JennRN423

The hospital where I now work has color coded uniforms for different areas (maroon for housekeeping, royal blue for PT, grey for lab, khaki for techs, etc). But the nurses are all assigned different colors depending on which unit you work (ceil blue for ICU, red for step down, navy for ED, teal for general med surg, purple for oncology, hunter green for surgery, etc). I find that patients don't really notice that the colors differentiate staff roles. I think it's a good idea in theory, but I personally don't see that it matters. And it's a bit awkward if you have to float to another floor - then you're wearing a different color than the other RNs! At my old job we could wear any color or print we liked. Like others have said, a lot of a person's professional presentation has to do with style, fit, grooming, etc - not if their shirt is solid blue or has pink & purple flowers all over it.

105.8 rectal on a 60-something male on a med-surg floor. Crazy thing was he had been telling his nurse he didn't feel well for hours & we kept checking his VS which were all normal (including normal oral temp). I wasn't his nurse, I was charge that night. Finally his nurse came to me & wanted me to look at him. He wasn't acting like his usual self so we tried to figure out what was wrong. The minute I touched him, I hollered "he's burning up!, grab a tympanic thermometer!" The tympanic showed 105.5, then we got a rectal thermometer from ER just to double check & it showed 105.8. We treated him on the floor, never went to ICU. Now I don't really trust oral thermometers anymore I think the lowest was like 93.3, but his HR was in the 30s & his BP was tanking, so he made a quick trip over to ICU - no more med-surg floor for him!

When reading & posting online, I use LOL all the time, but I rarely actually laugh out loud. This comment, however, had me rolling in laughter w/tears in my eyes. Probably because I also have a cat who is an a-hole. 😊

When reading & posting online, I use LOL all the time, but I rarely actually laugh out loud. This comment, however, had me rolling in laughter w/tears in my eyes. Probably because I also have a cat who is an a-hole. 🐈 🐾 😊

When reading & posting online, I use LOL all the time, but I rarely actually laugh out loud. This comment, however, had me rolling in laughter w/tears in my eyes. Probably because I also have a cat who is an a**hole. 🐈 🐾 😊

Don't come to Alabama! Base pay on med-surg unit for new grad RNs is around $18/hr in my area. 👿

I work on a busy 22 bed med-surg floor and we have 2 nurses who are in their 70's. One is an RN who works 7am-7pm and the other is an LPN who works 7pm-7am.

Yes it has. However there are other nurses that I work with who don't feel the same way. I had a pt several months ago who had copies of his living will & POA on the paper chart but in the computer he was still a full code. I discussed changing his code status in the computer with my manager, my nursing supervisor, and the day shift nurse taking over his care & I left a note on the chart for the MD (since I work nights I often don't get to talk with the MDs). My nursing supervisor basically told me that changing his code status was ridiculous b/c he wasn't actually dying, only there for a surgical procedure, and that if it was me in the hospital & something happened, I surely would want extraordinary measures taken!

This happens at my hospital. A pt will verbally state he/she doesn't want to be resuscitated and/or have a signed copy of his/her advanced directives on the chart, but as long as the code status in the computer says 'Full Code', then by golly that's what we have to go with. It makes me uncomfortable and I've tried discussing it with my manager. It also makes me uncomfortable that a hard form, paper copy with the pt's (or POA's) signature isn't needed when we do have someone listed as DNR (or in my hospital AND - Allow Natural Death). I understand everything is computerized so when the MD enters code status it's an order just like all the rest, but it seems to me that we should have some sort of signature for something this important.

I graduated nursing school May 2013 and we were taught that EBP says you're not supposed to check for a Homan's sign any more. It's not extremely effective since it can show many false positives/false negatives and there's a great possibility of dislodging a clot. This is the 1st thing I found when I googled Homan's sign. I'm sure there are plenty more (and better) articles out there on Homan's sign, but like I said this is just the very 1st one I came across. http://nurse-practitioners-and-physician-assistants.advanceweb.com/Features/Articles/The-Homans-Sign-for-DVT.aspx

I have essential tremor. I currently take a beta blocker that was prescribed for this. It doesn't eliminate my hand tremors, but it really helps decrease them. I've tried coming off the beta blocker, but found that the tremors interfere too much with my daily activities & my work (ex: drawing up medications w/a needle when your hands are trembling and having your coworkers & pts look at you funny is not cool).

Several months ago when my floor was fully staffed, it sounded a lot like yours (Nights with 5-6 pts per nurse, techs w/10-12 pts, charge RN w/even fewer pts to to LPN IVP meds & paperwork). Now, since we've been so understaffed, each Night shift nurse has 7-8 pts (including the charge RN!) w/1 tech for the entire 22 bed floor. Med-Surg wasn't where I imagined I would be, but I found it wasn't that bad in the beginning when I 1st started. However, now because of always being understaffed, I dread going to work every night. I'm ready for something different...

I have a sickle cell pt that comes in several times a year and IV Demerol is his pain med of choice. I think he's the only person I've ever given it to. I'm on a med-surg floor in the south (Alabama).

What's the max # of pts per nurse on your Med/Surg floor? Max # would be 7-8. Which shift? 7pm - 7am Which state? Alabama How often do you find yourself in such a situation? Not too often. A normal load is usually 5-6 pts with 1 tech. And days get 2 techs.

Geographic location - Alabama Pay rate - $18/hr base pay In which area / specialty do you work? Med/Surg What type of license do you have (RN or LPN)? RN What type of degree and/or certification do you have? BSN (& previous BA in psychology) How many years of experience do you have? Are you full-time, part-time, or casual / per diem / PRN status? Full time (with benefits) What shift do you work? 7pm to 7 am Do you receive any shift differential? Yes. $3/hr for 2nd shift (3p-11p) and $4/hr for third shift (11p-7a) Are you a manager or supervisor? No