RhondaIndyRN

I agree, your best info will be from an RT. Does your facility have new nurses go through ACCN ECCO training. It was very helpful for me. Good luck to you! Rhonda

Update...I think as of March of this year (2011) Harrison's ASN program is accredited by the NLN.

I totally agree that electronic documentation sure takes away from my patient care. My hospital corportation implemented a new system this past February. If I could chart on a paper flow sheet again, I'd think I was in heaven. I am very computer literate and made a point of learning how to use them when my kids started learning about them in school. I too took "typing" in high school and had to teach myself keyboarding. In ICU, we have pc's in every room and they are mounted on movable "arms." I try to position my pc so I can be looking at my patient and not have my back to them. I think this computer charting can have a tendency to make nurses look rude. Rhonda

Hi All, We use primary nursing in our 30 bed ICU and strictly staff with RN's. Usually we have no more than 2 patients. There are times when nurses do 1:1 - CVVH or a neuro, for example. We use the "buddy" system on our unit. Buddies cover for each other for lunches and potty breaks and also help each other with turning/repositioning (and poop patrol) Our charge nurse and rapid response nurse don't have assignments. I don't see how team nursing can work in the ICU. There are too many unpredictable variables. Rhonda

Good decision, Michigan Girl! The extra two weeks will only firm up your foundation in your new speciality. Keep an eye out for new experiences you need to get more familiar with. Take care! Rhonda :)

I agree with the others. If push came to shove, the written order would stand. It could very well be that when HR figured out salary commensurate with experience, they probably were low too low. Congrats on the new job! Rhonda:nurse:

Hi There! I agree with NurseLoveJoy. Subacute or a Medicare Skilled Wing is where you'd get the type of patients that are most like acute care hospital patients. This type of unit would prepare you for a job at an LTAC or a med/surg floor in a hospital. Good Luck!

RN's in the State of Indiana are administer conscious sedation. It is not in the scope of practice for respiratory therapist or radiology techs to push IV sedation. It was a big deal in IR when nurses were hired in "specials" just for that reason. Rhonda

I worked LTC and really liked it. I did staff nursing, DON, ADON, Skilled Unit Manager, and MDS. I enjoyed being a staff nurse the most and primarily worked on the Medicare Skilled/Subacute Wing. Many of my residents were short-term admissions and were discharged - believe it or not. One of the main problems was having enough talented and dependable CNA's....the pay for CNA's is horrible. I left LTC primarily because of all the duplicate and triplicate documentation. But I've learned recently, some facilities have gone to electronic documentation like hospitals. When I hear someone dogging nurses that work in LTC, I just tell them that unless they've ever worked there, they don't know how hard those nurses work. After all, they have to be the eyes and the ears of the physician when they have to call a doctor about an ill resident. The nurses and the cna's know those residents like a family member that lives in their home. It is the "subtle" changes in a resident's behavior that gives the nurse a "clue" that they're getting sick. I have a lot of respect for those that work in LTC. It's a specialty in and of itself! :heartbeat Rhonda :)

Hi All, Harrison College has received their NLN accreditation. Med Tech and ITT have not. Hospitals, such as St. Francis, will not hire grads from nursing schools without NLN accreditation because they are working toward magnet status. Good Luck Everyone! :) Rhonda:nurse:

Hello there Boys and Girls! I have to tell you, the customer service model is alive and well in Central Indiana. I saw Press Ganey mentioned....it's here as well. As nurses, we have many customers...patients, visitors, each other. But when it means keeping your census up, it's all about the patient. Patient and family complaints are a big deal at my hospital. And you know that saying, "the customer is always right?"; well, add the words "even if they're wrong." And after I got my first complaint I made my attitude change and the word of the day (and everyday) is "schmooze." I work in ICU and you better believe I do my best to make sure my patient and their worried loved ones are taken care of and so does every other nurse I work with. I make sure my patients are "fluffed and puffed", coffee all around to family members if it's going to be a long day, answering questions and providing as much information to them and their families as I can. Communication is key. Someone on here made a statement, that they don't thank their patient's for choosing -------- Hospital.....wrong move because anymore, they could choose to go to a different facility across town if they have a lousey experience with you. By no means am I bragging or choosing sides here....this is reality. I remember when I was a student and doing my critical care rotation. It took me 20 years to even entertain the idea of working in ICU after the way I was treated. I've been in healthcare for 33 years and I think the customer service model is going to be around a long time. Rhonda

I truly believe the time working on med/surg to get one's feet wet is not a waste of time. A new nurse gets a chance to see "the cause and effect" of illnesses and their treatment. Don't short yourself. I agree with the above writer that EMT work is more geared for ER and not ICU. If ICU is what you want, then you need to see if you can get a hospital position as a tech (student nurse) in that unit. Usually hospitals take students after one full year of clinicals. Rhonda

I don't think an LPN can sit for a certification. Maybe you can look into seeing if you can work in their ER as a tech or take some classes to be a monitor tech. You'll have to be creative. By chance, are you in the military too? I would definitely try to stay in the loop by reading nursing journals and reading job related things online. Most important, make sure you keep you nurse's license active! Good Luck! Rhonda

I've worked at a hospital with a Dr. Dick....and when he was paged on the overhead, we'd all crack up. I've also worked with a Dr. Doktor. I think Dr. Finfrock was a funny name....he was known for his milk and molasses enemas as a treatment for post-op gas. And then there was a Dr. Popadopolous (I think he was Greek). Dr. Fink I may have some more ideas later! Rhonda

That is a very interesting question. Have you tried looking on college websites to see if they have a downloadable health form for nursing students? You may try there first. Good Luck to you! Rhonda