jesshopper12

What do you think, fellow nurses? I have been a nurse for >5 years now, and I'm ready for a change. There is an assistant nurse mgr position open on m current floor, but I am not sure if I want to do this or proceed to ICU. I need to learn. I need to change something. Please fellow nurses - give me your feedback! :)

I am so so sorry you are going through this - you are not at all overreacting. Please know we are all thinking of you - keep us updated. -- Hugs --

I have to set my clock for a time that "feels right". Strange, I know. . .

The thing of it is that the day/night part of it will be a 70/30 mix. 70% of your preferred shift, and 30% of the less desired (nights). And I've been told that there are enough RNs there that like to work nights, that they will often trade. I trust the source - it has been repeated and repeated - I know the NM personally. Thanks for all of the replies!

All of the time. There are days that I don't eat until 3 or 4pm, and even then it's just a snack.

So I am looking at transferring to another unit at the hospital that will require working day/night. I currently work straight days. I did the swing shift deal when I first started nursing, but I had no kids at the time. (My kids now are 1 & 3) Does anyone out there have encouraging words or advice for me? I would really like to take this new job - it would be a great learning opportunity. Thanks in advance!

I was the charge RN one weekend with a patient assignment and an orientee. As charge RN, I was helping out another RN by transferring her patient to another unit to initiate bipap (can't do it on our unit). This patient had some sort of bowel resection, and was currently minimally responsive, febrile, etc. (Next time I will forgo transfer and call rapid response :) ) Fast forward to arrival on new unit: slide patient onto new bed, patient begins to spew froth from mouth. EKG patches slapped on, beat...beat........beat.....................call the code. On another unit. With an orientee, oh my poor orientee. This was a rather large woman, with a wound vac on her large abdominal incision. With each compression the contents of her bowels sprayed out. She transferred shortly thereafter to the ICU, then to the OR (perfed bowel - go figure), and eventually passed away. And to this day I still can't help but wonder.....what if she would have coded in the elevator??

This did indeed give me goosebumps - AMAZING.

Hello fellow nurses - I have been a nurse now for almost 5 years, and I've seen quite a few codes. So I am wondering: what is the worst code you've seen/been involved in?

Hello fellow nurses - I have been a nurse now for almost 5 years, and I've seen quite a few codes. So I am wondering: what is the worst code you've seen/been involved in?

90 miles round trip/50 min-1 hr (depending on parking/traffic)

Very ill, 50-some year old man, single, no children, few friends, unable to walk, many, many health strikes against him. This patient is VERY ill, and at one point was DNR. Since this admission, code status has been changed to full code. Patient refused nearly all meds, treatments, and cares today. Begged to die. Wants to die. Wants a DNR status. Patient can be confused at times, although at the time of these statements and conversation with physican and sibling POA, patient is lucid and knows where he is, what month/season it is, etc. Sibling asks pt right out "what do you want to do if you stop breathing - do you want tubes to help you breathe?". Pt states "when it's time to go, it's time to go" and continues to restate "no more treatment" and "let me go". DNR order never gets written. False hope given to family members. My hands are tied. What else can I do for this pt? I continue to reassure him that I am there to make him as comfortable as I can and will do all that I can for him...All the RNs on the floor are frustrated as well. Anyone have a similar experience?

I can relate to how you feel...I started my job in July as a new grad and hated it pretty much from the beginning. I too wanted to quit...I would cry before the shiftand contemplate calling in sick...I started looking around at other hospitals - even went on an interview - but in the end I ended up staying where I started. It turned out that what they say is true - it DOES get better after 6 months! Listen to your gut and your heart - if your heart isn't in it, it's impossible to love the work/patients and do a good job. I just tried to look at every patient as a great new learning experience and did all that I could to make them comfortable and happy w/ their stay. Look at your unit, your patients, and your co-workers - I have some of the greatest nurses working around me that it would have been a mistake to go elsewhere. Best of luck in whatever you decide to do - keep us posted!

I work a day/night rotation, so I get to see both worlds of nursing. I hear day shifters complaining about night shifters, and visa versa. I just stand back and smile, because I know the world of both! I try to do my double checks and other "night shift" duties during the day, but a quite busy. Day or night, we run our tails off!

Does this cost anything? Or do you need to become a member of the AACN?

I like the show - haven't missed an episode yet - but after the last couple I've stopped caring. They portray nurses as rude and short-tempered - what about those of us who care for their patients and go out of their way to make them comfortable? I find it quite amusing how much time the residents spend with the patients on the show - only a rare few do so in our hospital. When will they start portraying us in a good light? The light we deserve??

Depends on how specific you want to get on your experience. I went for Med-Surg and had a great time. Otherwise I would've gone for ICU (if it had been available..). Best of luck!

All you cardiac/cath nurses who have the pleasure of pulling lines post cath (either in the cath lab or on the unit)...what is your worst experience while pulling a line? I have been on a cardiovascular unit x 7 months now and have done a few. Heard a few whispers about "nightmare pulls" from other nurses (bp drop, atropine, arterial blood spray..). Share your experience!

Hi all - Wondering if anyone here has worked as or knows another RN who has worked as a pharmaceutical rep. Any info on qualifications? Where to locate job opportunity info? I worked in a pharmacy for 7 years before graduating nursing school and miss that aspect...Thanks in advance!:)

Hi all - I graduated from school in May 05 and have been working on a very busy cardiac/thoracic unit since July 05. A couple of weeks ago it was like I had a revelation...I couldn't believe how comfortable I felt on my unit, and I felt as though I had learned so much! Then just a couple of days ago my attitude changed - I feel like I still have so much to learn, and so many questions to ask. Does it ever get to a point where you are 100% comfortable with everything? Some days I feel so dumb...I will say, however, that if I am ever unsure about something or don't know what something is, I'll research it so that I know more about it. I've come so far, but have so far to go! Any advice?

Anyone else find themselves getting sick a lot when working night shift? This past week & a half I've had a cold and the stomach flu (which I'm finally getting over after 4 days...). Not to mention I get migranes much easier. I am struggling to feel "normal" when working the night shift. Although I prefer the slower (but still busy!) night shift, I'm struggling...

QUOTE: I changed shifts and worked 11p-7a and found that it was a completely different environment. Everyone was a TEAM. No one was ever alone, especially in a crisis situation. I have found the same to be true - the pm shift is hard on my body, but the nurses work together and truely make a huge difference in the shift. This is why I am still there! I was ready to find another job even before I was off orientation, but then I experienced nights. Now I just have to find the schedule that will be kinder on my body...best of luck!

Hi all - I'm hoping to get somegreat advice. I have my BSN degree and have been working in a large teaching hospital for 6 months. I am thinking of going back to school in the fall for my Master's, but am not really sure what I would do with the degree. Can anyone lead me to a good website or give me examples of what opportunities would be open to me with my Master's? Thanks!

$77,000 in loans...never qualified for scholarships...I'll be paying for the next 30 years!

Hi all - I graduated from nursing school in May and began my position on a Med/Surg Cardiac/Thoracic unit 3 1/2 months ago. I enjoy it most days, but it is a difficult unit and very fast paced. Several other new nurses began at the same time I did, which put a "burden" on the rest of the nurses to orient all of us. I often times overheard them talking about how tired they were of orienting. I still hear them commenting on all of the "new" nurses, the "inexperienced" nurses...like we are some kind of a burden. True, we all have questions to ask, but I must say that we are all doing well and keeping afloat. It frustrates me that these nurses still complain about us when we are standing right there, and do not see all that we have learned so quickly. I know that I still have SOOO MUCH to learn...does anyone else experience this? How long does it take to feel "experienced", or to have other nurses look at you as competent? Any suggestions? :imbar