27YearRN

We work with 4 midwives in our hospital. The one with the best bedside manner, the most common sense, and the best clinical skills went to the cheapest (instate) school. I don't think it matters if you are ivy league or not. What matters is how you practice when you are done. The Ivy League grad (U Penn) did not like her program. The "cheap" program at ECU cost our favorite midwife $2500 TOTAL for tuition. Books and such were extra, but jees, she could pay for her program as she went... Pick the program that is right for you. Our midwives have students from all over the US because its the clinical training that matters, and clinical sites will take students from everywhere. Just my 2 cents.

Do any of you work with a portable tub (preferably with jets) with your labor patients? I 've been assigned to call and collect information on tubs for labor. The women are NOT going to deliver in the tub (or aren't supposed to anyway). The tub must be a portable (not inflatable) style. I've looked at waterbirth international but their tubs are for birth. I appreciate any and all leads. Our midwives don't even know of any tubs other than the aquadoula...

At one of my state nurses association meetings a few years ago I learned that there are persons hired by BON's to be "fake patients", they occupy a hospital bed and the nurse presumed to be diverting takes care of them. WOW. I'd be a little nervous if I was diverting...

3200 births/yr and growing 24/7 OB in house Residents with attending Private patients MD may or may not be in house 24/7 Anesthesia in house but not just for us (we may have to wait for an epidural if they are busy with a trauma; they do have backup that they call)

Try New Hanover in Wilmington. Seven miles from the beach. Great weather. Getting crowded but really a nice place to work. They do hire new grads in nearly all their areas. New Hanover Health Network, a North Carolina hospital network in Wilmington

The other side of the coin... As an advanced practice nurse I am held to a standard that any rx that I write has been preceeded by a history, physical exam, and treatment plan that is documented. The last thing I need is for a pharmacist to report me to the medical board if one of my nurse friends accidently mentions that I wrote a rx for her UTI or sinus or whatever. If it hadn't happened in our community to several docs, nurses and PA's I probably wouldn't mention it. So don't be offended if some docs or NP's decline to give you a rx. The company I work for also has clear guidelines that say "no exam, no documentation, no script".

Hello all, I've been lurking around for quite a while, and I had a discussion with a fellow nurse yesterday that has just set my blood boiling and my blood pressure near the stroke zone. I am employed as an RN in a Magnet Hospital and have been there for over 17 years. In the last year we have lost many of our long term fellow nurses to retirement, disability, and job changes. On my own unit, one nurse who was employed for over 25 years went back to school and now works as an APN. Another nurse left to get a job a little closer to home, she had been employed here for over 20 years. I had lunch with "Peggy", the 20 year nurse, who told me that the only thing she was told the day she left was to "return your badge and locator, and... don't forget to do your exit survey". She told me she cried every day for 2 weeks because she didn't even feel that ANY of her years were considered valuable by any of the management. Now, she's just ANGRY. So I called "Kerry", the 25 year APN nurse, and asked her. She basically said the same thing. No one said "thank you for all your years of service". She feels like she came from a hospital devoid of caring managers. She was a great staff nurse, nurse educator, clinical specialist, assistant head nurse, clinic nurse in her time there, and never had any discipline problems. In addition she was "Nurse of the Quarter" on our unit so its not like she was just a warm body or anything. She (as well as Peggy) were respected by their peers, physicians, and patients in our community. Maybe I am too emotional over this, but... I feel like I have a few feathers in my cap, but just CANNOT understand why these 2 valuable, talented women were allowed to leave without some sort of tribute to their many years of service from management! We hear all about the Press Gainey Scores and now our raises are tied to our Patient Satisfaction scores. The questions that are asked on our Satisfaction surveys don't address issues like this. I want to address this with our CEN. I am sure she isn't aware of it. Do you think I am crazy or overly emotional about this? I am just thinking about how I would feel if I left in a month with my 17 years of service there and all they said was "dont forget to give us your badge at the end of the day". Gee even a little ice cream and cake would be nice... Any hints on what I can say when I meet with our CEN? And if any of you are in upper management positions, you might want to ask your managers on Monday who has left with quite a bit of time spent there, and were they recognized by the management for all their valuable contributions to your organization? Geez... and they are a Magnet Hospital on top of it all!!!:angryfire :angryfire