Joybug

I responded to an ad in the Toronto Star. Every year in June there is a job fair in Toronto. Marskell marketing has been running them for years in Canada. You really do need to check it out before agreeing.

You mentioned mopping the floor as a task belonging to nurses of yore; well, I do mop the floor about 2xweek, I also spread ice melt, stock the fridges, get linen and other supplies and many other tasks not directly related to nursing. I supervise in a SNF on night shift. Housekeeping leaves at 3pm. I mop the floor to pick up spills that I perceive as a safety hazard. Same with the ice melt. I try and do anything I can to make the building and staff and patients safe, I also do whatever I can to make the shift smooth. I do not resent doing any of these things because I beleive it allows the other (direct patient care) staff to function more efficiently. I do sometines wonder that I am paid to do these tasks.

Actually Ocankhe, the management where I work were all restricted fewer hours per week while the floor staff were not and even overtime for floor staff was not questioned during a recent time of low census. So, it does happen to management as well.

Hello I work in a non-unionized state. It seems to be the same all over with short staffing and overtime. However, I recently had 8 days scheduled off in a row - I work 12 hr shifts, and I was short a day's pay. I did not complain but instead was very happy and had a great time relaxing. I'm only sorry that I have to return to work tomorrow. But, if you want the hours, then speak up and talk with everyone you can including your union rep. I haven't heard much lately about too many nurses and not enough work. But But

Dear Robin Good for you for returning to school. I was 25 when I returned. The average age of my class was 26!! not 18 when I went. Having a supportive spouse/family is your best asset. I deliberately did not work so that I could concentrate on my studies. And even though I had quite a debt when I graduated I did not regret doing it that way. P.S. I graduated 1st in my class

Okay, here goes. It was as a student in the OR that I had my worst experience. A woman was having a vag assisted lap hysterectomy. In the OR were 2 surgeons, the anesthetist, 2 nurses, myself and a ?saleman from an equipment company. Also lots of equipment including a very large TV monitor which the sales guy was promoting. So, absolutely no extra room to move. I was standing near the bottom of the tablewith a prime view, right next to the TV in case I missed anything. The woman proceded to bleed. and bleed. and bleed... Next thing I was feeling funny. I looked at my hands and they were WHITE and so was the rest of me. I was escorted to the lounge almost immediately. The woman had blood loss = 3.0 litres. They found out later that she had a rare clotting disorder that hadn't been diagnosed previously. In five years of nursing, nothing has affected me like that again.