SheaOBRN

I wouldn't make this jump right now.....the economy is crap and contracts are few and far between. My experience traveling-the insurance was minimal. I ended up paying over $4,000 for an emergency appendectomy on an assignment. I would want a steady income with good benefits now, especially with 3 children. I stopped traveling for this reason....been staff for 3 weeks now. Good luck, but I would wait until the economy rebounds!

I have spoken with a recruiter for them several times and was considering giving them a try until we discussed health insurance...it was outrageous for me and my husband.....(I want to say like 500 orr 600 a month for the both of us) it was a deal breaker. Look into it, good luck!

I was in a delivery with a newer nurse waiting for a physician to show and the pt had no epidural and could not "not push" any more and delivered her baby.....full term in an intact amniotic sac (now thats one tough sac!) The newer nurse just looked at me bewildered as the baby looked up at us blinking laying on the bed.....it was a crazy sight! I had to tell her to just break the bag so the kid could could get out and cry! It was actually very cool!

L & D'er here.......no, none of our interventions are helping bring about better outcomes, absolutely they lead to more c-sections....but what are we to do????? Are you telling me that when this child is not what they expected the parents won't sue the hospital, doctors, and nurses? And you can bet that the doctors will turn on the nurses for blame......I am all for natural birth, women were made to birth babies, but I am sick of being made out to be the enemy! I am not! I ask everybody if they have preferences for their labor and delivery, even without a birth plan....just be flexible, we all want a healthy mom and baby! And to L&Dwannabe.....I hope you find a unit that you can be at the bedside for support. But realistically, you will most likely have at least 1 other pt to work with too and charting out the wazoo that will pull you away from the bedside-thats just how it is when it comes to staffing and budgets.....it isn't about good patient care.

I went to Labor and Delivery right out of school.....I loved it and still do! I had no desire to do anything else, but I did do an externship for school on med surg. I tought I would hate it and it wasn't that bad, it was excellent expereince. I do believe that I do lack some skills because I do a focused area of nursing, but the med/surg part is starting to play a bigger role in labor and delivery because women are sicker now than a long time ago. Women who weren't able to conceive for whatever reasons are able to and you have to work with their other issues as well. You also have the first generations of surving premies becoming mothers with their health issues. All in all, if you started with med/surg, it would not be a detriment! And besides....sometimes you have to start on the bottom and work up (not saying med surg is the bottom) sometimes you cant get what you want the first shot and have to be patient and put your time in! knowing what you are working toward is always the light at the end of the tunnel! Good luck.

Speaking for myself only....I am perfectly aware of the role of the doula in the birthing experience. I think it needs to be said to make sure that the doula knows her role in the experience as well so that she knows we are not trying to infringe on what she is doing...... just my 2 cents

I am all for doulas helping our moms....I feel that most of the time, I am not able to be there and support our moms due to patient loads and ridiculous amounts of charting. I do however feel a small twinge when a mom does come in with a doula because I have felt on more than one occasion that I was the enemy in the room...which I AM NOT! I want more than anything for the mom to have a nice lady partsl delivery with as little intervention as possible! Sometimes I have felt like I am interrupting when I am required by policy to monitor and those things.....and it is very difficult when the patient listens to the doula for advice and disregards the nurse's suggestion (I do do this on a regular basis). IE) pt is 2-3 cm, primip, contracting every 5 minutes and wants to get in the birthing tub....I advised against it at that point because contractions were mild to palpation, 5 minutes apart, and she was in her latent phase-the tub would most likely relax those puny contractions away....the doula threw a fit saying that I was barring her progress so she could get an epidural! I am all for the tub, less charting and it usually speeds everything along. so-I am all for labor support, but please don't view the labor nurse as the enemy!

so I was a brand new nurse attending my beginning fetal monitoring class with about 8 other new nurses. The teacher was trying to finish up her lunch quick so we could get back to the material and she choked right in front of the class....I heard it before I saw her. Classic choking sign, hands at the throat and nobody moved. I went up there and asked her that great question "are you ok?" and she shook her head and was extremely red in the face. I did the heimlich maneuver right there in the chair. the food dislodged and she stopped choking....and I started crying (weird response but I was terrified). I had to leave the room to pull myself together. And to make the expereince all the better, she relayed the story to the next class a few weeks later and said I did the maneuver wrong....well she isn't choking anymore, is she? :nuke:

I traveled to North Suburban Medical Center just outside of Denver and I lived in Westminster. 10 minute drive in the morning, it was a great apartment! the name was something at the Ranch, I can't remeber the first part of it! I went with AMN and got 26 an hour without subsidy-not greatbut it was my first assignment and I didn't know any better. But Colorado is great! I would love to go back!

I CARE because what is occurring is not in the best interest of the patient on a regular basis (thats why I became a nurse-to help people get the best care and results!) and because I have bonded with the girls I work with and see how miserable they are with no where to go for assistance...I feel I am the one who has the least to lose with speaking up. I realize that probably the best perk is that we don't have to get involved in the politics, but I have been pulled into that due to a possible lawsuit. Good point about the references....but I have people I can use there if needed!

I need help guys! I am just a few shifts away from being done with a contract I have been really unhappy with. We have had some really bad outcomes there and have had several issues occur that I have tried my best to keep my mouth shut about. Main point is that my co workers have no support in any of these situations, even from the manager who I feel should be our greatest supporter! I dont know if I should keep my mouth shut or just get the heck out! I just feel I have the least to lose out of all my co workers and feel that somebody should say something because no one has any clue as to what is going on there.... this is not a place that I would be interested in for a full time position in the future, so I feel I cant burn any bridges. Any suggestions?

You have to go to nursing school first to become the RN in CRNA....usually at least a year experience in ICU as a RN before you can apply to CRNA school.

interesting....where is this? I wish you all the luck in the world, nursing school is tough. It sounds like it would work if you are especially motivated! I just hope you are not shorting yourself in your education....books vs real life are 2 very different things!

What the H--- is discovery learning? I am curious, never heard of it. I am also curious to know how you learn nursing as a profession and career with no instructors....I can't get half the students to be involved with clinicals when a teacher is present (NO OFFENSE) let alone with no teacher observing. Fill me in please!

I work for Medical Express-a sub group of American Mobile. You will see a lot of negative comments about the company, but I have had no problems with them. My paycheck has always been correct and on time, the apartments have been nice and everything has been ready for us (utilities, furniture, etc.) And from other companies, I still have been able to get a higher hourly rate with them. My recruiter is great, if you would like her info-pm me! Good luck!