snyderrobyn

Sorry so long winded, but there is a point....Kind of.... I actually do specialize in ER and L&D. I didn't get into it for the "cute babies" though lol, I got into it because I love helping people through a very amazing process, and there is nothing more amazing than another human being emerging from it's mother. I have been doing both for the last 6 years and know quite well that not all turns out as planned. That "cute baby" the people might be envisioning may not turn out as perfect as they had hoped, sometimes things don't turn out well at all. I love being able to assist in the process no matter what the outcome, and it is just icing on the cake when they see you out and about and stop you to thank you for your support or show off their children. I LOVE ER. I never know what is coming in the door, and again, helping people through a sometimes difficult and scarey time does it for me. I don't even mind all of the clinic crap that comes in through the ER if there is time for it, it keeps ya busy. Anyone going into ER for all of the codes and the occasional open heart in the trauma room needs to wake up and turn off the TV cuz like it or not, MOST of your time will be spent pretending to be a REALLY EXPENSIVE clinic nurse. I admit, I live for those unexpected patients with the head trauma or severed artery (man can they SHOOT across a room, ALMOST like TV haha.) All depends on what you like and what you're willing to put up with and go through. Life and Death are both a fact and if you go into L&D thinking you are going to just be "bringing beautiful new lives into the world" and that it is such a "happy place", you will be disappointed. The first time you're taking care of a mom and the fetal strip has been BEAUTIFUL the whole time, and the baby comes out coding, unable to get back, you will be disappointed. The first time you take care of a patient who has a GORGEOUS PERFECT baby and they want nothing to do with it, you will be disappointed. The first time you take care of a couple who have tried for SO LONG and this time doesn't quite work out either, you will be disappoointed. The first 12 year old that walks in with her friends thinking childbirth is going to be a breeze and she can't wait to see if the baby will bring her 14 year old boyfriend back, and she turns into the 12 year old she really is, crying for her mommy when the pain gets bad, you will be disappointed. If you are strong enough to help them through these and many other trying, HEARTBREAKING times, maybe it will be for you too. Just don't go into thinking everything is just like ER or THE BABY STORY, or YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED. I LOVE IT!

COOL! I didn't know we gave MANICURES TOO!!!! LMAO

:confused:I am an RN at a small community hospital. I have been working ER for the past 4 years primarily (and just because I said small community doesn't mean I haven't seen PLENTY), but I have also been trained and have worked in L&D, ICU and charge roles. I was hurt on the job in 2007 and worked with restrictions until about 6 months ago when I was reinjured and had to take some time off for physical rehab. Now I am back and better than ever! LOL. The problem is that when I came back in February I was given a desk position that I hate (I MISS MY ED!!!) and now they seem to be trying to find a reason to get rid of me. I am constantly told what a GREAT job I am doing and that I am an AWESOME nurse, then yesterday they tell me that they aren't going to continue to train me into the role I am in because my passion lies elsewhere (direct care nursing) and that they are going to allow me to keep doing what I have been doing but my hours are going to be cut from FT to PT (80 to 40 hours a pay period: can you say OUCH??!!) I am the main earner in my family and I am the holder of the benefits (my hubby is self-employed, no benefits there) and we have 4 children who need medical and dental that I will no longer be eligible for in a PT status. I am then told, but if a nursing position opens in the future you are welcome to apply....... Nothing like being told "you're the greatest - but we don't have anything for you anymore so you might as well leave" right? Anyway, none of the hospitals in our area seem to ever hire! So I have been toying around with the idea of TRAVEL nursing, but there are SO MANY different agencies that all try to tell you how great they are and I don't know where to start!!! I need to know from people who have or are traveling what the best and worst companies are, how much you will ACTUALLY get paid, what the benefits are like, and is it managable with a family????

But what I mean is, if you truely thought there was any way that your 4 year old got pregnant, social services better be involved cuz I doubt the father is the love of her life......disgusting

I hate when people come to the ER wanting us to give them ER packs of Tylenol or Motrin or antibiotics because they can't afford it...although they can obviosly afford the pack of smokes in the pocket, the soda in the hand and the decked out cell phone that keeps going off every couple of minutes........PRIORITIES PEOPLE!

Please tell me social services got involved with the "pregnant" 4 year old........why in he He11 would they think she could be????????

Our NH is famous for sending them over "unresponsive". Funny, they almost always wake up as the EMS crew is moving them to the cot. Half the time thier hearing aids aren't in, or turned on. Then they come in wondering why they are there and we send them back. I wouldn't want to pay THAT bill.

Actually, the worst off patients usually show up by private car, but they haven't figured that out yet :doh:

Oh, no, around here it's because they "want to make sure" or don't believe the urine one.....

We once had two patients start swapping drug overdose induced code stories. One was mad her clothes were cut off by paramedics and thought the hospital should replace them. The other kept fueling her saying "they didn't cut off MY clothes when I came in..." ***! Next time don't call the ambulance after taking all your happy pills, we'll leave your clothes on.

I had one diagnosed with "razor burn". Awesome

I love those who say, "I called ahead" thinking that it then means they'll get in right away with the sniffles........hahahaha

"My (narcotic) fell in the toliet." When will they stop storing them there?

One of my favorites are always the N/V and abd pain that come in eating Doritos and drinking Mountain Dew even though they "can't hold ANYTHING down" yeah, ok...... I once had a teenager who couldn't get the condom back off : ouch, but at least he tried, right? pregnancy tests, especially when the 3 at home already turned positive, always a good use of ER funding how about the new baby who hasn't pooped "all day" (great one after switching to formula) one of my favorite questions, did you take anything for the ...(pain...fever...etc) no ahhhhhh, can't cure stupid....... But I love my job

The only way your family is going to belive it is if they become a nurse themselves. I have had many shifts where breaks just don't happen. All of you out there that want to sit there and say "It's your right to take your break, it's the law" I knw what you're saying, and you aren't wrong, but you must not be working in a po-dunk little hospital in the middle of nowhere either where your 12h shifts often turn to 16h+ because you are understaffed and the staff you have can't take over your position in specialty area you are working in I:E: ER, ICU, OB, and of course no one you have called will come in. Oh, well then you should be calling the Charge nurse, right? Wait a minute, that's me too, and I've already taken over one of the specialty area sick calls. So then we need to be calling in the Nurse Manager. Well, since she already worked the full day shift and probably stayed lated and is coming back tomorrow, good luck with that one. So who's up the line next.....maybe the President of the hospital? By the time ya wake him up, get him there, explain to him that you just need some one to watch your patient so you can A: use the toliet B: take one of your 15 min. breaks or C: Eat Lunch, you patient has probably coded or the next shift has hopefully came in. Just do what the rest of us do; A: Learn to hold it until you can't remember when you went last, (usually you rememeber you have to go about halfway home), B: Hopefully you aren't a smoker, most places are smoke free now anyway so the 15 min. breaks aren't usually noticed becaused you're too darn busy and if you get a day that you actaully get to go get coffee, DO IT!!!!! & C: Eating is over rated anyway. Most of us have learned to "Eat over the trough," as I call it. Just remember to put down that you did not get your lunch break when you didn't, and TAKE YOUR LUNCH BREAK, ALL 30 MINUTES OF IT when you get it. Only words O'wisdom I got! Except maybe the ole' it is ok to say no when they call you and ask you to work on your day off :beer: