Sydryth

I'm still trying to decide what I want to do when I grow up!

While that is a valid concern. At our free standing Rehab in the event of an emergency, we call the ambulance to come and take them to the ER. That would be something for you to look into too. Granted we have to run the code until the ambulance gets there, but we are not equipped or staffed to take care of guarded/critical patients. Med-Surg experience would be beneficial in recognizing when someone is going bad, before they actually do, and therefore you could possibly get them out of your facility before they do. However, with little to no experience you will need to lean heavily on your LPN's and hope they are good. I have worked with some LPN's whom where much better than most RN's that I have worked with in the past and vice-versa. Good Luck on whatever you decide.

I opposed it myself, but administration actually implemented it on our acute care side. After nurses started turning in their resignations and others threatening, they quickly brought back the CNA's. So I don't think I have to work about it anymore.

The facility I am currently at is proposing going to total patient care for nurses. They are talking about cutting out the CNAs and replacing them with LPNs to split the case load. That entail would make it roughly 1 to 5 on my end. Granted the RNs are still responsible for all the assessments, so the LPNs would have to have heavier loads on certain aspects, such as med passes. I was wandering if any other facilities out there has tried this approach, and does it work? If it works does the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? I'm not above wiping butts and helping people on the pot. I worked in ICUs for a long time and we didn't staff a CNA. We did bed baths, cleaned patients, and etc. However, that was a 1:2 nurse patio ratio, so we had plenty of help and not 1:5.

Nursing is like anything else, clickey. Try to learn from the ones that are more open and warming to you, and ignore the others. I have worked many aspects of nursing, including 5 years in 2 different ER's, I go into any new work environment and find out who the more social and open ones are to new people and learn how things are done at said facility from them, and not worry about the others; unless, they need help or ask for it. Eventually, you will become one of the family and they all will warm up to you and the heck with the ones that don't.. No matter where I go I let my work speak for me and if you don't like me, tough. I'm not there to establish outside friendships, I'm there to take care of patients. I'm normally the well liked guy, but there has been a hand full of people in my career, that I didn't care for and nor did they me. No love loss here. So just put your best foot forward, take care of the patient/patients, and either your co-workers will warm up or not.

I graduated college with honors and would not attempt to help someone in a subject that I was not familiar with. Also, if we even had a class together I might would give them some pointers on what has helped me pass a class, but I would not do their work or per-say partner up with them. When you study with someone that is not at your academic level it actually hurts your GPA, now granted once you pass the class and want to offer some tutoring on the side that is fine, but your main focus should be passing in your own classes. When you study with people at your academic level it can potentially help it, but definitely won't hurt it. Your able to go more in-depth in the material and not having to cover the basics with said person or persons. I remember one class where me and another guy was in had the highest grades in the class, and a guy setting by us was struggling. The professor asked us if we would help him and we agreed. We tried to help him and did slightly, but it was very frustrating having to reinforce even the basics of the course over and over. It almost felt like we were lowering our IQ's by doing it. So after that I wouldn't try to help someone unless it was something simple or they were actually doing well in said courses and just wanted a pointer or two, or my input on something. Some may consider me a A-Hole but my academic career when in school is my priority! Because, no one else can do it for me, and one bad overall course grade can seriously effect your GPA.

I drove an hour one way for the past 8 years, because I liked where I worked. I worked at the local hospital for a couple years, prior to me going to the one I commuted to, but left because of personal reasons. I stopped working full-time there in January and just do a couple days a month now. Due to my current job kinda falling into my lap, and was too good to turn down. However, it is still a 45 minute commute one way. During the 13 years of my nursing, I have commuted the vast majority of it. So it's no big deal to me.

If that was the only things I had to worry about I would be all over them, but since I have 9,999 other things to worry about that is on the bottom of the list, unless I actually have time. Now if I suspect they are going to fall before a CNA can make it in there to help them, it becomes more of a priority and I at least put them on the pot. However, on 30 patients we ran 3 CNA's. 1 is way, way to short staffed, you and your nurses need to take that to management.

When you clock in and realize it's your day off!

Are they Hiring? To answer your question. Both facilities I work at just have phlebotomists, unless it's ICU and we do our own.

I worked a busy med/surg floor for 6 years. I actually transferred to the units for a break. While there are days that I am extremely busy, I have days where I have a lot of down time. Which is something I never had on our med/surg floor. The majority of the ICU nurses, no matter the type of ICU, where I work will tell you quick like they don't wont to go to the floor. It's too hectic up there. So OP until you truly have worked both sides of the fence and not just been floated a few times, and the charge nurse probably taking it easy on you by giving you the easy patients on the floor, so that you actually may come back. I don't want to hear it. ICU nursing can be extremely stress full but so can floor nursing. As far as the money goes, our hospital pays differentials to work certain areas that they have trouble keeping staffed, with our med/surg department having the highest differential.

A surgeon and I walked into a patients room one day and the doc looked up at the TV and said, "Oh it's grey's anatomy. You know I did my residency there and I sure don't recall having that much fun. Heck I was too tired to be getting laid all the time." Me and the patient just died out laughing.

I had a patient report they were allergic to benzodiazepine's but they could take Ativan because it was a benzodiopiate and needed something, because they thought they was fixing to have a panic attack. I replied I have never heard of benzodiopiates. They replied you must not be a very smart nurse then, do you want me to "google" it for you, in a smartallic tone. I replied please do. They took there phone out and googled it and went oh. Then goes well you need to call the doctor then. I replied, "I will call the doctor if the need warrants it, but until then we will just monitor you." They wasn't to found of me the rest of their visit and needless to say they didn't get no Ativan.

Some facilities offer a rhythm interpretation class. Check with your facility to see if it does.

I get my poker out and stoke the fire a bit. Then I laugh about it.