newtelenurse

Thank you. Worked on the floor today...even with pictures it is rough...there are alot of grey headed ladies with glasses!! Lol! I appreciate the ideas to keep on hand...I need to make a cheat sheet of bs checks and med times ; )

The facility is currently updating pictures which will help!

Hello all! I am starting a new chapter tomorrow at LTC facility. I would love to hear any advice on organizing myself to safely pass meds and care for what feels like 60 people *wink* ALSO...at the hospital we scan bands and meds...not an option as ypu know...how do you make sure you have the right resident???? I know that in time I will get to know them...but until then...HELP!! TIA!!

Hello all, I have an interview Thursday and would like some advice. I have 10 years acute/critical care experience. I have an interview for an occupational health nurse. I HATE interviewing...my mind goes blank especially when I get asked questions about me...how did you...how do you...etc. Any tips you have for killing an interview will be MUCH APPRECIATED!!! TIA!

Hello all, I have been searching around the site for information, and am hoping to get some more insight from those in the field. My experience is 10years in acute/critical care. I am looking for a new direction in my career. What questions did you ask in your interviews, and what questions do you WISH you would have asked?? What is a typical day like for you? Any hot tips would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you in advance!!

Just curious if anyone here is in the program. I just started this summer. Would like to hear from anyone that has done it or still in it....thanks!!!!!

Thanks everyone...I did call mgr. today...got voicemail LOL! ANYWAYS, asked her to give me a call so that I can go in and talk with her. I KNOW that seniority in and of itself should not be the only reason to go to days. I am a good nurse. I get good evaluations, have been charge nurse, I ALWAYS ask if I can help out other nurses. That is the great thing about our night team we work well together. BUT I do not brown nose. I will NOT kiss ass to get ahead. I am going to be starting my BSN program to continue to improve myself. I will just hope that the job is given to the one who deserves it. (just hope like hell that is me!! LOL) and for the record I DO LIKE the RN mentioned in my post...that's why I said that I know my feelings are selfish....

Unfortunatley...not alot of jobs out there...

Just need to unload... Became RN later in life(35)...anyway. Started 7p-7a at our rural hospital for 2 years...then moved to larger for 2 years...nights again. Didn't look like any day positions in the near future so I went to HH and Hospice which was days. Did this for 6mos. Liked it pretty much but the insurance was KILLING me. $530 a month for family plan with 2k deductible. SO i went back to the hospital...nights. OF COURSE while I was gone there were some day RN's who quit...they didn't fill positions immediately. Manager decided to let 2 RN's (nurses less than 2 years) "share" days position so they could be sure they liked it. SO now jobs posted and of course they get it because they were already being primed for it. Sucks...but I get it...I shouldn't have left. NOW there is an RN getting ready to retire and rumor has it another RN less than 2 years will get that one...hence my post. I have been RN longer and been there longer....I stayed at hospital prn those 6 mos...and watched the internal job postings...manager knew the reason I left was for days...even when I came back she said she was sorry she couldn't offer days... So of course I haven't spoke to mgr. myself YET...just feeling major bummed/****** over this. This RN has not been a nurse for 2 years. BUT as I have heard..."has her nose right up (bosses) ass. I have been a nurse longer and even though I left I still worked there for 2y 4m (been back 4mos now)...I get original hire date back after being back a year. I just can't do nights...I have lost 8 pounds since being back. Eating habits just all out of whack...feel like a walking zombie..I just can't handle nights...I feel like a really screwed up by leaving...but I thought at the time it was for the best. I don't blame the RN for wanting days...and yes this is selfish...but she is 24 I am 40 and this old body can't do this another 2 plus years till the next opening comes along... Don't really need any replies just wish me luck when I talk to my manager....thanks

Wow...we just had this conversation over the weekend. We nurses we have something ...You know that little voice...the one that tells you something is just not right. The one that has you check pt. history a little closer. Check the BP a little sooner. Listen to the pt. and have your hairs stand up when they say "I just don't feel right". That feeling we get when we just know something is up...WELL that holds true for the BS as well. I am in acute care and trust me the seekers are there. When they come in with a bag of pills and 4 bottles of BP pills 1 percocet and 1 vicodin and 2 are empty and 4 are full...makes you say hmmm. It is an EXPENSIVE habit these folks have for YOU and ME. They are not paying for the drugs they seek or the tests that come back negative time and time again. Tax payers are. Which makes the hospital make cuts. Which decreases my salary and increases my insurance premium. So YES I take it personal. Do I take care of them YEP they are my pt. and I am a GOOD nurse. Do they get the extra pillow fluffing HELL NO! Do I give them the pain medicine they are ordered. YES. When I ask for a number of pain from 0-10...and I chart 10..do I believe it?? HELL NO!!! What is the answer????I don't know..but to the original poster...I understand where you are coming from and you can vent to me any time!!!

Bluegrass RN...I am going to take your advice. It is 1 particular nurse. So instead of fuming thef irst part of my shift and letting it ruin most of my night...I am going to address it with her. Even if I don't get anywhere...it'll make me feel better. She seems to feel comfortable leaving things...I think it is a personality quirk.

Thanks for all the replies. This particular nurse has a habit of leaving things for the oncoming shift. Yet she is the first to make sure that we call labs (which usually come up around 6:45) to the doc, etc. I can appreciate that the hospital runs 24 hours and that it is my responsibility to take care of the pt. That being said...if I spend the first hour or so of my shift chasing my tail it is the pt. who is affected. Not in the immediate care so to speak but in the connection that we try to make with them. Even when I get in report why they are there... I ask them. I look them in the eye and let them tell me their story. It makes it personal between us and builds trust. If I am left with several things from previous shift I don't have time for that. Which cheats me and the pt. Now I understand there are days(and nights) when there just isn't enough time to get everything done. I guess I am just referring to the nurses who habitually seem to leave things....

Now I don't want to turn this into a night shift/day shift thing..that can be a monster on its own. And I just want a generalization. I know that one day you can have the same three pt's all day and your and your head can be swimming..another day you can have a discharge and an admit and get out on time. BUT this particular situation was... I had beds 1-4. 4 new admit just coming down the hall at shift change (FUN!). Bed 1 had d/c orders from 4:30. Pt. had called her son and got no answer (he had keys to her apt) and that was as far as things got. Nurse made no calls herself and was quick to suggest that I call her landlord to see about getting her into her apt. Same pt also had dressing change orders from 1:15 still not done?!?!?! Now nurse had same 3 pt's from previous day.... Yes I was alittle MIFFED to say the least. She did do the dressing change...after she seen my facial expression I am sure LOL!!! But really this is 7p when I am coming in...how much "clean up" of a previous shift should we be expected to do????

Docs know who the seekers are as well as we do. They know they will get no rest until they give what the pt. wants. At least order a PCA so I don't have to go in every 4 hours and hear all the drama.

This forum offers a vast wealth of knowledge. I have learned to look at things through many different eyes. This allows me to keep the big picture and not develop tunnel vision. I appreciate this forum and all those who post here....