mon00707

Thanks!

I recently obtained a BSN and also have a Bachelor of Science in Social Work. Do I put my name as Monica, BSW, BSN, RN or Monica, BSN, RN or just Monica, RN? It would be for work like email or letters etc. I am not sure what is appropriate and I work in a facility with a bunch of social workers so they are no help! Thanks! Monica

I work at a Behavioral Health Insurance company as a Care Manager and complete phone reviews with hospitals for inpt mental health, detox, D&A rehab, etc monday-friday 8:30-5, no weekend or holidays. On the side I am a staff/charge nurse at the crisis residential unit in my area once a month but at this point i am thinking of quitting because it seems like too much. (This is where I originally started my nursing career). I dont know if its the holiday season but I just stress out having to work a 12-13 hour shift on a Sunday then have to go back to work my full time job. Then have to run kids around etc. I hardly have any down time anymore and feel like I dont spend enough time with my kids and husband or house work. my kids are 9 and 5. I wonder if I should keep one job for now and then maybe when my kids are a little older find a per diem job? I just worry about my clinical skills because where i work full time I dont use them because I do not have patient care.

Thanks guys,it is relieving to know that there are others in my shoes. Like u swtlilangel I am in charge of the unit and have to deal with crisis' that come up. Then we have turnover of aids all the time too. I have gone back to the gym so hoping that helps. We are buying a new home so that is added stress as I try to get this current home ready to sell so u can't just quit. I'm hanging in there!

Its almost 6 months now and I still do not like it there. I get screamed at by patients all the time because when people are Mentally Ill and in Crisis they are very stressed etc and moody. I know these people need help but I am tired of getting yelled at by people I am trying to help, it makes for a stressful day and I just don't want to deal with this population in this setting anymore. I am hoping that 6 months experience can get me in somewhere else. I honestly think its the fact that its a residential place. I think if I worked in an outpatient office I would be ok with it. There is an outpatient clinic but no openings. So frustrated. I have been doing the 12's and I'm on my 3rd day off and finally got around to cleaning today. I go back tomorrow. I just don't like 12's because they tire me out too much.

I probably would not take his meds as they are his property and has a right to them. Now maybe if he had some suggestion that he said he was going to OD on them or something then I would definitely take them but doesnt sound like the case. I would make sure to write written instructions with the patient and educate him on the dosing and document your efforts. Does he have a pill box he can use this way the does is already in the pill box labeled for date and time to use. We have a program in our area called Medication monitoring for people who are in need of medication help. The nurse comes to the patients home and packs the medications in a pill box for the week and ensures they are taking the meds properly. They usually visit them 2 times a week to ensure.

I feel the same way you do and am not even in an ICU unit so I can't imagine the level of responsibility you have. That is a tough place to start and most of the new grads I know who started in the ICU didnt last. A couple who have already who worked as aids and went on to become RN's have done ok. Everyone says stick it out a year and see if you still feel the same but I wonder if ICU may be different and you may want to see after 6 months and you still don't feel its for you maybe see about transferring. Just keep swimming and think about the positives you are gaining experience and learning new things every day. It takes time to be competent and feel confident.

I'm trying to stick it out, I am trying to look at things differently. The work is not too bad. I come in and get report, ensure orders, take vitals, and pass mess between 8-10. Then start on my notes, and other paper work. During all that I have patients coming in wanting to talk, therapists coming in, maybe discharging someone, completing an intake assesemt or whatever. Intake assessments take 2-3 hours to complete so those can be quite tedious when combined with all other duties. Then if someone is in a crisis I would need to deal with that. Just seems like a lot of responsibility to put on one person. Probably no different than the hospitals but at least They have 8 hr shifts. I guess I really don't like the 12 hrs all the time.

I'm glad to hear a lot of these responses. I have been in mental for 3 months now but my ultimate goal is to someday become an ob nurse and lactation specialist. I have tried many times and never got a job in med surge so I took this mental health job to get nursing experience. Do you think 6 months is enough experience? I want to start looking elsewhere ASAP to get out if mh

I have only been at my first nursing job 3 months. I'm basically a a charge nurse at the facility I'm in and deal with people who are suicidal but not bad enough to be hospitalized. Our program is a residential voluntary facility with up to 8 residents. There is only 1 RN and 1 aid on and we only do 12 hour shifts which are really getting to me. I usually work 3 days on, 4-5 days off which is now but the work is so busy I'm constantly running on adrenaline for 12.5 hrs. My next schedule has me working 12 hr shifts: 3 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 3 on, 4 off . My friends keep telling me to suck it up and get my year experience and look elsewhere afterwards so I am trying and so far I'm tired all the time, grumpy and have no interest in going to the gym anymore. I have 2 kids and a husband who has no idea what I deal with daily. I'm lucky if I get out of work on time too. How do you handle stress? I usually make jewelry but have no inspiration lately.

I don't think it would be a med error, I thinker errors of giving the wrong med, the wrong dose etc. Meds like that are typically a prn so I don't think it's too concerning and I personally would not call the dr for a refusal of that med and the fact that she could not sleep you did fine. The only thing is making sure the next dose is given so many hours after and not too close like say 8 hrs. I work in mh and would not call the dr for refusal of an anti anxiety med unless the cl was visibly anxious and out of control.

I have been using this stuff called eczema eraser bar. It's made of all organic coconut oil, Shea butter beeswax and essential oil. My hands have been fabulous this winter and I live in a very cold climate. Usually my hands will crack and hurt but since using this I have no problems. You can buy it here and it's only $5 for the lotion bar an $5 to ship. Very with the $$. https://www.facebook.com/EczemaEraserBar I have tried eucerin, aquaphor, lotions etc but this has been the best I have found. I would pay more for it if it were more expensive.

I was thinking of applying at some of the local hospitals again to see if I could work a few shifts a month but without experience I doubt they would hire me on part time like that because I have no real experience. I will have to figure out what to do, thanks for the advice.

Hello, I graduated with my ASN in August 2012 and I could not find a job in my area at a local hospital for a year so I finally applied to a behavioral health facility and found a job 3 months ago. That being said, I have been wanting to keep up with my med surge skills but I dont know what to do. The facility I work in is not medical and if people get hurt we send them to the hospital as we only treat mental health. we have the occasional blood glucose checks and things like that but nothing major. I have seen that a local hospital offers ACLS training certification and wondered if I could qualify for that. any ideas? I don't want to lose my clinical medical skills.

I would try to find a different place to work if I were you because it does not sound like employer cares about the staff. I work in a private behavioral health setting and they are wonderful to work for and i have been here for 3 months and it was my first job out of nursing school. The director, other nurses, therapists here really try to work hard for the patients. Its a small unit and i only have 8 patients but there is only me and an aid on duty so I am basically a charge nurse. I had about 6 weeks of training then I was on my own. It was a bit of learning curve but the company really cares about the empoyees. You should be happy where you work and find some place who can treat the employees appropriately.