analiezel

I currently work in a critical care setting where open visitations have been implemented. This week, I had this very sick patient, was on CVVH and had total of 12 drips. And bec. of open visitations, family was more than welcome to come in just about anytime they wanted. I understand that these situations are really stressful on family members but my question is, what do you do when your family members constantly want to touch YOU, the nurse. The wife wanted to hold your hand, stroke your arm while you gave her updates, or hug , put her arm around your shoulder and even NUZZLE your neck. Things can get very emotional and sometime to protect yourself as the nurse you try to maintain your distance but how can you in this situation. I offered to call the chaplain and other hospital resources but they say they are not interested to see these people. what would you do?

1. Be fair. Make out the assignments according to acquity, not by the room number. Give out admissions fairly, just because you don't like nurse x you give her 2 busy admissions. haha!!! 2. Communicate well. Know your resourses. Keep in constant contact with your nursing supervisor. If you have any doubts with a patients stabilty let her/him know. Don't be afraid to ask questions from your senior nurses or even other specialty units/areas. 3. Mingle. Be available to everyone. Get frequent updates from you fellow nurses. Pay close attention to the "climbing out of bed", unstable, critical patients. 4. Delegate. Do not be the " used and abused" charge nurse. Learn to say "NO", if you can't help, find someone that will. 5. Dont be afraid to call a code. Some people are intimidated to do this. Also know the impportant numbers...ie, for codes, public safety etc. and how to get or look up your hospital policies and procedures. 6. Keep calm. If your anxious, running around like your heads cut off, i am sure your nurses will fololw suit. You set the tone. 7. Set a routine, after you've been charge a couple of times, you will be able to do your duties by a time schedule. Do not forget the forms you have to fill out that have a deadline. ie, bed mnagement forms, diet sheets, lab requests. 8. know that you can not satisfy everyone. Do not take comments personal. Esp. when it comes to staffing issues. if they question your judgement, explain why you've made that decision. 9. Report! If you have any inclination that a situation needs to be reported to your nurse manager, report it. Better safe than sorry. 10. Be patient. With the nursing shortage today, you may have alot of new grads, agency, travelers, floated nurses. Be kind enough to show them around. You also have to be able to manage patient family issues, be professional. If you can not deal with the issue at hand contact your nursing supervisor. Learning the charge nurse tasks can be difficlt. Just remember keep calm, give it time and remember that it'll get better.

I love having my PDA available. It is my security blanket. I guess it all depends on the programs you need and get. I for one have the washington manual, drug handbook, fast facts, kathy white ICU book, ACLS program any many other medical programs therefore I dont have to carry heavy books around. My PDA is also a celphone and a MP3 player so i carry it everywhere. There are so many programs that you can buy nowadays, i think it is worth it. Plus with so many models out there i consider them very affordable. pls let me know if you need info on the one that i have.

thank everyone for their responses. I am what i consider Asian American (not oriental american hahha!!) Born in the USA of Filipino parents, but bilingual or I guess trilingual. I do speak tagalog, ilocano (a philippine regional dialect) and english equally fluent. I for one, love the fact that i have 2 cultures which I love equally the same. I do find it offensive to be called oriental, for "oriental" refers to things not person. I even find it more offensive when I am called "that chinese girl" by collegues and even patients. China and the Philippines are two different countries :chuckle and I don't even look chinese! The USA is a more diversed world and its only gonna get more so, people need to realize this and not to, I think is pure ignorance. Seminars and inserices are available on cultural diversity and everyone should attend. As of talking Tagalog in front of other people, I always make it a point not to. Esp. in front of pts and families. I do let my coworkers know that this is impolite and offensive. Some filipinos speak it so naturally that they don't even mean to do it. And it needs to be brought to their attention POLITELY. I think it should also be mentioned during general oreintation or during staff interviews that this should be something to avoid. I believe that the reason why they speak tagalog is... Filipinos feel more at home this way, this still doesn't make it right but just think that some of these nurses have uprooted themselves from their homeland and have left their families behind. Filipinos are known to work their butts off, prolly more than 60 hours per week just to keep from feeling homesick not being sentimental but simple things like this makes them feel at home. Try not to be paranoid , it is not in our nature to talk about YOU in our native tongue. All I can say is, if its offensive, let them know... just do it politely, i am sure they would understand.

To answer your question, i do not think nursing is ever boring. The good thng about this profession is that there are a wide variety of specializations. And if you get "Bored" , you could easily switch to another specailization. I.E. from ICU nursing to clinic nursing, OR nursing, home health care etc.

i have on dansko professional now... i've tried birkenstocks, they were worst i checked out zcoils, they look kinda sorta awkward. too innovative for me. :chuckle i saw the crocs, which look like the best prospect, tell me, are the highland model ok? would they make your feet sweat? or are the cayman model better? what if it rains, snows. i'm not much of a tennis shoe kind of gal, i find them heavy, constrictive and hot, but comfy... so i guess if push comes to shove i will go with nike shox. :) thank you all so much for the input...

my feet hurt!... what are the most comfy nurses shoes you've had?

I am also a Philippine graduate from back in 1998, I did not take the Nursing Licensure, was not required at the time here in our state. I would call or email CGFNS and ask them.

book by kathy white.... comes in a small binder thingy or can download it on your pda, which is what i did.... its perfect.... website is http://www.kathywhite.com.

coworkers, with long, dirty fingernails...

miss your laugh.... tell us how everything goes.... ps... I.G. said she is assuming your risk management reporting roles.... :rotfl:

you can't be serious!!!! you just made my night....... :chuckle

thank you for the response, i wanted to also ask you how did you study for the GRE? did you have to get a tutor? self study? classes? thank you in advance for the info :)

I know what you are going thru, about a year ago, i left an ortho/trauma floor that i loved! It was also my first nursing job and i was there for 6 years. But like you said the patient load was too exhausting. I did the 7p-7a shift and we started out with 5 pts at 11p we picked up another 2 for a total of 7. Let me say it again seven! 7 :angryfire . We did have a free floating charge nurse from 7-11p but where are they when you need them? And they expected us to check and document our epidural infusions q 1h our pca pumps q2h, rotate cpm's q 4 hr , pass out our meds, chart, turn pts that have fractures in every bone in their body q 2 hrs. talk about burnt out not to mention the backpain, the sore feet, leg cramps, my growling belly and the dry lips coz you just don't have time..... we went to administration and they finally came thru and gave us another RN but that still left me with 5 - 6 pts. woop-ti-do. I thought that I would be on the ortho floor forever, i loved my coworkers (thet practically became family) and the ortho pt population but......I just couldn't do it anymore. After months of contemplating, and to much of my trepidation... i applied and got accepted to a med-surg ICU. And I love it... this is the best thing I've done ever for my career. I should have done it sooner! Not to say that ICU is easy... but instead of having 7 pts I have 2 . I still see alot of the ortho patients and even when they leave the ICU I usually visit these pts. on my old floor, which is so gratifying. I did pick up extra shifts on the ortho floor but then i thought to myself......... why? To me, what it all boiled down to was.....were all my sacrifices worth it? I asked myself, what if I injured myself? What if I got burnt out to the extend of hating this profession that I passionately love? .......... hope this helps

"what is your pain level from 1- 10"