HazelnutCream

Knowing when and how to delegate well is definitely a skill that can be learned and improved, NOT a sign of weakness. Might help to mention to your charge nurse or CNAs something like "hey guys, I really appreciate your help when I get in the weeds. I'm working on getting better at prioritizing and anticipating my patients needs, so I may ask for help sooner, before things get so crazy." If people see you're trying, most will want to help you be successful. For CNAs, I have found that by sharing the bigger impact of their help and making them feel like a part of the team, they are much more likely to do those extra things that make your life so much easier.

For any applicant (to a school or a job) that is rejected, but doesn't know why.... ASK. Not just "why didn't I get in?" but rather "I appreciate the time you spent with me/the opportunity to speak with you about [x], and wonder if you had any suggestions on what could I do to better prepare myself for similar opportunities in the future?"

Generally speaking, some employers do reimburse a portion of your cell phone cost if they require you to use it for work. Agree with recommendation to speak with tax professional or your employer.

We've all had those days for sure. If I can identify specifically what I did that wasn't my best, I try to think through how I could have done it better. If I felt unprepared when calling a doc, did I jot down my notes in SBAR before I paged? If I got questions from a family member that I didn't answer well, can I research the topic so I feel better able to explain (the med, treatment, diet, whatever I needed to teach). If I stumbled through a procedure or complex dressing, did I pause before I started to ensure I had all supplies I might need and knew the steps to do? We ALL have those moments. For me, I just tried not to have the *same* moment more than once. Eventually, they happened less and less frequently and I felt better and better about the care I was providing. Good luck!

Also, may be late for this to be helpful for you, but might help others: always a good idea to ask about the orientation and training provided, especially for a first nursing job. Depending on the level of technical skill required in the position and new equipment & EMR systems to learn, these can vary drastically, so it helps to know what you can expect of your orientation. (Better to ask this in your interview process, but you can and should certainly still ask this when you get started in your position). Good questions to ask include length of orientation, how much classroom vs paired with someone on the floor, will you have a consistent preceptor or will multiple ppl train you, how will you be evaluated during orientation. Best of luck in your new position!

We're doing lab coats embroidered with each nurse's name. And food. There is always food!

Varies for each course, some as low as the 60s (%). Most seem fair and doable based on the difficulty of the material and style of questions. The pre-assessments are a good gauge of whether you are ready to take the final (OA).

For the courses you are enrolled in at the start of your term, you can access, work on, and take assessments/submit tasks at any time in your term. They generally recommend focusing on one course at a time, but the dates that your mentor assigned for each course are just guidelines. As long as you finish 12cu in your term, you can do them in any order you like.

Two years is very possible. Les than that if you are highly motivated and have the time to devote to it.

Sorry you haven't heard back yet, but hopefully we can help in the meantime. New sessions start on the 1st of every month, not mid month. Good luck!

If you enjoy the benefits and stability of your fulltime job, but want to add in more patient contact for personal fulfillment, I'd recommend volunteering for a hospice. Wouldn't be paid work, but definitely feeds the soul and allows you to see the tangible benefit of your work. You can do as much or as little as you want, with flexibility in your schedule. Hospices love our volunteers! We have a number of retired RNs who volunteer with us, and they bring so many strengths in communication, empathy, and the power of their presence. If after being exposed to working in hospice in this way, you want to get more involved down the road, that's always an option, too.

Some of our challenges (from the perspective of a hospice provider): -ALFs that refuse to allow any PRN medications -ALFs that do not allow hospital beds or oxygen -SNFs that expect hospice to perform all treatments (e.g. daily wound care) -SNFs (and some ALFs) that contact their attending MD for orders without notifying or updating hospice of the concern or the new orders. Not one I've personally faced, but have heard from other providers: -ALFs requesting continuous care any time a patient has ANY symptoms I'm sure there are more that will come to mind but these are the biggest ones that I can think of. Interested to hear what others are facing and what is working for you. If you have suggestions for what works great for you, I would love to hear that, too! Thanks!

Some of our challenges (from the perspective of a hospice provider): -ALFs that refuse to allow any PRN medications -ALFs that do not allow hospital beds or oxygen -SNFs that expect hospice to perform all treatments (e.g. daily wound care) -SNFs (and some ALFs) that contact their attending MD for orders without notifying or updating hospice of the concern or the new orders. Not one I've personally faced, but have heard from other providers: -ALFs requesting continuous care any time a patient has ANY symptoms I'm sure there are more that will come to mind but these are the biggest ones that I can think of. Interested to hear what others are facing and what is working for you. If you have suggestions for what works great for you, I would love to hear that, too! Thanks!

Hello all! I am a Hospice Director of Nursing, working to improve our collaboration and coordination of services with both local skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities. I have two questions/requests: 1. What are your current biggest specific challenges that you face with local hospices? 2. What strategies have you used that have been most effective in improving these relationships? I'll include examples of some of our challenges in the comments. Full disclosure: I imagine at some point in the future, I will put together a presentation or article on this topic. I have cross posted this question to the hospice speciality area to get their input as well. No specific details, challenges, or strategies will be included without prior approval. Thanks!

Hello all! I am a Hospice Director of Nursing, working to improve our collaboration and coordination of services with both local skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities. I have two questions/requests: 1. What are your current biggest specific challenges that you face with local hospices? 2. What strategies have you used that have been most effective in improving these relationships? I'll include examples of some of our challenges in the comments. Full disclosure: I imagine at some point in the future, I will put together a presentation or article on this topic. I have cross posted this to the hospice area to get their input as well. No specific details, challenges, or strategies will be included without prior approval. Thanks!