BexnRN

I totally geek out about IR. I loved it-just my past 2 supervisors were techs and just didn't "get it" with regards to the nurses. I've worked in a large teaching/trauma hospital, and a small community hospital. Both were really neat and very different at the same time. I miss it. I'm in home health at the moment, and in abject misery! I've actually applied for another position locally. I just hope there's a real nurse manager, not a rad tech. The pace can be that of a drive-through beer barn on a Saturday night so don't assume you'll be completely bored. But it's not the same pace as the ED. Been there, done that. I hope you like as much as I did. Do. It's a NEAT field, and needs as much love as the Cath Lab gets!! í ¾í´£

Sounds like you don't have a problem then GaryRay lol. Good for you. Both hospitals had Cath labs with nurse managers. I just don't get it. What's different about IR?? One facility I was at bled staff to the Cath lab. The only reason I didn't transfer is that I lived too far away to be able to take call. They have a hard 30-minute call time. Hopefully you'll have a better experience than I did. I will NEVER work for another rad tech.

Uummm bbuuttt.....if she's an LPN, she shouldbe getting oversight by an RN. Soooooo someone ELSE is being lazy also lol. Ultimately it's going to be that agency's patients and reputation that suffer. Meaning business. Which affects the bottom line. Which affects our paychecks 😬

This is why I gave up on IR. It is a FANTASTIC specialty, and I loved it. But I will NOT work for a radiology tech ever again. I had never had the amount of disciplinary actions (write ups) taken against me in my entire nursing career of 13 years as a nurse as I did in IR. And I attribute it directly to working for rad techs. They simply do not have the scope, experience, context, or relativity to govern, question, oversee, or evaluate nurses. I had a "nurse supervisor" in a large teaching trauma facility, but she didn't do my yearly evaluations. I had a "dotted line to nursing" in a small facility (I was the only radiology nurse) who was an RN supervisor in pre-op/GI lab whom I never saw. I don't understand the disconnect between Cath Lab and IR. They're rock stars and IR is the weird cousin lol. You might consider contacting your state board of nursing or Joint Commission. I did due to the fact that nurses filled out consent forms in my last facility, not the MD doing the procedure. I hope they got ripped a new one. I'm still considering writing the CNO of my last facility to plead for actual nurse oversight in that IR department. Sorry this is so long, but IR has left a terrible taste in my mouth. Good luck and don't give up. YOU have a responsibility for the safety of those patients. It's why you're there. They deserve it :)

We sedate during a UAE and have the PCA ready for afterwards. But I've seen floor nurses who didn't know how to hook one up properly. I would have gone to administration. Sounds like that department needs a major shake up. They're gonna kill somebody. They need nursing re-education to start with at the very least. And it sounds like they have no nursing oversight as in the last two IR departments I worked in, until we made a lot of noise. We mentioned it repeatedly during a Joint Commission visit for stroke certification :)

Arkansas. I moved here from Mississippi. From a gigantic hospital to a small, private one. Same both places. My boss was a tech. Granted, one was the director of the Radiology department, but a rad tech nonetheless. It's unsettling, especially when you're the only nurse like I was at the small hospital. My "supervisor" worked in another department. Like...really??

After over 5 years in IR, I give up. I love the specialty, but I refuse to work for another non-nurse. I have never had the trouble in my nursing career as when I worked in IR. I give up trying to justify my actions to a rad tech. It's not right. And it seems like it will never get fixed. I wish Joint Commission could come down like a ton of bricks on these Radiology departments. There's always some fluffy "nursing supervisor" or some disinterested nurse in another department as a "dotted line" to nursing. It's all a load of horse hockey and it needs to stop. It's ridiculous that a tech is hiring/firing/reviewing/disciplining RNs. And this one is done with it. I would discourage any RN from joining a radiology department.

Y'all, join the AFCNA-American Foot Care Nurses Association. There is a blog there with fantastic information from nurses who have run successful footcare businesses.

Hi guys. I'm interested in foot care too. I asked the BON where I was at the time (Mississippi) and they were VERY specific that trimming of toenails is considered an ADL. And that if you're specially trained, you can do diabetic/difficult toenails. The BON where I am now (Arkansas) just sent me a flow chart thing. So I guess it's ok. RNs can't bill insurance, but as an NP, you may be able to. CMMS has specific regulations as to what is covered by Medicare for podiatrists. This can give you leverage for convincing patients that the service you give is different and better than podiatrists. Also, get an LLC. A 'sole proprietor' type business can get you in trouble. An LLC will keep your personal assets safe. On that note, have malpractice insurance too. You never know. Good luck :) As soon as I get my license in order (I moved recently), I'm going to check into providing this service at nearby LTC facilities.

I had the same problem when I started in Interventional Radiology. My first suporvisor told me she was a tech and my jaw dropped. I made enough noise and we eventually got a sort of a nursing supervisor. I believe it's a Joint Commision requirement. You might check and see. NO ONE but another nurse has any business doing your performance review.

Yea THAT. I would definitely skip the mag. Little dextrose, little Na, some vitamins.

How do I go about getting the "rest" of my CE/clinical hours for the CFCN exam? I completed the UWEC course, but it only offered 8 clinical hours because it originated before the requirements changed for the test. Anyone else having trouble completing the requirements? Thank heavens I have a BA already b/c I'm an ADN nurse. I'm about to start my own foot/nail care business, but I would like to have the CFCN as additional credibility.

...SMELLS LIKE MILDEW!!! (The top, inside the back where we sweat.) Anyone have any suggestions?? I sprayed it with Staphene (hospital-strength Lysol) to kill the actual mildew, but it is still a little rank. Febreeze?? Will soap and water damage the lead? EEWWW!!

I had the same experience as you coming into an IR position. My orientation was inadequate and there are lots of know-it-alls. We have just hired a nursing supervisor. Previously the department was run by techs. We're totally separate from cath/EP lab, so I can't imagine all you've had to learn. It took me 18 months to feel sure of myself. Hang in there and stick up for yourself. It's a neat area of nursing and there's lots to learn, but don't sacrifice your health or happiness. There's lots of other neat areas of nursing to investigate!!

We can have 30-40 cases per day every day BUT we have 2 staff MDs, 3 residents, and four rooms--CT (ours, not main CT), small C-arm, and 2 biplane rooms. My department is at a Level I trauma center/university teaching facility. Unsure of our bed capacity. We also take call nights and weekends. Most days our rear ends are on fire!!