Cafelattee

n/m..

Do any of you remember when you could smoke in the breakroom:smokin: Then everyone had to go outside to smoke. It usually was out the front door. Then they make everyone smoke by the garbage loading dock. Now hospital are no smoke on campus. We've always had breakroom. THey stunk of smoke and now the stink with nasty microwave meal smells LOL. I never use them. I go outside whenever I get the chance.

Evidence base mean some nurses that know longer wanted to do bedside care needed jobs so nursing research base jobs happened. I have the same conversations happen a lot with new NP that have very little bedside experience but all types of educational research based education.

I started nursing with long narrative charting then everyone went to the check off. I never trusted the check off style. I still write out a lot. I've seen way to many depositions. Something to save your but is a narrative charting and keeping your pocket notes. There is no way you can remember every patients. When it comes to court. ITs the chart that speaks for you. You also can be called in for a deposition. That's where keeping your shift report notes/work notes. It never goes to court but they call in every nurse/resp therapt and stuff that touch a patient if there is a law suit My nurse trainers back in 90 all kept records. The lawyers are sharks. The want to trip you up. Just something as little as forgetting to chart a b/p check can have them calling you negligent I had a patient code and in the old days we tended to not chart as we go. I finished my charting on the lady after the code. I did all my b/p but had not put them on the chart. Now days with computer timing everything. IF you went after the code to put the b/p in it would looks like you are covering your ass There is also quality assurance department in every hospital that do random chart checks

I smoked from age 15 to 25. When I smoked it was still acceptable. We smoked at nursing school, at the hospital and all that jazz. I quit cause I had a 2 yo that kept trying to put the smoke-out in my mouth LOL. He worried mommies mouth was on fire. So haven't had a cig since 1995. sadly my son that I quit for decided being young and cool meant cigs. He started and I stayed on his ass to quit. He quit for awhile then started vaping. I'm on him to quit that too. He is almost 24 so I told him he has to quit by age 25. I quit for him and I want him to quit for me.

projectile GI bleed both ends he was elderly when I came into the room he was bend over in pain, naked, demented. I got sprayed from the back end, then I back away and come around to his front and he blew vomit, guy was a mess, I was a mess, it was hell! Never thought I would get clean. Its the worse of my 25 year career. He died a few days later. I transferred off the floor. I wanted ICU sedated patients for the rest of my career. LOL Then I went to ER what was I thinking but still the old guy has been the worse. I learned more about body language and got good observation skills these days. I've manage to miss being covered by anything since but I've had plenty thrown my way. Reflexes are faster now LOL The first years of nursing are the best learning experiences

Took the survey, my favorite had a doctor throw pt chart at me cause the lab result were not on it I was pulled that unit and had never worked with him. He had the reputation and no one did a dang thing about him I'm sure now days no one would put up with it but the 90s' we were still fighting for respect and against sexual harassment ( your survey regards violence) but just harassment/abuse on nurses comes in many different forms I could tell you some stories.

I had my last child 20 years ago. I was finishing up last semester. I can't remember my load but I know I had my 180 hours of clinical portion. MY child was born a month early but healthy. I had to return to class within a week. He went to my classes with me and I nursed him at school. I had finished up my clinical hours before his birth. Thank god something went right. The whole semester I was exhausted. I also had a toddler. I fell pretty sure that having the stress load put me into early labor. I'm not trying to be scary but just real. I was 27 and healthy and young. I don't' know your age but if older the stress of that much school and pregnancy is really asking for issues IMO Plus there is a learning curve and life change adaption with a first kids you are not gonna be prepared for no matter how much educating or reading. My my first baby didn't sleep through the night for 6 months. My 2nd one that I had while finishing school. Was early so he slept all the time. I had to wake him for feedings. I also had my dh diagnosed with cancer right after graduation and my baby was 6 week old. It was a **** year. I didn't have the time to enjoy the pregnancy or his first years. It was ****** stressful time. You just never know what crap life will throw at you I totally get you wanted to complete school but if you have a good support system and you can afford to wait I would skip the semester and just enjoy nesting and getting ready for your baby The only way you could do the semester is with a full time housekeeper and nanny. You would also have a whole lot of emotional let down and mommy guilt if you had to give the care of your newborn to someone else. It just does not feel natural to give your 1 week old baby away to someone to take care of. I tried it for one class and said to hell with it. I brought him the rest of the time. Congrats on the baby. Peace and good luck with whatever you decide.

well we should be politically correct/incorrect whatever and call of us it cause I do know of a nurse that is transitional sometimes a female and sometimes male. They are undecided or whatever. Seriously who give a crap

a good shift is when I actually get to leave the unit for lunch and a couple of breaks. You know like every working person. We are by law suppose to get breaks and lunch -right- I heard that some where LOL I know been waiting for this to happen on a regular base for 25 years

I remember feeling so dang guilty about my kids. My babies first year book almost all of my writing were mommy guilt stuff and a more or less a journal of my dh stuff, new born stuff. It became my journal. My boy is 20 this year and started reading it. I had one page where my dh had just had surgery and was starting his first round of treatment. I was breastfeeding and was just exhausted. I had to decide to stop because I just couldn't' do it all. The whole scribbling obvious I was crying while posting was about how I felt like I was letting my baby down. I really wish his baby book would of had more joy. Well the new born will turn 20 in May. He and his girlfriend started reading through the babybook when he started cleaning out his room. He said the saddest thing he read was one of my first post. I had been breast feeding, dh got diagnosed, surgery within the week and on 3 week of treatments. I was mentally physically exhausted and had made the decision I just couldn't breast feed anyone. I had a whole page about how much I loved him, felt guilty I couldn't give him something that important. Then how sick my dh was and pretty much every bad scary feeling I was having that summer. I had never read any of it been in a chest for years. He and his girlfriend were crying. He just hug me said I had been the best mom. I wish I was strong I think like all of us we do the best we can. I looked strong but that journal baby book was my real fears. You are in my toughts and prayers. I so pray for healing.

Oh wow you are having a tough time. I had a 3 yo and a new born when my dh was diagnosed with cancer. I was 27 and he was 34 at the time. I remember being stressed how I could provide for them. I had my RN but still a lot on someone plate. I really hope your dh pulls through and get back his full health. I would say you need to finish up for security reasons. Sometimes as mothers we have to weight it out -yes you will have less time for them at this moment but long term will completing your RN be best for them I will also add I that I was completing my bsn (before internet) had my son was born a a month early right before graduation and my dh was diagnosed within 2 week after gradation. I was nursing a baby, a toddler to my dh's treatment that were a hour one way and aback. I also had to figure out how to pay bills. I had to have a lot of peoples help and it was the worst year of my life. BUt now dh and I have been married 26 years and he has been healthy I feel for you and hurt for you. I don't know what you are capable off or what your family really needs. You have to decide but just know that what you decide is the right answer - don't second guess. Blessing, goods thought and prayer for your family

I work different icu and er and the rule you may give a med for another nurse but you always read the order for your self and draw the medicine for your self. You never take someone's word or administer a medicine you did not draw up or obtain yourself. This use to happen a lot when a LPN couldn't' do a IV push. I had LPN that wanted to help me so they would get everything ready. That's a big NO. yes it would of helped cause I was one RN with 54 pts but still have to do it myself. Sorry but its sound like you don't get basic medication administration practice THe only time this rule can get ambiguous is during a code.

ideally a charge nurse has experience and all that LOL but when I started in the hospital they utilized a lot more LPN so if I was the only RN scheduled then you were charge didnt' matter how much experience. I was very dang lucky my very expreince (20 year) plus LPN where willing to guide me. Yeah I had to do central lines pushes/hang blood but they pretty much could do what we could with vents and stuff. NOt like today in my state. I was no way ready to run things with only 6 months of experience. They taught me a lot.

hate to tell you this is nothing new. I worked in a hospital back in the 90's. YES we had sick folks many drips intubated multiple chronic illness . We do have more sick ass people today cause folks are lazier and eat more but they were still sick back then. The hospital decided to save money by cutting cna, secretary and janitorial staff at night. I haven't read anything on this forum that even match the level of hell hard ass nursing yet. . WE were working at such a crazy ass level. I have never worked in anything worst. I've been at it 25 years. So get folks vent on here and think they have had the worst. I bet you haven't. We worked at a time with lots chronic illness with no idea how to help folks with MRSA and hiv. Its was hell and hard. So sorry you fill like the job is **** and hard. IT is way easier now. I have resp therapy, I have pharmacy mixing my drips. I use to maintain my own vents, 5 drip (I mixed by self) I had 3 pts in SICU. I had actually manual debridement of wounds. WE didnt' have a wound nrse. WEe were all things to our pt. It was damn hard. TOday computer this and that and so many of our roles are handed off. ITs way easier. The only ones that thinking it harder never worked the 90's shortage. We only had 1 nurse show up for a 19 bed step down. I can tell you hard stories. Where we had to make hard choices. There were not enough of us. We didnt' sit or chart the whole shift. I know that can't happen now which tells you how much less pt care your actually doing that you can chart all along the shift. WE charted when the next shift showed up cause we had not damn time. I would of loved to had a Ipad back then LOL. I would of love to call resp or some rapid response team. I would of loved to have all the modern help. So nope nursing is actually easier. I've never had a harder acuity or number of pt since the 90's ITs way easier.