Yep, Me

In the real world, there is verbal info that needs to be passed on, that one would not necessarily want to put in writing, for liability sake. if floor is avoiding ER transfers, that is an issue that Risk Management needs to address. Back in the days when we had time to give our pts HS back ribs, I was given verbal report on my floor pts: one in particular “ate a good lunch and is sleeping now”. When I did my immediate “eyes on” rounds, I found the pt with their lunch tray cold and untouched on the over bed table, as well as a cold and stiff pt. I ran back to the floor in time to catch the off-reporting nurse and said we needed walking rounds on this pt. She was resistant to that but came along anyway. When we entered the room, she said “well, you will need to call the doctor to report this pt died.” I responded :”no you will. I don’t take report on dead patients.” Verbal report is necessary.

This facility is desperate for a warm body! If you go there, they will change everything they told you. They will _not_ increase your pay. They will set your schedule to suit them. They probably even have mandatory overtime. The fact that they “hired” you, literally without your input or permission shows you just how they don’t recognize professional boundaries. i anticipate if you work for them, you will be defending your license before the BON shortly.

What I am saying is this: _anyone_ used to be able to walk onto the floor & immediately recognize who the nurses were, without reading a badge or seeing “RN” in big letters. if you were to walk on your floor & glance around, how do you count how many RNs there are? How do families know who the RN is, at a glance? i worked an unnamed facility, & they were very open about “everyone wears the same colors, so the patients will think all the staff as nurses”.

Remember in the 70’s when we were arguing among ourselves about: ADN vs BSN entry to practice? Caps or not? Whites: skirts or pants? White dresses? White polo shirts? Any color tops? White scrubs? Any color scrubs? Only nurses can wear white warm up jackets? Do I have to wear this cap? All floor nursing staff can wear scrubs? Now we are unrecognizable to the general population. But another bigger threat is raising its ugly head: Facility/employer mandated scrub colors per floor/department for everyone on duty! Yes, every one from the RN supervisor to the CNA, ward clerk, etc wears the same colored scrub set. No patient or family can tell who is an RN & who is a respiratory tech or transportation or radiology! Is this to “disguise the actual staffing ratio or RNs per patient? Patients are in the hospital less than 4 days & ill don’t have the resources to learn what department wears what color scrubs! Looking back: I think we shot ourselves in the foot. How do you tell who is an RN in your facility? Or can you tell?

Nope, not a bit! I've worked transplant icu, Worked with the first artificial heart, home health, admin, neuroticisms, IV team, ER, med surf, OB (1 shift: it ain't for me)! On State Board to license LTC administrators & Assisted Living Home Managers, appointed by the Governor & voted President of that State Board , by that Board, my 5th year of serving. Yes, with my ADN. I paid off my $6000 student loan & now have my house nearly paid for. My friend from nsg school got her BSN, a few years later, I asked her what she got more from the BSN course: she said "another student loan." An RN is an RN. When we retire in a few years, we will see how picky the hospitals are then!

I was hearing this same tripe when _I_ graduated in 1978! 🤣

I work HH in the 90's: RN admission paid $100 & then $65/visit.

I would pay the $60 to have a lawyer write this letter for me. Seriously.

Is there something from your past that makes you still afraid? I know that people who have a combination of narcissist/enabling parents can lay their trip on their children. BTW: I've been a nurse for 40 years in May,& I'm still nervous at my job. Not the "don't know what to do" nervous. The "peoples lives are in my hands so get your thinking cap & glasses on so you can help them" nervous. If I ever lose that, then it's time to quit nursing. That is a good kind of nervous. It keeps us on our toes.

Learn "gray rock" technique with that manager. Buy the biggest button you can find & keep it in your pocket every minute you are at work, to reminder yourself to "button your lip". Don't tell anyone you are looking for another job. Once you are off orientation, maybe hire into a position on evenings & nights, when this manager is not likely to be on the floor. & sign up for quality committees! I make it a point to work at least 6 months in any job, just to be sure I don't have a "job hopping" look to my resume. You will live through this & I'm sure you will learn valuable information. I'm 40 years in nursing: been there too!

Having owned an assisted living business & hiring employees, & having been an RN for nearly 40 years, here's my reply to your questions/post: 1.) everyone I ever hired & every place I ever worked requires their employees "have a dependable means of transportation". You did not have that. 2.) you took the overnight shift job for $20. If you didn't think that was enough money, you should have declined the offer. 3.) your patient depended on you for care. That patient is _not_ "just for patient care hours"! That patient is a living breathing human being who deserves the respect of you keeping your word that you would care for them on the overnight shift. Patients already know they are sick (duh) & they internalize when their caregivers don't show up on schedule, imagining "I guess I'm not worth living" or "I guess they don't like me anymore"! 4.) if you were living in the desert & it never snows there but all of a sudden it did snow: that's a reason not to be prepared for snow. I don't see that you had a reason. I kept reading excuses.

I am so sorry to hear this! Prayers for her passing & strength & comfort to her family, please, Lord.

No matter what you pay for, go hungry rather than skip on buying malpractice insurance! That being said: I had a similar situation: pt coded & DON asked me to "rewrite the code documents because they aren't clear" & back date them for the date of the code. I said I would write an addendum, with a list from Admin about whatever was "unclear", but would not rewrite the original documents. After some pressure & me gently saying "you know what you're asking is illegal". Admin quit asking.

I agree with a lot of what this male RN has states. However, the statement "total lack of unity" I do take exception with. Yes, I have worked with Nuraes of both (& varied) genders. I do not see lack of unity as a genetic trait. I've worked with female Nuraes who set me up : back in the old days with manual MARs, 2 female nurses purposefully hid part of the pt MARs on my first day back. The night nurse took them out & the evening nurse put them back. The night nurse reported ME the next day. I've worked with male RNs that is rather work short without, because it would take more time to fix his mistakes than to call a huddle to tell the team "today is going to suk bad, so let's all help each other, do whatever you see needs to be done, & give our best to our patients." If he doesn't like the negativity on the floor, then he needs to lead by example. Which is also not a genetic trait.

As a seasoned RN, (yes, grilled & fried after some shifts, LOL), please allow me to make a few points: 1.) Raise your standards & your goals. Don't be upset that you barely failed. Set your sights on the very best grade you can possibly earn! Your lack of study habits won't help any of the peda or OB patients you care for in the future. 2.) you want to work with the best nurses you can: so be the best nurse you can be! Someone is going to need you to mentor them when you are seasoned. 3.) your knowledge base for saving lives started on day one. Don't do the best you can do: do better than you ever believed you could do! 4.) in nursing school, you hobby is studying. If you are not eating, going to class, in class, or leaving you last class; you are studying. Your patients need you to saves their lives. You need to be the nurse with the ability to know what to do.