MassED

and Congratulations!

Just relax, go with the flow. Keep your eyes and ears open. Keep a note pad and take notes. Write down those things that you need to look up later when you go home. Nursing is not really that hard. Be safe, learn what you can and ask questions.

you can ask. I did and was told "I'm not privy to that information." But asking never hurts.

I just took a job as a house sup for a level 1. Not at that pay range, but near - Northeast region.

your routine, family life and off time are the most important. I'd say stay per diem in the hospital and go to the school nurse job, work per diem on weekends or holidays to pick up some time here and there. You can always go back to the hospital after the kids are older.

suicidal patients cannot leave, you are bound by law to protect them until evaluated. So, no, they cannot leave. IF they do, we call the police to go after them.

you are defensive. You don't seem like a seasoned nurse of 20 years, you seem to reject everything that posters write in response to you. Your posts suggest you are a young nurse with little experience who focuses on the wrong things as a nurse.

but you've been an RN for 20 years?? Something sounds fishy....

your blase attitude regarding a med error is startling. Your being flippant regarding this is just scary.

reporting a med error to the MD is first and foremost. You file an incident reports and you tell your charge immediately. You don't delay. This should be done before going on break. You also write "your second break" - that is a luxury MOST facilities do not have, so you might be living a bit the life of luxury. You lack of reporting in a timely fashion leads me to question you. I do agree if you're busy and others are sitting around socializing, that there is zero excuse and they should be helping. This is an issue to bring up, but I find this lack of work ethic is often something you cannot change in a person. People are either team players or they are not.

is Science your thing? Are you interesting in nursing? I'd look into what you want to do with your life and less interviewing what EMT's and medics or firefighters think you should do about nursing/medic. Are you doing pre-req's for nursing? I would choose one route or the other, personally. Each would require its own path and focus.

broken ribs happen with good compressions, especially on elderly with weaker ribs ie osteoporosis. You did a good job, don't worry. You did what you had to do. I always think that broken ribs are a sign you pushed hard and fast.

what?? 2 hours? Are you kidding?

?!?!!?oh my god, you get TWO breaks??!?!! I barely get 10 minutes in a 12 hour shift, and even then it is sitting at the nurse's station shoving food down my face.

it'll get better over time. Codes are hard to handle and as you gain experience, they will be less scary. You have others to lean on and learn from. Good luck and hang in there. Try to decompress, learn from each interaction and code. Write down notes and look up stuff. i

neither should a tattoo smack in the middle of your forehead have any effect on your competence, but professionalism, yes. You could act sort of way and dress any way you'd like, that has no bearing on your competence, but how you are viewed professionally? That is exactly how we are judged, like it or not. Professional decorum. Would you want a clown walking into your room saying they are performing your surgery today? Would your grandmother, mother, or grandfather? Why not just save your personal expression for outside the workplace. Your workplace is a place of WORK, not self-expression.

awful. Wonder if this guy was a patient of theirs? I'm sure the details they are not disclosing are far worse than we know. He will get his due justice behind bars.

sorry, I don't know what a "band 6" job is or why you have to present slides, unless this relates to this "band 6" job?

that hasn't been done in a VERY long time. I believe that is no longer allowed. Haven't seen this done in over 10 years. No more free lunches, pens, etc.

threat of jail time for those that don't even attempt to pay their bills would be interesting. It certainly could start to reduce our use and abuse ER. Many patients seek "treatment" when there is only an imagined illness. People need to be held accountable for their bills. Responsible in even perhaps a sliding scale way, but don't remove responsibility. Our society has gotten so lax in accountability.

chief complaint, travel history, PMH, surgical history, alcohol, drugs, LMP, vital signs. No we do not do medication reconciliation in triage, that is primary nurse responsibility. The triage nurse does the vital signs in the triage room. I talk to them while I do their vital signs, which really saves time.

How many of you deal with others who have long triage times? I'm talking 8, 10, 15 minute triage times. In the meantime you have people checking in and they just keep stacking up, sometimes without relief triage staff to bail you out. My frustration is, where I work, we try to keep our triages to 2 minutes. Other than triaging a baby or psych pt, all other triages should be quick. What kind of direction or feedback could I provide to those that are repeatedly less than swift? There is no fire under them, it is just their pace and inability to go faster, or lack of concern. I am not sure which, but it is a problem. I don't know that a direct "you need to triage faster" will be effective. Thanks!

you should probably talk to your doctor.... good luck

you can have a SIM lab, but as far as real world experience, usually PACU during nursing school. Otherwise, that is a skill you learn on the fly as a nurse.

no! unprofessional. Just as nose rings, face tattoos. We are a profession. Professional demeanor, professional decorum.