silvercatinatree

I was a pediatric nurse for 17 years...worked NICU,PICU, Peds ER, Peds OR, Isolated fly in communities in the Arctic....... When I moved back to my country I ended up trying LTC and you know what? I love it! I would not go back to a hospital for all the money and vacation time in the world..... All those years in acute care, I felt like I was just chasing numbers. Was I good at my job? Yes..... but, I actually feel like a nurse for the first time in a long time. Yes, there are days when I'm just boggled by the things that happen..... You would not believe some of my stories..... but I love my clients, I enjoy building relationships with them and their family's. Though it is not my favourite part, I hope that when my client transition from this world I can make sure they do it with dignity, kindness and pain free. It is just as important to be there when people come into the world, as it is to be when they go out.

When I hear that call on a plane I actually hide. One time, after another nurse stood up..... The attendant came back and asked if anyone could start an IV ( the other nurse was a retired manager) I did go to help at that point..... It was kind of cool. They had a doc giving orders...they printed out...and they had everything in little cases.... Of course the person had just finished chemo for breast cancer and had, had a mastectomy...she had no veins! I had to crouch down between the seats and use a 22 gage IV but I got it first try. I didn't think I could get anything bigger into those tiny little spidery veins ...... I don't think anyone recorded it....I was almost sitting on the floor of the plane..... But everyone did clap when the attendant yelled "she got it!" Of course I didn't have a copy of my nursing license, they wanted that...... But it wasn't too bad, but I was shaking afterwards. The guy next to me bought me a drink after we landed and dropped the pt off.

I am so sorry you are experiencing this........... Life is so short, do you really want to deal with these jerks longer than you have to? When I returned to Canada from the US, I ended up in a small rural town. Since I wasn't from there it was hell. My 3 month assessment came at 6 months and basically said I was the worst nurse ever. (I later learned they were just tying to teach me a lesson, what I don't know) I told the manager that if I was the worst nurse ever then I was probably too dangerous to work in the facility......And I quit. They were very surprised, they didn't think I would do that. They ended up short staffed like crazy for the rest of the summer.... I don't stay where I am not wanted. I've learned that bullies come in all shapes...... I'd leave and go somewhere else..... Start sending resumes and applying before you quit...... I was so mad I just quit right there and I was out of work for about a month.......

Hi I worked in the US for about 10 years....I'm a Canadian Nurse.......Yes I had to do the Visa Screen with CGFNS.....It's pretty much a money grab..... But if you want to work in the US you have to jump through the hoops. They tried to get me to write the TOFEL exam which is an English exam..... I had to send proof that my school was not in Quebec ( French speaking nursing schools) I had issues with the CGFNS and when I called them no one really knew what to do....I never did get a straight answer.....Paying the fee seemed to do the trick. It was like a kindergarten transcript or something like that that they had requested....stupid I know.... I don't even remember where that was, we moved lots when I was a kid..... All I can say is once you are in, you are in.....it is a lot of money and time........ but very worth it