ptadvocate81

Hospital policy- Pentobarb, IABP, CRRT are all 1:1. They make up the difference in staffing by using resource nurses if needed.

Hospital policy at my facility as of about 2 years ago- No fake nails for direct pt care people. You may wear polish, but it must be "in good taste"and not chipped.

i am on part time right now due to dr's orders (pregnancy) and i am loving it. i have been able to split up my days and have time off to get things done and where i work, they call 2-3 times a week offering double time shifts. depending on how i am feeling, i am able to pick one up ever now and then and it makes up for being part time. best wishes....

Our cafeteria is open 0600-0000 everyday. It is nice for those of us who work nights excpet for the fact that after 1900 the only options are the grill (burgers, hot sandwiches, hot dogs, nachos, etc), a sandwich or salad. Before 1900, there are many lines and options. But we are very happy to have this now- it use to close at 1900 and you were just outta luck if you didn't bring food or come in early to get to the cafeteria. We are docked 30 minutes for lunch as well, and most of the time we take it and then some. Depends on the night, but for the most part we have ample time to eat and drink.

I was curious about this. I was in a recent hospital meeting and they were talking about implementing an RRT where families could call them. We have had RRT for a couple of years now and it is excellent and I know that the floor nurses appreciate the extra eyes and ears, but I am wondering how it works when the family calls one. I am a little skeptical because I work in the ICU and have families all the time that are ULTRA NERVOUS and scared to death when their loved ones are moved to the floor. I am curious as to whether there is a problem with the "crying wolf" syndrome with the families. I know it is always better safe than sorry, and the families are with the pt more than the nurse, but how often do you see an RRT called for little/no reason?

For the most part, I have been treated with respect and professionalism. There are those physician's and people in general however that just have a natural talent for making you feel stupid, even when that may not be their intention. It is like marriage- choose your battles wisely. You do not want to be "that nurse" who appears to wear her feelings on her shoulder. I have been cussed one time, but it was not at me, it was about the pt. The doctor stated that he "did not give a sh#* and that I was not to call him again." So I charted in my documentation in quotes what was said and that was that. I cared for the pt to the best of my ability, did what needed to be done and the rest is in the pt's chart- legal documentation for them to see if they choose. I was taught to never chart profanities or anything in the pt chart, but I think that is wrong. If the physician chooses to use such language and not take care of the pt, I believe that it warrants documentation- after all, in a court of law it will be your word against his/hers they will not be helping you out.... Like I said, this was a ONE TIME occurance. Overall, I have been respected and talked to as a person.

I am a nurse in one of the critical care units and there are 15 beds in my unit. Typically, we have one tech/CNA for the entire unit. What we expect at my hospital is that the CNA takes temperatures (vitals are done by the monitor), blood sugar checks, helps clean pts if needed and assists in turning and bathing the pts. They are also responsible for stocking bedside carts with supplies and medication rooms with needles and syringes. Hope that this helps and always remember- if in doubt ask. Most nurses are happy to have the help and we are thankful that you are there. I started out as a CNA and know what it was like- just remember that you do not have to do that job forever- stay in school. Best wishes and I'm sure you'll do great.

Our hospital policy forbids us to cut the toenails of diabetic pts.

I work in ICU, and only have 2 pts, but do assess and reassess more than it sounds like you do, so I hope that this somehow helps. We do face to face report as well. After getting report, I am off to the sickest pt first, where I introduce myself, verify name and allergy bands, and do an initial assessment. During the assessment, I jot down anything that stood out as abnormal or that would be important in my charting. Then it's off to the next pt where I do the same things. Once finished, I chart in and start my first med pass. Just remember, if you are too busy to sit and chart, keep a small notebook in your pocket and write down important things to remember about each pt. Pt care ALWAYS comes first- then charting. Just keep track of what you need to chart. Hope that this helps- you will get into your own routine in your own time. Hang in there and welcome to the best profession (most days) ever! Best wishes.... :welcome:

I work the night shift, and occasionally (especially after a bad night) there is a bar that opens @ 0630 that we will hit after work and have a drink and shoot some pool, but it is generally nurses and RT's, no subordinates or managers- as they are at work. HEHEHE.... MANY advantages to working the night shift....

At my facility, there isn't any rule about what to wear/not to wear other than it be professional, if you are going to wear a T Shirt, it must have the hospital logo on it, and they must be ironed and clean. The ironed and clean part are not heavily enforced and it enrages me that nurses and other personel working with the ill come to work with the fresh-out-of bed look and smelling like a dirty ashtray! GRRRRR!!!! That heavens my facility is going completely smoke free in January... That should help some- maybe they can air out throughout the night. I really wish the dress code were enforced more and that there were more clear cut guidelines....

WOW! That is super unprofessional. When I was in the OR with 2 surgeons in school, one of their phones rang and he had me get it out of his pocket, answer it, and tell his 4 year old son that "your daddy is helping someone, but he will call you back when the person is all better." I thought that was both appropriate and sweet. I HATE cell phones. I do have one and talk on it at times, but if in a store or anywhere I must communicate with people, I simply ask the person on the phone to hang on, set the phone on the counter, talk with the clerk or whomever, finish my business, and then carry on with the phone conversation AFTER I have given the person my full attention.... I think it's only appropriate to give a person your full attention when they are waiting on you. Remember the golden rule....

I bought a cheap stethoscope @ http://www.jascouniforms.com during nursing school, and it worked fine for me. It was like $5.99 on clearance. Have not bought any shoes from them though. Hope that this helps- best wishes....

I can think of worse things to be called than "maid" or "stewardess" and I just think that someday they will TRULY understand what it is to care for another human being... I do hate that high class people treat you like you are something that they stepped in. I think that they treat everyone that way though so... oh well!

Professional dress, hair up.

I had this same issue when I began several months ago. I teched for four years where I work now and thought that the transition would be a fairly simple one- not so... Some of my coworkers shut me out once I graduated, backed off and acted as though they'd wait to see if I was going to sink or swim before maintaining a friendship with me. I was hurt and disappointed, but it has gotten better over the past months and those who shut me out in the beginning are warming back up, but they are not the ones that I seek out for help. I am sorry that you are experiencing this, but it does get better. Best wishes on the next job...

I work in intensive care and have cared for several of my coworkers and think that it is great. Who better to care for them than the people that love them most? I wouldn't mind in the least being a pt where I work (other than the fact that it is ICU and you have to be pretty sick to be there:uhoh21:) My coworkers are amazing people and very professional. On top of that, I know that they would not sugar coat my condition to me or my family...

http://www.jascouniforms.com

http://www.jascouniforms.com

If you can find someone to sit with the kiddos at night, I recommend working 7p-7a three days a week. The nurses I work with are home in the am to take the kids to school, sleep while they are there (and the babies are in mother's day out) and then get up and pick them up from school, cook dinner, help with homework and then go to work. It is not ideal, but it works for many. Hope that this helps somewhat. I plan to stay on nights and work part time weekends once we have our baby. Working Friday and Saturday nights, that way my hubby is home with baby during the weekends and I am off during the week. Best wishes.

During nursing school, we always had to go to the hospital the afternoon before clinicals, get the info and do our care plan to have the morning of day one in clinicals that week. Then, after the first day, you took your care plan home and added to it after caring for the pt that day. It wasn't fun, but I learned soooo much more than those who didn't have to do this in school. I learned about patho and disease process the night before, and then was able to apply it once I cared for the pt that day. It was a wonderful learning experience.

Okay, that's depressing. I do not consider myself fat, just a little out of shape and overweight. I am 5'4" and 147# and have lost 15# since graduation... You are NOT fat, but I find that fitting (not baggy and not tight) scrub pants and shorter tops help to show your true weight, and do not add to your curves. Hope this helps. Best wishes on weight loss- it's a challenge.

If we are on call, we can be called in at any time during that shift, but are paid a whole $2/hr to be on call. It's more of a pain to be put on call than to go in to work, so I try not to take any low census' unless I am pretty sure I won't be called in.

I teched in SICU during nursing school and found that it was for me from day one. I had my doubts about the fast pace and all the things to learn, but I knew that if I didn't dive right in while the information was fresh in my mind, I'd never come back from the floor to ICU. I have been in SICU for 7 months now and there's not a day that goes by that I wonder what I have gotten myself into, but I continue to learn and keep coming back for more.

Granted, I work in a smaller facility, but we TRY to keep our hearts 1:1 until they are extubated, after that, it is up to the charge nurse to decide their accuity and whether they warrant one nurse only. There is NO WAY I would have taken your original assignment. It was super dangerous and not practical at all. Kudos to you for sticking to your guns.