w8liftinglady

I am always overcome with guilt when I call in-but I have been running a fever for 2 days now..I have called in today-but I just don't see making a 12 hour shift on a surgical telemetry unit...what would you do?(just picking brains..I know what I'm going to do)

While I like the crusty "House" character,I never see nurses portrayed as more than runners.The doctors draw blood,start IVs,titrate drips,take vital signs,hook patients up to O2 and monitors,etc,etc,etc....so UNLIKE real life,where the nurses tell(or "suggest"-in the passive-aggressive way we do) the docs what drips to hang,what labs to draw,what meds to give.

Around 15 years ago,the inner city MSICU I worked in had 5 pregnant or newly delivered women,all on vents,with ARDS from a variety of causes.This was in late december,and i remember losing 2 moms,with the bonus of fetal demise and miscarriage on Christmas Eve,losing two moms on Christmas,and losing one mom on the day after Christmas.I remember one intern throwing his body across the body of a 17 year-old mom we lost,and just heaving big sobs.we all had to have debriefing and therapy with the chaplain for months.I definitely had PTSD after that.

I think a lot of it is regional,too-from what I gather on this board.I became a nurse in West Texas,where doctors were God,and we were to cater to them(it was even in the mission statement of one of our hospitals)They would throw charts,scream and basically be tyrants.I know this won't be well received,but a few of my friends were "Dr groupies",and basically slept with all of our local docs.We would have them call these docs at night-they were not verbally abused quite so badly.I knew I'd never be a "groupie",...but I channelled my energies into powerlifting and bodybuilding.For some reason,doctors like that are intimidated by strong,assertive women.They really are trying to cover up for some deep rooted insecurity,I think.Call them on it.I love to ask them"What would your mother think if she heard you talking like that?"LOL..they almost always blush and shut up.Don't let yourself get into a shouting match-always keep in control.

I know someone mentioned a hoyer lift,but let me elaborate a little...we also deal a lot with Sizewise,and they have this huge hydrolic lift that works with a sling placed under the patient..the lift slides over the patient's bed,and is controlled by a handheld device.by attaching the hooks to one side,you can turn the patient by yourself,almost,as well as "pull" him up in bed.This device was a must for our obese patients http://www.sizewise.net/pdf/ProductPoster.pdf This poster illustrates it pretty well.Maybe you could see about getting them in your facility?We used it in our icu-with all the equipment,you could still get around it.

If you have the option,you might consider doing a weekend plan.I have done weekends only for about 10 years.My two sons still at home are 14 and 8.My mom lives nearby,and drops in on them.I have given the 14 year-old a cell phone on the "friends and family" plan so he can get ahold of me(and I can get ahold of him).when my older son was at home,it was the same.They go to their dad's every other weekend,so it really isn't a big deal.I am off for their school things,and all summer.I haven't had to do the daycare thing for 10 years.I make the same money as I would if I worked during the week,and have the option of picking up more days when I need to.I get full benefits,too.It is really a great thing(hard on your social life if you are a single mom,but you can adapt).

I tore my rotator cuff about 4 years ago,and surgery to repair it.My best advice would be to do it and get i over with,before you lose any more function.Unfortnately muscles atrophy quickly with disuse.The rehab is rough,but if you grit your teeth,you will regain most ,if not all,of your prior function in 6 months.Keep one of those Ice-filled k-pad machines at home,and use it a lot for the first few weeks-it will greatly improve your mobility and ability to sleep.I was competing at my prior level 1 year post-op,so there is hope:)

I agree 100%.Recently,we had a situation where I work(Texas).A patient was complaining to her family about staff abusing her,hurting her,and the family was understandably livid.Upon investigation,there appeared a trend...all the complaints were against the Black CNAs,Black nurses.I asked the patient if she would just prefer to have white caregivers-and she denied having an issue with it.I approached the staff as a whole,gave them my observations,and allowed them to decide whether they would like to be assigned to this patient or not.Most chose not.Unfortunately,most of my staff who happen to be Black have been subject to some kind of workplace hostility due to their race.I have found that the best approach is a direct,honest approach-with all my staff.The more you push racism into the open,the less power it has over you.Coincidentally,since the above-mentioned patient has had her caregiver mix changed,there have been no further complaints from her.It's not fair to place your staff in a situation that will be hostile to them from the get-go.