cameleon

Try not to get discouraged. do what u have to do and as long as your happy with what your doing.If you're a new grad. i reccomemnd working day/evening shift. alot goes on during the days, like assisiting doctors with a chest tube insertion or thoracentesis and other minor procedures that can be done at the bedside. That is an advantage to learn new techniques etc. I have worked all shifts. Days when i use to work in a clinic setting and now back to nights. I prefer nights simply because i'm a night owl. Furthermore it's less stress. I concur with the other night nurses. No suits,doctors, and family members during the night. I have alot of respect for people working days and evenings. I think they deserve some type of bonus at the end of the physical year to put up with alot of stuff- to put it mildly. i couldn't work days, i wouldn't be able to focus , too much chaos. I need my shift differential being a single parent to a teenage girl. So u see people work different schedules for different reasons. good luck on whatever u decide.

Fellow charge nurses, How many of u out there have a patient load while supervising the whole unit? How many patients would u take? Recently I had to charge with 5 patients of my own to look after and at the same time monitor 4 epidurals w/c in hindight I should have taken those patients to save me the stress. On top of that i have to write the report, staffing for the next shift, put orders in the system(no unit secretary) and whatever paperwork needed to be filled out. I was so frustrated that night that i told my supervisor that i was ready to walk out. Since i have to no permanent unit i go to on nights i work, I thought it was unfair and a patient-safety issue as well. Am I over reacting??? Input please. thanx

Hello, Topic: Float pool- In my opinion if u have have a solid med-surg. backgroung u can start to "test the waters" in the different areas of nursing with little appehension. U either know your stuff or u don't. I think attitdude also has alot to do with it. I tell myself, "I can do this! Of course i never stop asking questions. Furthermore patient-safety issues are always in the forefornt with me. Where I'm employed there is a short orientation to the float pool itself. Otherwise, i learned as i go. I'm fortunate to have approachable charge nurses on the various units. Furthermore we have skills day that updates us on the different devices you'e exposed to. i.e epidural pumps,pca pumps, chest tubes(ugh) cpm(orthopedic device used after total knee surguries)glucometer included. just to name a few. i recently signed up for an EKG refresher course (helps when u float to the telemetry floor), though where i work there is an assigned telemetry technicnain who just sits and interpret those rhythms. Another thought, how abut emergency room nursing? Great exposure to everything! again the endless possibilities.......

As i've come to observe. the working environment has changed. We are not only expose to different attitudes but to different cultures as well. I've known to work with Nigerian nurses ( mainly women) who have very strong personalities and been accused of being rude. There not rude just loud. It took awhile to get use to. but they sure do work hard. Regardless of the ethnic background, attitude towards work is affecting the way we care for our patients. It never ceases to amaze me that the qualtiy of care nowadays has gone to the dogs. I understand your plight. I recall reminding a PCA to turn a patient. PCA replied, "no pillow, what do u want me to do? I said, "improvise, -fold a blanket, stuff it in a pillowcase and voila! Here comes the the rolling of the eyes! As i see it we have got to work together to keep the quality of care at its best. I have always emphasized the teamwork approach and carry that attitude with me when i float to the different areas of the hospital. More power to you......

I remember starting out in L&D, found out it wasn't my cup of tea. I moved on to med.surg, and voila!!!! found my calling. Expose youself to different areas and see if that will ignite the passion u once had. When my unit dissolved(observation unit, as of date resurrected again) i decided to work in the float pool. I was apprehensive at first but now i know al little bit about orthopedics,post-partum,nursey etc. I even did pediartrics for awhile providing immunizatiion from a mobile unit that went to different schools. Homehealth- did that to. The endless possiblities. Good luck

It's unfortunate that the manager of your unit doesn't want to address the issue at hand. I'm one of those old timers that stayed with a particular unit that would exist one day and gone the next(long story).I left after 10 years, exposed myself to different areas in nursing. Came back, joined their float pool, and found contentment.