The Lady Kate

The Lady Kate specializes in Tele/Med Surg/Psych.

The Lady Kate's Latest Activity

1. 

   How did you get your ER position?

   The Lady Kate replied to Alexxoxox's topic in Emergency

   I was a floor nurse first at level 2 community hospital. I made my connections but unforntunately that particular hospital did not take any nurses that don't have prior ER experience, even floor and icu experience. So I applied to the busiest and biggest trauma center (a level 1) in my area to get experience and they took me since I had floor experience already. They do not hire new grads. If I were you I would just make connections now and apply to any ER that has new grad residencies. Good luck to you!
2. 

   Nursing Job Change: Jump Ship or Sit Tight? 5 Things to Consider

   The Lady Kate replied to jeastridge's topic in General Nursing

   I disagree with the boredom point. I was a med-surg nurse on nights at a community hospital and for sure was bored. I transferred to ER and never looked back!
3. 

   What was your scariest threat from a patient or family member

   The Lady Kate replied to DesiDani's topic in General Nursing

   My dad (respiratory therapist) was held at gunpoint by a patient's family member and asked to remove the patient from the ventilator. Won't give details but the case changed ethics laws and policies for hospitals.
4. 

   Would you be content if you worked your current job/specialty for the rest of your career?

   The Lady Kate replied to purplegal's topic in General Nursing

   Same specialty? No. Same hospital? Yes. I work on a combined med/surg tele unit that also takes psych and stroke patients. While it's interesting to see all types of patients, it's often too slow for me and little critical thinking skills are needed. Granted I work nights, but still. I'm not a floor nurse at heart. I like my manager and my schedule is great, while living super close to work. I'm trying to get into ICU or ER, but my hospital requires experience in those areas in order to apply, so here I am :/
5. 

   Illinois Salary Update

   The Lady Kate replied to SuburbsGirl's topic in Illinois

   Edward/Elmhurst starts their new grads at $27/hr. Not sure about Adventist and AMITA. Naperville and the surrounding suburbs are expensive, and it's hard to afford on a nurse's salary. I would know
6. 

   New BSN looking for ER/ICU Job

   The Lady Kate replied to kruse's topic in Emergency

   For flight nursing, ICU experience is more valued. So if I were her I would start in the ICU right away if it was available. As amzyRN said, transitioning from ICU to ED would be an easier transfer than med/surg or tele. If she starts in med/surg or tele, she might have a hard time trying to transfer into ED after that, considering the ED often requires critical care experience or other ED experience, which is currently the boat I'm in. I started in med/surg-tele and can't seem to leave, since ER and ICU want "experience." So go the ICU route first. Good luck to her!
7. 

   Is my med-surg experience for nothing?

   The Lady Kate posted a topic in General Nursing

   I have been a med/surg/tele/psych nurse in a 300 bed community hospital for a little over a year now, and I have my eyes set on ER. I feel like I got some great experience working here, and my manager and schedule are awesome. The hospital is less than 10 minutes from my house, so I would like to stay here long-term preferably. I'm starting to get bored with the unit, and working nights there isn't usually as much going on to pique my interests, as I like to keep busy. The issue is I would like to get into ER, but my hospital requires 1 year of ER experience to apply. We have a transition program that is occasionally open, but requires 2 years of floor experience. My question is do I stay on my unit another year and wait to apply and hope to get in? Or should I go elsewhere to get that 1 year of ER experience and come back? At the same time, I've always had a desire to work at the local trauma level 1 hospital where I did clinicals which is the busiest in the state, our ER is level 2. I'm just worried if I moved I would be making a mistake, but if I stay I wouldn't be getting the "trauma hospital" experience I seem to desire. I don't discount my med-surg experience, but it doesn't seem to count toward my ultimate goals. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
8. 

   Nurse vs Respiratory Therapist

   The Lady Kate replied to Lost and Found's topic in General Students

   My dad is an RRT, and helped me through nursing school way more than my mom (who is also a nurse- OB) ever could. RRTs have very specific scopes of practice, and their scope outside the hospital is limited. Becoming a nurse allows for much more varied job opportunities and career progression, as an RRT mainly works at hospitals, LTC/vent facilities, and sometimes in clinics performing pulmonary function tests. RRT vs. nurse would really come down to how you would view your role in working with patients. If the answer is less of a direct role and you are comfortable with secretions and ICU/vent management, then RRT would be a good fit. RRTs also make less than nurses in general. To give you perspective my dad makes the same amount hourly as me after 35 years as an RRT, and I've been a nurse for little over a year now.
9. 

   BSN or ADN in The Chicagoland area

   The Lady Kate replied to Katbas's topic in Illinois

   For sure BSN. I work in the western suburbs, and the hospitals out there won't even consider you without BSN. The only ones who did get in with an ADN were already employees (usually former CNAs) who were enrolled in a BSN program at the time of hire. It greatly depends on the hospital. Like Mkakids said, certain ones you may be able to swing it. Unfortunately your previous bachelor's degree will not count as a "bachelor's prepared nurse," thus you need the BSN degree for that to be true.
10. 

    Nurses Humilated - Illinois

    The Lady Kate replied to SuburbsGirl's topic in General Nursing

    Ugh, I did my role transition clinical at that hospital. Doesn't surprise me at all so glad I didn't apply there. Patient satisfaction can't be the only thing driving reimbursement. This scares me as a new nurse!
11. 

    How fast did you land a job?

    The Lady Kate replied to johndough's topic in General Students

    I got a job in a nurse residency program at the hospital my parents work at close to my house. I interviewed with them 2 days before graduation and was offered the job 10 days after graduation. I agree with ICUman, you need to apply early. I graduated in December and applied for the program in late Nov.
12. 

    New grad, need advice! CNA performing RN tasks

    The Lady Kate replied to The Lady Kate's topic in General Nursing

    Thanks everyone for your comments! Greatly appreciated [emoji4] just wanting to do the right thing
13. 

    New grad, need advice! CNA performing RN tasks

    The Lady Kate replied to The Lady Kate's topic in General Nursing

    We have what is called an unusual occurrence report, it's anonymous and goes to risk management.
14. 

    New grad, need advice! CNA performing RN tasks

    The Lady Kate replied to The Lady Kate's topic in General Nursing

    I don't think we have MIDAS at my facility, but I will look into it! And yeah, I will definitely say something to the manager at minimum, it's unfortunate nothing has been done sooner :/
15. 

    New grad, need advice! CNA performing RN tasks

    The Lady Kate posted a topic in General Nursing

    Hi all! I am a new grad at a large community hospital on a busy med-surg/tele unit with a great manager and mostly great staff. Everything has been going well so far except that a CNA on our floor who also happens to be in nursing school has been performing nursing tasks such as picking up meds for other RNs from the tube stations, taking out foleys, and hanging fluids for nurses. My preceptor has taken it up with her and when the tasks continued, took it up with her manager, who did nothing about it. Other nurses seem to tolerate it, but it makes me uncomfortable. Yesterday I went in to hang a new bag of fluids for my patient only to find that it was already done by this same CNA! I know it seems like a menial task, but it's something that she and I can get in trouble for. I don't want to seem like a snitch for saying something to the manager, any advice? I thought about writing an unusual occurrence report which turns over to risk management, but I'm conflicted about it. Thoughts appreciated!
16. 

    Looking back on your biggest challenge as a new nurse

    The Lady Kate replied to kreswhit's topic in General Nursing

    Talking to doctors and dealing with sending patients to tests, patient teaching, and other staff has really been the most challenging part. In school they don't teach you that stuff, you only learn it by doing it yourself.