Birdwatcher1

Birdwatcher1 RN

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All Content by Birdwatcher1

  1. Shift work and pets.

    Birdwatcher1 replied to dudette10's topic in General Nursing

    Have routine bloodwork including thyroid done. Just like in people, many behavioral problems or changes are related to health issues. A good 'rule-out' to be sure your work schedule changes are the...

  2. Did you feel ready to practice upon graduation?

    Birdwatcher1 replied to Pachinko's topic in Nurse Practitioners, NP

    Thanks TraumaRUs and bsnanat2 for your thoughts and support! Much appreciated! :-) I was in a sizeable practice, but I was their first NP and had no opportunity to work with, or shadow PAs in the...

  3. Did you feel ready to practice upon graduation?

    Birdwatcher1 replied to Pachinko's topic in Nurse Practitioners, NP

    I have only 6 yrs of RN experience (non-traditional student in 2nd career). Graduated with honors & passed Boards for FNP in Dec, was really excited & felt ready to start learning &...

  4. Online statistics course?

    Birdwatcher1 posted a topic in Post Graduate Students

    Hi All, Have the BSN & am ready to apply to a particular online MSN program, and like everyone else they require a stats course. I've asked, they're not picky about it, just that it's an...

  5. Nurses Week

    Birdwatcher1 replied to Diamond Nurse's topic in General Nursing

    Our employer (outpatient offices/clinic) didn't do anything for Nurses Week; we heard that nurses were included with Administrative Staff Day (Secretary's day) a few weeks ago even though no one told...

  6. Help! Silver Nitrate stain from cauterization!

    Birdwatcher1 replied to kellyo's topic in General Nursing

    As a show dog breeder I use silver nitrate sticks to cauterize puppy dewclaws after removal (the use of silver nitrate is common practice in veterinary medicine--and the ENT on our med/surg unit uses...

  7. Pet peeves!

    Birdwatcher1 replied to ADN 2002's topic in General Nursing

    Not close to the 'biggest' pet peeve category but still annoying: Nurses in the breakroom before start of shift, eating their breakfast, who totally ignore a 'good morning' greeting directed to them....

  8. Feeling Guilty (calling in sick)

    Birdwatcher1 replied to RaggedyRN's topic in General Nursing

    It doesn't matter to me why anyone calls in. IMHO that's one of the big problems with nursing, everyone is in everyone else's business (management excluded, I've been there and you have to deal with...

  9. Critical care unit for a new graduate?

    Birdwatcher1 replied to Sabrina1's topic in Nursing Career

    Is there a way to find out if any other new nurses work there? Support within the recent grad population can be very helpful on a stressful unit, especially after a difficult event. If you are the...

  10. What is your favorite part of oncology nursing?

    Birdwatcher1 replied to Keely-FutureRN's topic in Oncology

    The patient population makes oncology rewarding for me. They truly know how important and fragile life is. We get to know the families as well as the patients, and I think the familiarity helps our...

  11. Portacath KVO rate

    Birdwatcher1 posted a topic in Oncology

    What does your unit consider kvo for a portacath (adult)? Had trouble finding it in the literature, a fellow nurse had a pt on 20 mL/hr as per order but at that rate infuses ok but lost blood...

  12. Portacath KVO rate

    Birdwatcher1 replied to Birdwatcher1's topic in Oncology

    Thanks for the replies! The port manufacturer literature says portacath KVO rate is part of the physician's order, thus our unit has no official policy. We have one physician who, when told this,...

  13. wearing perfume to work

    Birdwatcher1 replied to acaringnurse's topic in General Nursing

    Perfume or lingering cigarette smoke odor (which for some reason the smokers don't think can be detected ) makes my sinuses go crazy....also makes me wonder how how sensitive patients can stand it...

  14. Wow, my third 12 hour in a row...

    Birdwatcher1 replied to Adam D. RN2005's topic in First Year After Licensure

    Dude, what a day...you were awesome!!!! :) (and making me very thankful to be in my quiet little oncology unit!)

  15. Will there still be a shortage in the year 2010?

    Birdwatcher1 replied to studentnurse3's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    Nurses in 2010 or 2020 might not have to worry about finding a job but unless things change they WILL have to worry about paying bills; our DON says (and I agree) the best way to end the nursing...

  16. VA/Govt Nurse Satisfaction

    Birdwatcher1 replied to Ellen Bobinski's topic in Government, Military

    va nurse, I am again hoping you are right about the end of mandating in January (except in case of disaster/bad storm, of course)...today I worked, it's a holiday weekend and 3 people called off, so 2...

  17. VA/Govt Nurse Satisfaction

    Birdwatcher1 replied to Ellen Bobinski's topic in Government, Military

    Thank you VA Nurse for the encouragement; I do love serving the veterans and this facility is just 10 minutes fromhome. I did not know about the mandated OT going away, I will check that out--sure...

  18. VA/Govt Nurse Satisfaction

    Birdwatcher1 replied to Ellen Bobinski's topic in Government, Military

    I'm about to bail on my VA staff RN position....have been there less than a year, was told in a staff meeting today that it didn't matter that we newer nurses earned 5 wks leave per year, all we were...

  19. Does your VA allow pts to smoke?

    Birdwatcher1 posted a topic in Government, Military

    I am a new nurse on a med-surg unit in the VA system...question for my fellow VA nurses....does this happen to you? We are supposedly an 'acute care unit' but our patients are allowed to go off-ward...