jenna_rn

I am on my first travelling assignment. I must say that my recruiter and the company have been great. Generally a very positive experience...The issue is that I signed a "day/night 12 shift "contract and the hospital has scheduled me for all nights for the entire contract. I have spoken to the manager and her opinion is that the greatest need in on nights and according to her the hospitals contract with the travel company stated " nights as needed". I expressly told the manager duringthe interview I was not willing to do all night shift. Do I have ground to break this contract? Opinions or suggestions are appreciated thanks.

I work in a busy 30 bed ER. I came on shift yesterday and there was one portable full 02 tank for the ENTIRE ER. The current policy is we have 4 portable tanks for 30 beds.RT is suppose to be paged when the tanks are empty and will only fill empty tanks, if it is even slightly below 1/4 they will not refill it, they want it empty.I have spoken to my manager re this issue ( ONE MCI or FIRE in the ER!!! and then there will be more tanks.) as when i worked on medicine we had a patient die who was sent up from ER, and his O2 ran out. This was bad as the floor blamed the ER and the ER blamed the floor.Any experiences along this line would br greatly appreciated as I know this , unfortunatly,is more common tan anyone thinks.

OK everyone. Hospitals are one of the greatest energy consumers of any institution.. I am very serious about these questions. I really really really want to know if any of you work for a organization/ hospital that has POLICIES and PRACTICES around recycling. I am not just talking about pop cans here.Is the paper you use made from recycled paper? Do you have electric eye faucets?Is you paper you throw out shredded and recycled? Do you have training on recycling? What has your hospital done to reduce energy consumption and pollution etc.? Do you recycle pop cans ( hehe). Is there greenspace for the staff and patients?Any info would be greatly appreciated.

I have never run across this. The position where I work is you are there to witness and assist the md.For example, a nurse IS ALWAYS PRESENT during a pelvic exam and other similar procedures.You are not only there to assist the physican but to act as a witness for the doctor and the patient that nothing inappropraite was done. I had a male resident once in the ER do a pelvic exam with out a RN present. After he came out I explained to him why it was essential a RN be present... and he was completely mortified he put himself in that position ( where he could be accused of inappropriate conduct).To be honest. I would be suspicions if a doctor asked me to leave the room unless it was a psychiatrist going to interview a patient. I would also chart that I was asked to leave the room if I had any concerns.

I am just wondering if any of you have ever had a "retreat day" with any of your fellow members of your staff and if you did what did you do? If you never have had one what activities what do you think you would be interested in doing... and I am not talking reviewing ACLS, or any eduational activities. I am looking more for ideas for stress management, team building, and a way to generate ideas to make the ER " work " better from a nursing perspective.

I work in a busy ER.. I had the Unit Clerk telephone for them, then they were faxed over. Staff do it all the time.. and no computer trail.Slightly unethical...

we use them, they have taken away all the other thermometers and state these are the most accurate when used properly. we, as usual , didn't have a chouce in the matter. the patients seem to like them. i just say " when we get the holographic doctor, i will be impressed!"

We had moved to a new unit and a particlar room was said to be haunted. A patietn I had cared for had passed away ( another nurse was taking care of him when he passed on nights ). I went in to the room and saw that she had left him naked on the bed , with the O2 still on, arms hanging off the bed. I thought this was very very disrespectful. I covered him up, took his O2 off and made him look comfortable. I came back to the desk and sat down. Next thing, she came running out of the room wanting to knwo if anyone had been in the patients room. We all denied it. I never told her what I did. I bet she will never leave a deceased patient like that again.

This isn't really funny.. but somehow it fits. We had a woman come in who ended up having a vag tear....apparently she and her husband we experimenting with sex toys and things got a little out of hand. she never would divluge what they "toy" was!

Ok, I have to answer to this one. We have a CODE PINK. If a MD is berating a RN in out department the nurses will call a code pink and gather around the nurse that is being yelled at ( if available). This is quite effective....the code would go CODE PINK the the area, :chuckle and the staff would know where to go.

I am looking for info re patient/ family members use of cell phones. We have a policy against it as it interfears with some cardiac moniters. We have LOTS of patients who refuse to give up their phones, and I have often caught family members crouched down in the hallways hiding ( by a pay phone or even by the free courtesy phone) using their phones. I am wondering what other policies are out there and how they are enforced.A bonues for my type A personality would be some communication tips on how to "discuss" and " inform" these people that their phones need to be off!!

I would also agree, statments like that should not be made on websites like this.Anyone can be a critic of anything, it takes someone with brains to figure out how to make it better. Do they have a protocol that all labs must be back before patients are discharged? Do the nurses do follow up calls ( from ER).

OK The 10 allergies....LOL.... I SO AGREE WITH YOU!!!

I have experience with thorascic sx, and general medecine. I am also finishing an advanced certificate in ER at the moment. I am looking for a good travel company and want to hear some of the pitfalls and benifits of the travel experience. I am looking at New Mexico ( used to live in Santa Fe) and Arizona

I am all set to head south ( NCLEX, Visa screen recieved etc.) and I am looking to hear from some Canadian Nurses who have done a few travel assignments. :)

HI, A friend of mine who is also a RN works at one of the Clinics ( in calgary). She loves it there for several reasons 1) her hours a 6-2, four to five days a week 2) she works with several LPN's and enjoys the atmosphere 3) It is not backbreaking work. I do know the pay is less there than in the hospital, however----it is worth it to some to not have to do shift work and have all the holidays off! JEN