Rhonda V

Hello! I will be starting my new job in a few weeks at a local VA Outpatient Clinic. I've heard that VA nursing is quite different from "civilian" nursing, and I was wondering what those differences may be. Thank You! Rhonda, RN

I work in a very busy family practice clinic, and a big part of my job is doing pediatric immunizations. Many of our pediatric patients are now getting the H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccine in addition to the required immunizations due for their age. U...

I am working in a hostile work environment at this time. My supervisor is constantly in a bad mood at work, and often speaks to the staff in unprofessional manner. She has been reported to Human Resources more than once in the past. She was most r...

Thank You for all replies. I totally agree....I hate giving more than 4 shots to these little kids. I don't even think I'd allow my own child to get 6 shots, but my supervisor wants us to do them all if we possibly can. It makes our clinic look go...

Hi Everyone...I have a question on what is the best way to count a patient's respiratory rate. I've always been taught that you continue to hold the patient's wrist after taking their pulse while you observe them breathing. When I used to do it thi...

I have been an RN for 10 years, and I recently decided to re-activate my LPN license. The reason I did so is because some of the places I'd like to work (like walk-in clinics) are only wanting to hire LPN's. I know I'd be making less money, but tha...

Correction: Actually, I've only been turned down once so far. The first LPN job I applied for was in a family practice clinic. The job posting got cancelled. Anyhow, I was really hoping to get the walk-in clinic job, but I guess it wasn't meant t...

I've been an RN for almost 10 years, but now I'm thinking about working as an LPN. I often find some good LPN jobs that I'd like to apply for, but I'm afraid they would not consider me if I'm an RN. I like clinic/office nursing, but most of the tim...

I'm not implying that LPN's are less than RN's. It's just that I put a lot into getting my RN....lot's of studying, test taking, stress, and anxiety. I think I would have been very comfortable working as an LPN and making good money, but at the tim...

Hi! I have been an RN since 1998 and before that time, I worked as an LPN. Once I became an RN, I stopped renewing my LPN license. Lately, I've had the desire to return to office nursing. I've noticed that many Dr offices aren't looking to hire R...

We have a provider at our clinic who routinely orders postual vital signs on patients who have been vomiting. A few of the nurses I work with (including myself) are not real sure what is the correct way to do them. Some say you should wait at least...

I tend to have re-occuring dreams that I'm back in nursing school working on the Med-Surg floor. I tend to feel the same anxieties in my dream as I did in real life. I dream that I'm always running way behind with patient care on the Med-Surg floor...

Hi! I was diagnosed a few years back with OCD. I take Zoloft for it and feel it's in better control, but I still find myself repeating certain tasks at work. I also feel a need to be very precise and accurate when taking vital signs. I find mysel...

Hi! Med-Surg can really be stressful, but you gain a lot of good experience. Do they have an RN preceptor program at your hospital? That would be the best thing for you especially if you are a new RN. They assign you to work with another nurse on...

Hi! I'm another one who has trouble saying "no". Many times I've been "put on the spot" by coworkers wanting me to switch days with them. I've now learned to wait 24 hrs before saying yes or no. Tell them you must check your schedule first and th...

I've been through lot's of interviews, and the one question I always seem to get is: What are your strengths? Weaknesses? I've also been asked about my short and long-term goals and how I take criticism and deal with difficult co-workers. Good lu...

I've been known to get a case of Tourette's the minute I come home and start venting about my day and the screwed up people I work with ( ha ha). I tend to hold my negative thoughts and feelings in while I'm at work, but then I let it rip at home. ...

Where I'm from (Washington State) HCA's are known as Health Care Assistants...they have more training than a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant).

I work in an urgent care clinic which is open everyday from 8 am to 8 pm. We are scheduled for two 12 hr shifts and two 8 hr shifts/wk. We are to arrive at 7:45 am and we clock out around 8:15 pm (we do this to make up for our unpaid 1/2 hr lunch b...

Hi! I would like to know how far apart BP's can be on each arm. I often take BP's on each arm especially when I get a high reading on one arm or if it's hard to hear on one side. I sometimes get totally different readings...like 10-20 points diffe...

Hi...I'm an RN who also takes Zoloft. I also used to be on Xanax because I was so nervous and stressed out in my job. I can tell you that there is NOTHING wrong with being on these meds while working as a nurse...unless of course they make you too ...

How low can someone's BP be until you need to be concerned? I understand that some patients can have systolic BP's in the 90's or even 80's which may be normal for them, but can a patient run a systolic BP in the 70's? (I'm talking about for an adu...

I was wondering how long you should count a patient's respiratory rate. I believe I was taught 30 seconds then multiply by two. However, if the patient is not experiencing respiratory distress, is it OK to count it for 15 seconds then multiply by f...

I just want to thank all of you who replied to my original post. Your advice and techniques will surely help me a lot, though I'll need to practice that palp thing :) I really appreciate this discussion group and all the wonderful advice I get fr...

I'm sorry to hear about that. I hate to say it, but you'll likely encounter some mean nurses wherever you go. I have been a nurse for 9 years, and I have had to deal with mean nurses in every nursing job I've had. I'm currently working in an urgen...