ALICIA RN

I work in a small Postpartum unit. We max out at 8-9 patients. The only staff on duty are 2 RN's. We are constantly getting high acuity admissions, some of which are contagious and obviously inappropriate. When I raise objections, I am labeled "lazy" and "negative". Has anyone else had this problem? Should I just move on to another job?

From the mother of one very hyperactive child: Stop judging other people. Some children are hyperactive and need meds to help them focus. In your day, those people ended up flipping burgers or pumping gas, instead of reaching their maximum potential. My son is headed to college soon, because his mother cared enough to get him the help he needed.

Let me tell you first that I got through nursing school with two toddlers. Now, let me tell you a horror story. My first semester in nursing school we were told that there would be one very important class that we could not miss. Care planning was presented in its entirety in one long class period. I was leaving to drop my little baby at the nursery, having already put my 3-year-old on the preschool bus. My foot slipped on the top step and down we went. I am a little shaken up but I manage to keep hold of my daughter. She is screaming, but I know that it is just from fright because she hasn't left my arms. My butt hurts, but my baby is safe. When we get to the driveway she is still crying. I sit her on the hood of the car to comfort her quickly before we are late on the one unmissable day of nursing school. Then I notice the blood. Unbeknownst to me the baby's ear got snagged on a loose nail in the porch rail and was pierced. So I end up spending the morning in the ER getting my baby's ear stitched up and a shot of antibiotics to boot because the cartilage was involved. The moral of this story is: even if something truly horrible happens to trip you up, remember that you have to keep your head up and keep trying. Talk to your professors. Even if you think your situation is hopeless you might be surprised how accomodating they can be if they really see that you are serious and caring.

ADN IS ASSOCIATE DEGREE NURSE. HAVING A BACHELOR IS NICE IF YOU AREN'T IN A HURRY TO MAKE SOME GOOD MONEY. IF YOU ARE FINANCIALLY CHALLENGED YOU CAN ALWAYS GET A BACHELOR DEGREE WHILE ALREADY WORKING AS AN RN.