caffeinatednurse BSN, RN

caffeinatednurse has 4 years experience as a BSN, RN and specializes in Med-surg, telemetry, oncology, rehab, LTC, ALF.

caffeinatednurse's Latest Activity

1. 

   Can’t a nurse be fired?

   caffeinatednurse replied to Barbara Fouch Lentz's topic in Nurses

   Unfortunately, this is not the first time I've heard this brought up. Especially when you have nurses or CNAs not rounding on patients (or residents if we're talking LTC)...for example, if your CNA is in charge of rounding during even hours and nurses are assigned odd hours...well, if someone skips their rounding, then one or the other could easily find a deceased patient. Always round on your people. Better to call a rapid response than have to make the decision to initiate CPR or withhold it.

   • Jan 11
   • 68 replies
   • 3
2. 

   Saying No to extra shifts, is it bad if you're new?

   caffeinatednurse replied to AngelaB236's topic in Nurses

   Always feel free to say no. I frequently say no for personal reasons including my own mental and physical wellbeing.

   • Nov 13, 2019
   • 20 replies
   • 1
3. 

   Ivy League Schools worth it?

   caffeinatednurse replied to medic1969's topic in Students

   You make of it what you put into it. Find a quality program that you can afford, that has a good reputation and an excellent NCLEX pass rate. If that's an Ivy League, great. But if it's a state university, that's okay too. I know plenty of excellent nurses, NPs, and CRNAs that graduated from state universities, too.

   • Nov 13, 2019
   • 19 replies
4. 

   What should I have done differently? Did I endanger my patient?

   caffeinatednurse replied to misha's topic in Nurses

   At my hospital, we have such parameters on hydralazine that it's not even appropriate to give it unless the BP is greater than 170/110. Was your patient prescribed IV solumedrol? Just wondering, since you mentioned they had a drug reaction that landed them there. I've seen solumedrol send my patient's BP sky high, especially in people who have some mild HTN issues at baseline. Sometimes our MDs will prescribe something for it, but most of the time when we start tapering down their steroids, their BP comes down, too. Tbh, the nurse you were reporting to shouldn't have done that. The only thing I would have done differently is ask the MD at what point should we be concerned about a BP. Always document your interactions with MDs. If she/he wants to do something differently, they have 12 hours to approach a new doc. You can't make everyone happy, unfortunately.

   • Nov 11, 2019
   • 35 replies
   • 4
5. 

   To vaccinate or not to vaccinate, that is the question

   caffeinatednurse replied to Joe V's topic in Nurses

   Please vaccinate your kids and yourself, unless you have a legitimate medical reason for which your physician has advised you to avoid vaccines. Vaccines do not work the way they're intended to if most people refuse to get them. Please do your research and understand that the studies that claimed autism have been disproven several times over. Who do you really trust more...Jenny McCarthy or the CDC and the many physicians and scientists that stand behind them?

   • Nov 11, 2019
   • 143 replies
   • 4
6. 

   Relocating to NORTH CAROLINA

   caffeinatednurse replied to Dayzdaym's topic in North Carolina

   It really depends, to be honest. I make $24/hour and get around $3-4/hour shift diff for night shift. Add another dollar to that if I pick up hours as a charge nurse or preceptor. I'm not in Jacksonville, but my city has a high cost of living. I have 2 years of med/surg/tele experience and 1 year of LTC/SNF experience. I've heard of people making more, but for my area, that's pretty good. More experienced nurses can make a lot more. If you pick up agency or travel jobs here, they're paid nearly twice what I make. You might make just a touch more for having your BSN here, but most employers I've encountered seem to value experience more than education when it comes to determining pay.

   • Sep 24, 2019
   • 2 replies
7. 

   Ever have a patient complain about you?

   caffeinatednurse replied to love lilacs's topic in Relations

   It happens all the time. I've had pts yell at me, fire me, and report me to management for no reason at all. Sometimes it's things outside of my control - i.e. we were running a rapid response or a code next door, sir, which is why I couldn't bring you your melatonin or pain med at exactly ten o'clock. Or the resident is taking their sweet time putting orders in for meds/pharmacy is taking their sweet time verifying orders/etc., and the pt doesn't understand how hospitals or pharmacies work. Sometimes the quality of materials used doesn't match up to a pts expectations, especially if they thought they were checking into the Hilton. It all rolls down hill, and usually lands in the laps of nurses and CNAs to absorb the blame. I always try to be upfront and honest about what pts can expect, but that doesn't always work for every pt. I do my best to take care of the smaller, more manageable complaints. A good manager can and will decipher between minor complaints and big issues that need to be attended to.

   • Sep 24, 2019
   • 86 replies
8. 

   Recently diagnosed with Sjogren's & possible MCTD

   caffeinatednurse replied to DowntheRiver's topic in Disabilities

   I'm also youngish (27 years old) with several autoimmune disorders. I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis (autoimmune thyroid disorder), fibromyalgia, systemic lupus (SLE), and inflammatory arthritis. I was diagnosed with fibro, SLE, and arthritis shortly after graduating from nursing school. I currently have three specialists who work really, really hard to keep everything in check. I'm lucky that a majority of my symptoms are effectively managed with my current medication regimen. I've been able to continue working in nursing in spite of my doubts. During a previous flare, I worked in LTC. I worked eight hour shifts, and was able to sleep as much as I needed to. I made more money than I did at the hospital. Shortly after I was hired, I became a supervisor and was effectively off the floor and in an office during the remainder of my time there. But the stress level was really high.

   • Sep 9, 2018
   • 2 replies
9. 

   Is it possible to get my RN while having Lupus?

   caffeinatednurse replied to nikishere33's topic in Disabilities

   Short answer: Yes. It is totally possible to complete RN school with lupus. Being a new grad with lupus is difficult, however, and required some major adjustments on my part. I actually started out in a hospital new grad program, working 12 hour night shifts, had a major lupus flare (though I did not know it at the time), ended up leaving that job, and later found successful work in LTC. I've been back in the hospital environment for over a year now and I do like it, but I would be lying if I said that it wasn't more difficult sometimes because I have lupus. I take a mix of DMARDs, prescription strength NSAIDs, and sleep much more on my days off. Being a nurse with lupus requires extra self-care and self-awareness, and a good rheumatologist in your corner, but it is doable. If you already have a decent amount of nursing experience, consider snagging one of those lovely jobs in case management, clinic nursing, or with health insurance companies. Or go ahead and get your master's. I plan to do the same once my current contract is up.

   • Sep 9, 2018
   • 3 replies
   • 1
10. 

    Nurses with SelfHarm Scars

    caffeinatednurse replied to redheadrn86's topic in Disabilities

    If you're comfortable talking about it with stranger, then I don't see anything wrong with telling the truth. If it makes you uncomfortable, then I second the wearing long sleeves or coming up with a snarky or funny reply that will redirect their attention. While most of my coworkers have visible tattoos, I choose to cover mine up with long sleeves at work. They're deeply personal to me and I don't want to have to answer questions every time a pt or coworker sees them. If you do decide to get tattoos to cover them up, that's something else to consider.

    • Aug 14, 2018
    • 12 replies
11. 

    Starting out in LTC?

    caffeinatednurse replied to SiggyStardust's topic in Nurses

    Absolutely not. I worked in LTC for a little over a year as a new grad BSN RN. I quickly climbed the ranks and ended up working as the sole 2nd shift CN. Then I was orienting new grads and new CNs for a while. Then I was their admissions nurse and fulfilling the clinical coordinator duties. Let me just say, if you can handle LTC for a year, you can handle anything...including acute care. When I left LTC and went back to acute care, I had NO problems with time management. You'll also find that you become quickly skilled at things like skin assessments, wound care, and prioritization - all very important things in acute care, too. I've also met many, many nurses who worked in LTC before transitioning to acute care - including my current manager.

    • Aug 7, 2018
    • 4 replies
12. 

    Do FNP's really make 80k to 90k a year?

    caffeinatednurse replied to mariposabella's topic in NP

    "Will work for"? It's not much of a choice, really, unless a nurse wants to move. And not everyone can afford to do that.

    • Aug 6, 2018
    • 129 replies
13. 

    Do FNP's really make 80k to 90k a year?

    caffeinatednurse replied to mariposabella's topic in NP

    Unfortunately, no. The area I live in has a high cost of living and a shortage in affordable housing. What healthcare workers are paid has not caught up with the cost of living yet.

    • Aug 6, 2018
    • 129 replies
14. 

    Is it hard finding a job after graduating?

    caffeinatednurse replied to MGK2018's topic in First Year

    I live in a rural area, so I really can't speak to the job market in big cities. Acute care (hospital) nursing jobs are plentiful where I live. We actually have a shortage of nurses at my hospital, if you can believe it. As a new grad, I easily landed a hospital position within a couple of months of graduating. LTC and ALF tends to hire quite a few new grads too, although I know that's not everyone's cup of tea. For me, it was a pay check and valuable experience that landed me my next hospital job. Be willing to work anywhere as a nurse for at least a year.

    • Aug 2, 2018
    • 9 replies
15. 

    Thinking of switching from pcu to med/surg

    caffeinatednurse replied to Mami.RN's topic in Med-Surg

    I work med-surg (7p-7a). I have to say, Med-Surg (days) is a completely different beast from Med-Surg (nights). The nurses and NAs are expected to care for the same amount of patients as we do on nights, all the while dealing with 10x more. At my hospital, that's 6 patients per nurse. We're lucky if we have 2 nurse aides on days (for a 36 bed unit). We're blessed if we have 3. I personally love nights, and will not be going over to days any time soon. But if I were you, I would ask to be put on a waiting list for your current unit.

    • Jun 21, 2018
    • 4 replies
16. 

    Is this considered bullying?

    caffeinatednurse replied to Ilovenursing3's topic in Nurses

    I don't know about you, but I would like be told when I'm doing something wrong, so that I have a chance to fix it. I certainly would not like to be lied to during orientation, which would inevitably set me up to fail when I come off of orientation. I think your preceptor is doing you a favor here, by telling you that she's going to be honest with you. She's not "putting you down" as you phrased it. You're going to encounter a lot of people - patients, coworkers, bosses, in healthcare who are going to be blunt with you. It's best to adjust to that now rather than later. It doesn't mean that you need a new job or that nursing isn't for you. You just have a learning curve. I would do my best to ignore the drama between your preceptor and the NA. You're new and you have no idea what kind of drama may have happened in the past, or may be occurring right now. As the new nurse, you want to be focused on your new job and responsibilities.

    • Jun 21, 2018
    • 67 replies