dstevens25

Hey guys, A lot of the discussion on this topic is through the female lens. Men bring a refreshing new perspective about nursing practice & the associated interventions on the unit so if we could extend that to this topic I think it would help. It goes without saying that men do cope differently then women. I'm not saying men don't cry, but certainly we do so with much less occurrence and also I have never seen a guy cry because a patient was yelling at them. Further, this could be a very beneficial thread to the nursing students of the world who may not have another male preceptor/instructor to discuss this with. I remember there was this time I had a 3 yr old patient in the Paeds trauma/resusc bay with a bit of developmental delay ( I forget the diagnosis), who wasn't a trauma or resusc but certainly was experiencing respiratory distress- RR 60, don't remember the ABGs, Accesory muscle use, wheezy, 02 84% initially on RA. Basically this kid just got worse and worse over the course of about 4 hours. eventually put on non rebreather with continuous ventolin, not good. We were awaiting and ICU consult (intubation?) the poor little guy codes. He was medivac'd to the nearest children's hospital tubed and vented. It was my first code on a kid still remember that little fella and it hit me. Now I didn't cry or anything but I think the spring in my step was gone that particular shift. All in all for my coping mechanism sometimes I hit the gym hard (whether that be weights, cardio or swimming it doesn't really matter) after rough shifts kinda burn out all the frustration. I work through the situation in my head (whether it be a particular patient causing the duress or that I just ran my ass off all day no break) and just reanalyze to ensure that I did everything that I could, and if I did all that I could I'm satisfied if not, I learn from it and move on. Other times I'll crack a cold one watch the game/tv/movie/sit on the deck and review the day again and learn from it, if appropriate. and i don't have alot just 1 or 2- I don't need a benzo drip or a form, know what I'm saying? What do you do and does it work? Oh and if you had some maladaptive coping that you resolved and wanna share (sound like a Psych RN much?) that would be sick and educational (especially for the students). KCCO.

I am a New Grad Aswell and it was daunting- I'm in Emerg but in Ontario, Canada we have a 6 month supernumerary mentorship program so it's basically like your last year of nursing but you get paid and have RN next your name. This program is a lifesaver I would never of made it on my own in ER. My new grad transition was insane- it was a vertical learning curve and I don't even work trauma yet. You can spot a New Grad from a mile away looking like a deer in the headlights, all clumsy, discombobulated and frankly just thankful we haven't killed anyone . But we all adjust. Could you explain the source of your discontentment more. is it just all the less than glamourous things we do in nursing (bed baths, changing adults, other bodily fluids) or is it just because your are new and burning out adjusting to the demand placed upon nurses with time management and juggling 100 things at once while Mr. Smith is yelling for pain meds even though they were just given 1 hr ago? Or is it too physically demanding and you can't lift, roll, turn work 12 hours (despite getting all those days off!) ? Have you considered dropping down to part time to get that time off you need and letting all the things your learning "soak in" more? Have you spoken to your Nurse Educator/Manager/Old nursing Professor or even a Veteran RN about this for advice and having them possibly going through another mentorship period/ offering a resolution or using the Employee Assistance Plan in some creative way ? Is it the surgical setting? Is it your hospital (try a new one?) What area did you like while in nursing school? Ambulatory care clinic is not physically demanding and has excellent hours such as Day surgery (which is a smooth transition from your current Surg Environment), my classmate got hired in there as new grad. consider the dialysis clinic? Utilization Coordinator? Case Manager? Insurance Companies? Public Health/School Community Nursing not necessarily home care either Go to college and take that 1/2 semester course for Infection Control (whom we all love dearly) or Occupational Health? Long Term Care - alot of desk work balanced with direct patient care but definitely no turning lifting rolling, 8 hour shifts decent pay lots of delegation and frankly your the boss. I did a placement in Complex Continuing Care/Palliative Care. In my particular placement there was only 1 RN on the floor of 24 patients in a resource role. We didn't have a patient load, 8hr shifts, we still did direct patient care but it was more in a Charge RN role Ie we did all the abnormal assessments, rounded, did all the labs, order entries etc. The LVN/LPN/RPNs did the brunt of the work (though we did help but not all RNs do). Have you considered Sub acute/Chronic care setting? Hope this helps.

Love being a "male nurse" lol kinda still playing with the wording-not really sure if I like it or not. Currently RN Student 4th year graduate in wellm 2 weeks. My experiences... very few patients exists that say no to having me as their nurse but there are some, 3/4 think I'm going to med school; and a legitmate 1/4 of my patients think I;m the doctor (not even the med student. full on doctor) - its very frustrating. Nursing is sooooo much better if there are guys around. I find we have a very different attitude- I relax more, I'm not as professional/formal to a certain extent, I find it helps me to relate to my patients more and I think they respond in kind. chive on man you'll love it.

Word of advice form a Graduating RN student here. I recently got into the journal articles. I subscribe to the Journal of Emergency Nursing and Critical Care Nurses Association of Canada's Journal. You wanna impress people in clinical read those. RNs are stunned when you cite recent research and they (secretly) love it. I learned so much about practice from those, more than any textbook that is. Great way to get a job/get noticed in a good way is to just bring those into the lunch room for all to read.

My worksheet- by the end of shift not even an egyptologist could decypher what I written on that thing. Outputs, last doses and my assessment data are scattered all over it. It looks like a highlighter committed mass murder too.

1) Went into Nursing because I enjoy making a difference, even if its just a small smile. I'm in 4th year, RN, in Canada. I've saved lives (everywhere- clinics, wards, heck even on the street), brought people back to life (in ER) and comforted my patients & their familes while they accept their death (in palliative). Sure there are less glamourous aspects to nursing but its in the 15min when I'm doing a bed bath that can be the most rewarding; if you take that time to get to know your patient(s) I found, and I think every nurse should find, the reason why we do what we do. I'll take a line from the Airforce Pararescuemen here- "So that others may live", Nursing- Best calling on the planet. 2) 22 yrs old graduating and writing my license this June 2013 3) I would love to start in ER and bounce around everywhere. Maybe finally, one day, getting my NP/CRNA; who knows I just wanna end up in California as a new grad!

I'm wanting to write the NCLEX as well. I'm graduating this year, scheduled to write the CRNE (Ont. Exam) June 5th. I have the unique opportunity of living in Windsor and having Detroit right across the river. I was wondering if someone could help me with the details of the application process; specifically, as to whether I can even start the application process given I don't (and won't) hold a license until at least mid-June 2013, assuming I pass. I have heard it is a lengthy process and really wish to get a jump start on it all now. Thanks.