ANN2WATER

Jen~ Glad you're stopping to take notice of the level of dysfunction among nurses. Alfred Kinsey's studies (and others) on people in health care professions supports your theory. Apparently, when we "fix" (or even attempt to "fix") other peoples' problems, it helps assuage our negative feelings aout our own lives. It also is, of course, a control issue. If we cannot control our own lives, perhaps if we control the lives of others....well, you likely see where this is going. Best to you in your pursuit of psych nursing. Beware, though, of institutions where the lines are blurred, between staff and patients. (no, I am not kidding) Ann (Maryland, USA)

THEY couldn't possible BE thinking!!!! I call it the "herd phenomenon"- just follow the one in front, and do what he/she does. If you can keep up, well goody for you. If not, well, I guess you'll get trampled. Not healthy, and not acceptable among "professionals"........ Ann

wow.... Couldn't help but "eavesdrop" on your posts from the other side of the world.... I'm in the US, and, in some places, the problem is the same. As some of the readers stated, however, it is NOT universally true, though it seems that way when you're in the midst of it. I sure hope it gets better for the new nurse. It's hard enough to get over the shock of real life nursing, without real life b****es to contend with.... Ann, in Maryland, USA ( no longer new, but remember it well...)

Shore Health System, on the eastern shore of Maryland, offers a 10-month critical care orientation program. Ann, RN, from the beautiful eastern shore.......

and theennnnnn............ when you tire of the "rat race" on that side of the ditch (Chesapeake Bay, that is..) come to our side, the eastern shore... look me up. til then.... learn lots, and enjoy. Ann, RN, eastern shore, Maryland

Our situation is like mommatrauma's. We have a set number of RN's and tech's. Patient acuity and census is extremely variable, as it is in all ER's. That's the nature of the beast. It's the quality of the people on your team that seems to make or break the day. We have an 11 bed ER in a rural area, which sounds like gravy to some...but, consider a job where you are creative, often self-sufficient, and always ready, literally, for anything. There is no urgent care center where we live (rural eastern Maryland) and the geographic area we serve is quite large. Ergo, anything, at any time. We staff, on a good day, 2 RN's 7a to 11a, then add an 11a RN, then a 3p RN, then 2 7p RN's. There is usually 1 tech on 7a, and one 7p or 7p to 3a. There is a secretary (with nerves of steel) on 7a, and one on 7p. That's our "usual", and our ideal; of course, it's certainly not the daily expectation. Ann, in Maryland

geniebea; It might sound crazy to you now, but my suggestion (regarding your education) is to pursue a MSN while you are so inclined. My career and education started at the ADN level. After that, I said I'd NEVER go back to school.... 5 years later, after I received my BSN, I said, I'd NEVER...... 3 years later, after I achieved my MSN, I now say, "never say never"..... The only "never" I do emphatically say is you'll NEVER regret continuing your education, to whatever level. My MSN has served me well, as I look at jobs with very few boundaries in mind. I can go back to school another year and be an NP; I can teach at the community college and/or university level; I can do bedside nursing; I can work in any level of management. I like options. Nursing gives you tons of them. A nurse with additional degrees and/or certifications has many more open doors. So, look them over. There is a wide variety of choices, in quality and quantity. Choose carefully. Don't waste your money and your time. Then, choose your job site as carefully. Find out who cherishes their nurses, vs. who has hundreds of labor units. Ann, RN, MSN, CEN

I know it's crazy. I also know it's a perfect setting for errors, and thus, lawsuits. In this era of finger-pointing at hospitals, doctors, and yes even nurses, this is not the time to be putting nurses, or anyone for that matter, in such a position. It is NOT OK, it is not safe practice, and if (or WHEN) the adminstrative personnel at your facility get named in a lawsuit, it may cause them to think twice. By then, of course, it will be too late.