don't blame it on their age. Eeyore

Sorry. It was meant to lighten things up. There is caffeine and sugar in HO-HO's. However that is hardly the point. I understand both sides of this issue. I do not like the fact that some abuse the system and I don't like the fact that because of them I have had to work extra hard to develop a less jaded attitude about folks asking for pain medications with questionable NSAID allergies. However I refuse to let them impact how I practice nursing or how I treat my patients. I hope the interventions we are trying will make some difference but I am not naive enough to think it will fix it all. Sorry I made you sigh...we should be supporting each other not frustrating each other... :) Witnurse

My my. Let's play nice. Some migraine sufferers use caffeine and sugar to HELP their pain. I know it works for me. However now I need to loose weight. LOL.

This does not mean there addiction to meds has to be fed. I do not know of one state that does not have medicaid NOT ONE. People who are frequent flyers to the ER for migraines, backpain and what not who demand their shots are treated with suspect. The ER is not for primary care and you would agree if the hospital cut your check by 25% to pay for them. :angryfire In the state of New Hampshire what I said is TRUE. I am not in the habit of posting mistruths. Also we have one clinical practice within a 60 mile radius and they are down 3 docs at the moment and have been for several years due to the pay being less than most"civilized" areas and the rural setting. The average waiting time for an appointment is 1 month and if you say you have to be seen right away they say the emergency room. Hope this clarifies my post. Eeyore

This does not mean there addiction to meds has to be fed. I do not know of one state that does not have medicaid NOT ONE. People who are frequent flyers to the ER for migraines, backpain and what not who demand their shots are treated with suspect. The ER is not for primary care and you would agree if the hospital cut your check by 25% to pay for them.

Not everyone can afford a primary care doc, and in some states like mine, if you are over 18 no matter how poor you are or why you are poor, you do NOT get any medical or dental benefits. We have young folks coming in with horribly infected teeth who can't see the local dentist because they owe him money. So what should we do?say oh well suffer? We don't, antibiotics and pain med is needed and prescribed. Some people think we should treat dogs better than poor folks. Can you imagine the kind of emotional/physical/spiritual pain that drives you to be an addict and then to submit yourself to the sneers and snickers of many ED staff(not all)? I will not allow that in my ED. We do our best to get these folks the help they need and we do find that many of the ones formerly called frequent flyers did have underlying medical problems that needed treatment. We have started a pain clinic and some of these people have begun to find relief for the first time in many years. A kind explanation as to why continued narcotics is not the best way to handle their pain, prescriptions for alternatives and meds to prevent serious side affects of withdrawal and an appointment at the pain clinic(gratis) goes a long way with most and the others, maybe the sellers just move on. I truly believe if we standardized the way we deal with chronic pain patients in the clinic and ED settings, like we do for Acute Coronary Syndrome, there would be no place for the truly devious to move on to. I know they can be frustrating to deal with but they deserve to be treated with human compassion and dignity. Eeyore

I have been in nursing management for about 9 years. I was a staff nurse on various types of Critical Care Units. The most exciting was Cardiothoracic Surgical ICU. That also morphed into my first management position as Assistant Head Nurse. My husband moved us to a very rural area 9 years ago. I was ready for a change from Critical care and took a job as a staff nurse in an LTC facility on the locked Alzheimer's Unit. I was there 2 months and a Manager position opened up on that floor and included another 32 patients who were complete care. I liked the paperwork at first(MDS) and building the care plans and seeing my patients get stronger or at least more comfortable. I had a deficiency free unit for all 3 years I held the position. The call of acute care was strong though and I took a job at the local hospital and became their SCU Resource Nurse/manager. 2 years ago a position in Administration became available. This position includes membership on the Hospital Management Team as well as on the Nursing Leadership Team. I oversee 5 separate areas. Infection Control/Employee Health-Workers Compensation/Education-Hospital Wide/Survey Coordinator/Emergency Preparedness Rep at the local and state level. I recently became an ACLS Instructor and a certified Homeland Security Instructor for First Receiver's in a Decontamination Incident due to Biohazard/Terrorism. It is an exciting, demanding SALARIED position. The pay is OK but not great. The staff nurses just received a 34%raise in order for us to recruit and retain RN's to decrease our High number of travellers. I recived a 2% raise as did the rest of the hospital. I am excited about this forum and hope to "pick your brains" about many topics in the future. Eeyore

My first job as a nurse was 11p to 7a 5 nights a week. It was a very busy general surgical floor. We had a neat variety from gyn to ortho to bellies etc.I had an excellent charge nurse who was my mentor and I looked forward to going to work every night. I was so excited to be working as a nurse!! I broke my ankle and only missed 1 week of work because I begged for a walking cast so I could get back to work. Ah to be young again. I stayed on nights for 13 years. The last few years of nights I did 7p to 7a. My husband wanted me to change to days when I had enough seniority. I can't say I didn't like sleeping at night but I found 12's so long!!3 meals, families, so many people. Others love them though. Don't be discouraged. You will find your way. Eeyore

:uhoh21: I work in a 16 bed CAH Rural Hospital. Some of our bad nights might be tame to most of you, but here goes You know it is going to be a bad night/shift when: 1.You are driving up the hill to the hospital and the ambulance screaming up the road behind you forces you off the road into a snow bank :angryfire 2. You are usually in 30 minutes prior to your shift but the 3 year old at home puked on you as you were leaving so you are pulling in to the parking lot 3 minutes before your shift and there are no vehicles from the night shift there but yours 3.Your DON calls an hour before your shift begging you to come as soon as possible to take two new admissions because all the other nurses are working on the last 6 admissions 4. You hear the chopper blades as you get out of the car and as you walk by the helipad you hear the ED doc yell to the pilot to move out ASAP as there is another chopper waiting to land 5. The parking lot is filled with big trucks pulling trailers full of snow machines and fish and game has a line up of folks taking sobriety tests :angryfire 6. It is cold, snowy and Friday Saturday or Sunday :) 7. It is hot, sunny and Friday Saturday or Sunday :) 8. The CEO is answering the phone at the Nurse's Station and no one else is in sight :rotfl: 9. It is prom night and there are 25 teenagers milling around the emergency room door smoking and walking unsteadily 10. You are assigned to be House Supervisor. You sit down to report and count 2 less people than there should be. The brand new traveler, the new grad, the slowest nurse on staff and the LNA who has a huge chip on her shoulder and thinks all the nurses look down on her and, finally, the only nurse on staff who actually does look down on your LNAs. (not) P.S. All true stories! Eeyore

:) It is really neat to read everyones' stories. My story is complicated and yet simple to explain. I had a full scholarship to Northeastern University pre-med. I fell in love december of my senior year and left school. :uhoh21: My first husband left after my first little girl died at 3 months old of crib death. The nurse was the only person in the ED(This was 1970) who held me while I wailed and didn't judge me or question if I were somehow to blame! The idea started to take root that horrible night. I became a nurse's aide and then my very abusive second husband decided to leave me and my 2 beautiful little girls age 3 and 7. I knew I couldn't raise them on my aide's salary and though I didn't like the idea of welfare I vowed to myself I would make good on the opportunity it afforded me to realize my dream and care for my family. I met a wonderful man in nursing school and 2 more beautiful girls and 25 years later, here I am. I have had a wonderful career as a critical care nurse. I recently joined the ranks of the "clipboard high heeled nurses", as my FAVORITE ED doc affectionately calls me, and am learning all I can about the wonderful fascinating world of the microscopic as our hospital's Infection Control Nurse. I am also the Employee Health Nurse, Survey Coordinator, Emergency Preparedness Representative at the local and state level and the Education Coordinator of our 16 bed Critical Access Rural hospital. The things I have loved most about Nursing is the privilege of caring for people in the worst days of their lives and having the ability to make it just a little easier to take and I have never stopped learning not one new thing a day but MANY. :balloons: Sorry to be so long winded. Eeyore

It was never my intent to disrespect in anyway bedside nurses. If you carefully read my post you would see I still work clinically when needed. I too did bedside nursing for over 30 years, I pursued education and spent countless hours preparing to take this position. I frequently work more than 40 hours without overtime and I hope one day to be DON or COO. Do you truly believe this added responsibility does not deserve added compensation. Someone has to do the administrative work as well. I hope that your health holds out and your knees and back. Mine did not and I worked very hard to position myself to complete my career in administration while keeping my hand in clinically. It is not that I don't feel the bedside nurses deserve their raise. I do. But I feel I do also. :)

I hope you will change your mind. You sound like a wonderful, caring nurse. I know some who would not have admitted to their mistake as you did. Please reconsider.We need nurses like you. Eeyore

I know you are right. I am going to talk with my direct supervisor and my CEO on Tuesday. I was just trying to get some advice prior to the meeting. Yours is good. I do love my job but I do resent already the fact that OT is not OT for me. I also didn't mention that I don't ever work only 40 hours. I have a lot of thinking to do. Thanks again Eeyore

I see your point. I even thought about this. However if there is no financial incentive to advance I don't think many nurses would want to do so. I have been in the trenches for 30 years and have worked my share of all the shifts and holidays known to nursing. I still work my share of holidays and cover on weekends for folks if they need me to. I just think that if my position was worth 2.00 more an hour than my staff nurse pay when I took it that should still be the case. Sure I can go back to staff nurse and I may. However I still don't think this is quite fair.

I am a nurse in administration. When I took this position my wage was increased by 2 dollars and hour. I care for Infection Control, Employee Health, Survey Readiness, Education and am an active member of our nursing leadership team. A substantial increase was voted for RNs. It means that a staff nurse with less experience than mine will be making more money than I do by about 1,000 dollars per month. I am the only RN on the leadership team with the exception of our COO who is already highly compensated that would not receive this raise. I would receive only a 3% raise which will not come even close to the others. Am I wrong to feel this is totally unfair? I am also salaried and when I do work extra clinically I only receive straight time!! Any thoughts?

You would certainly be more error prone. greatfully I am extremely anal when it comes to meds and treatments and I didn't make any that I know of. I am not sure about losing your license. I know you can lose it though if you abandon your patients. I guess a tired nurse is better than no nurse at all. However, as I said, I would never do that again or let anyone who works with me do that again. i would close the unit to admissions and transfer if necessary. witnurse

:chuckle Most hours worked in a week? a few years ago, 3 regular staffers out, waiting for travellers, holiday week (Christmas and New Years) In management, SCU resource nurse, worked 20 out of 24 hours 5 days in a row. 100+ hours. INSANE I would never do it again. close the unit to admissions first. Eeyore

Thank you for the information. In the three places that I have lived while homeschooling it was the way I described. I would still ask to address the school board and try to get it changed. That is too bad. Eeyore

If you are a resident and tax payer in your town they can not prevent your child from playing sports or taking music or arts class or anything else offerred. Fight this HARD. I am so glad I homeschooled mine. I didn't want to throw them to the wolves. All 4 girls are now grown and happily married. I have 4 lovely grandchildren who were born when their mom's were adults. :)

I would love to send you the information requested. If you would send me a private message I will respond. Eeyore

What else would you like to know? We have hunting, fishing, skiing-cross country and down hill, white water rafting, lakes for boating, water skiing and swimming. Montreal- 2 1/2 hrs Boston 3 Wall Mart, Home Depot, Staples, TJ Maxx and all the fast food and chain restaurants 45 mins to 1 hour away. Eeyore

:yelclap: I am very excited to have this opportunity to share with you all. My hospital is a Critical Access Hospital in rural Northern New England. Our crime rate is very low. Our air is clean. The school system is excellent. I have been in healthcare for greater than 30years and this is the best facility I have ever worked in. We have a voice and autonomy. The nursing department is managed by an 8 person team. The COO, clinical day manager, clinical night manager, OR resource nurse, ED resource nurse, Med/Surg/Pedi resource nurse, OB/education resource nurse and the Infection Control/ Employee Health/Survey Coordinator. The docs and PA's are wonderful. Our relationships are collaborative and we have an easy free exchange of info that is rare. Our nurse to patient ratios are as follows. SCU NEVER more than 1:2, if vent 1:1 Med/Surg- 1:2-3, rarely more than 4 and they would be SNF patients if that were the case. ED- 2:5, we always have an RN and tech in the ED.(5 beds capacity). Always a house mom as we call it and every shift at least one LNA and often 2 LNAs. Our CEO is extremely generous when it comes to education and you are encouraged to get one outside offerring per speciality per year. For example I am crosstrained to SCU, Med/Surg/Pedi, OR, PACU, ED, Cardiac Rehab and Stress Tests. I would be OK'd to go to that many classes etc. We start at anywhere between 18 to 22 dollars depending on experience, certifications and education level. We have excellent differentials, 3 dollars for eves, 5 dollars for nights and 2.50 for weekends. We do self-scheduling and work 12 hour shifts. We receive FT benefits for 36. Some prefer 2-8's and 2 12's. We have to work 4 "premium" shifts in a 6 week period which averages out to every third weekend. We have a strong preceptorship program, which we are serious about and committed to. This hospital is great for those of us older nurses who still want acute care but don't want the insane nurse to patient ratios in the tertiary facilities. It is also excellent for new grads to build their skills and confidence regardless of whether they stay with us or move on for more challenges. We also pay for our LPN's to train for their RN if they wish. Please feel free to inquire further if you are interested. We do have several openings at this time. P.S. Housing is dirt cheap compared to the rest of the country. 75,000 buys you a really nice 3-4 bedroom home. :balloons: :) Eeyore

I hate to disagree as well however I have worked with all 3 levels of RN preparation over the last 35 years. The diploma grads DO hit the ground running so to speak and have the clinical "skills" down to a tee. The BSN nurses can talk a great game but shake at the sound of "Please put a foley in the patient in room ..."The ADN grads don't have as much theory, if they have been LNAs or LVN's they hit the ground running if not see reaction of BSN grad. HOWEVER give them all a year on a busy medsurg floor with an excellent orientation program including an excellent preceptor and at 1 year I will bet you will not be able to tell the difference. IMHO.

If that is the education you were providing at your diploma school, 100's BP and P's then I am sorry for your students. I had a three year diploma program education and we were well prepared in technique and theory. In our senior years we worked in management and administration. Doing charge on all three shifts. We worked with the DON and educators at our facility and others. We were encouraged to go on with our education AFTER we had a good solid clinical base so that we would have more than theory and verse to pass on as educators of our future nurses or as mentors. I am sorry to read your feelings about diploma nurses and ADN nurses. We need front line nurses. Are front line soldiers any less valuable than their generals? Without the soldiers the generals would look pretty silly and vice versa. Fine, there is a place for BSN, MSN, PHD etc. but if I am sick and in danger of dying without good hands in nursing care I will let you guess whether I would prefer a doctorate level nurse who has very little clinical experience or a diploma nurse who has plenty or an ADN who has worked on med/surg for a time and had excellent mentoring.(the mentoring goes for the diploma grad as well.) Professionals need to act like professionals in order to be heard. Have you any idea how many presidents of the United States have not had advanced degrees or legislators for that matter. Someone has to stir the soup as well as write the recipe. Again we divide ourselves and get conquered instead of embracing all levels of nursing including aides or techs and LVNs. IMHO. :angryfire