am4182

We are planning to move to Kentucky near Murray in the next year. Could anyone tell me what realistically am RN would make as an hourly wage in Kentucky? Currently I work in critical care, tele and ACLS, nights 7p-7a. I work as a per diem nurse not needing health benefits. I also pick up straight Med/surg, ICU. I am open to almost anything. I have 6 years experience, Nursing is second career, I am a male, retired from the NY State Health Depart and at 53 went back to Nursing school. So all you "olders" ones out there thinking about it, it can be done, the rewards are amazing. I can't say this to loud...but... I'd do this job if they didn't pay me.(of course the money is nice, an ugly fact of life). Any info as to salary, job outlook, etc. would be helpful. Thanksl Allan

I am a male nurse working on a med-surg unit . My shift is nights. I am wondering how or if it is even possible to protect yourself from complaints by female patients for "touching them inappropriately." I have had this happen twice. One was a 74 year old lady , pysch history. When I woke her up to take her 0600 meds she acted very very scared. Much more fear than out of the ordinary. Of course I apologized for startling her, gave the meds and left. A few days later the hospital was investigating a complaint she made stating I touched her inappropriately. I had floated to this floor one time only, seen this pt one time only. However her complaint was that one day I was a nurse, one day a lab person, one day dressed as a doctor and even a black man one day. One would think that this complaint might cause you to suspect that she has some issues. The hospital investigated, found no basis for the complaint. The end I thought. Approx. 3 days later I was called down to the nursing office and was left with two detectives from the local police department who questioned me for 3 hours about the incident. It seems the husband was not happy with the hospitals findings so he went to the police. Again nothing came of this. The second complaint just recently was another lady late 60's in on an overdose. She was unhappy because the pain med ordered by her MD did not meet her criteria. I explained to her over and over that I could not give meds not ordered, or increase frequency without an MD's order. She had a hep locked IV in her hand and I had to give her an antibiotic. This was done with no problem. The next day I was assigned te same patient and before I actually saw how ever the charge nurse came to me and said that the patient did not want me to take care of her. I was not sorry about this and gladly accepted a switch in patients. However I learned that she has no complained that she did not like the way I touched her hand when flushing the hep locked IV, The charge nurse asked if I was not gentle, was I rude etc. She responded that she just did not like it. Over the weekend I got a telephone message from my nursing supervisor stating this lady had made a complaint about me. Her message was "I know you did nothing wrong, but in the light of what happened last year we need to talk." I called back she is on vacation for a week. Leaving me to worry about this. I am so frustrated with this. The other nurses I work with when I have talked to them about this first reaction is "YOU?????" Of all people I am more careful re: touching any patient in a way to make them uncomfortable. I am much, much more careful than any of the other RNs when it comes to not exposing patients. I always ask for permission, and explain what I am doing. Every complaint has been with a older female, most with pysch issues. I have had many female patients and their families request I take care of them or their family member. It seems that all it takes is one angry, vindicative patient to ruin your career. I have had two thoughts regarding this. One is to leave nursing entirely. The other is to make it very clear to the hospital and patients that complain that I will take legal action against the patient for slander or defamation. Really I doubt this would ever get me anything, most of these patients have no money, etc. The fact is I don't want their money, I want them to be made to be responsible for what they say. Despite all this I really do love being a RN caring for so many fine people. I live every day at my job in fear that someone will say something. Of course you are guilty until proven innocent, and even when proven innocent a cloud of suspicion follows you. As for suggestions we have a patient ratio at night o 1:10, with 1 or 2 CNA's for30 patients so it s not always possible to get a female nurse, CNA to join you when working with a female patient.

I am not sure if this is unusal but it seems that in the hospital I work at I have had more patient complaints then I ever had before. The latest was a person who complained of SOB, tingling and a feeling of chest pressure. I checked vital they were ok, (unmonitored floor), I continued to monitor the patient and then called the doctor. The MD had me call the hospitalist. They came to see pt. ordered, chest x-ray, ct, blood gases, more blood work, ekg. Everything was negative. However in the morning a second troponin was slightly elevtaed. An EMT with the family began telling them if the nurse, hospital knew what they were doing they would have known it was an MI?? I spoke to the MD later she said the only basis for considering this an MI was the troponin, no other test exam backed this up. A complaint was made to the nurse manager stating I did nothing for the pt. Xrays, ct, abg, ekg etc. doesn't strike me as nothing. However the hospital chooses not to back staff rather tell the family that they will need to talk to the nurse. A second complaint was that the pt felt they didn't get adequate care at night, nothing specific, they never named a nurse but the nurse manager decided that since I had cared for her one day I must be the guilty party. I am a relatively new nurse and new to this floor, are these types of problems common at all hospitals? I alway thought I got along well with patients... I'm not sure anymore.

I have worked in the Ed for approximately 4 months, my only past nursing experience was a little over one year in ICU. I find that my clinical skills are good (not that I can't improve and learn a WHOLE lot) my assessment is good. What I am having difficulty with is organizational skills. Our ED is busy seeing approx 100-150 people a day. I am ok until I get 2-3 new admissions at the same time or very close together. The other problem comes when a crisis, code etc. occurs and then I'm trying to catch up with the other patients, Typically we each have 6-8 patients. We have med techs that do some EKG's, blood draws, etc. but many times only 1 tech. I am getting better. My skills need to be faster ...does anyone have any thoughts on how to be better organized? I realize it is a matter of time and experience. Any way to shorten the learning curve, A final thought... I absolutely love the ED; since I started here I realize that this is MY Place to be. The other nurses are absolutely great, more than willing to help and very supportive. Thanks for your help