gaby19

Thank you for the advice! I seem to be doing fine so far. And have felt the urge to compare to the previous job more than once but bit my tongue.

I have just left an ED where we had approx. 1-2 pts a 12 hour shift. Couple of heavy ones, but mostly down time. Critical access hospital , 3 bed ER. I received a new job in a much busier ER and am rather nervous about getting along with co-workers. I know its aggravating to train and I will be mega stupid for a while. Any tips on how to get along and not be totally ostracized being the newbie?

Working with a kidney stone?? That's crazy tough. But I can see how it could happen in a small town. We nurses can be pretty hard core, that's for sure.

Great idea! I believe I will call the board and be proactive about my situation. Thank you all for your input. Out here I sometimes forget what is up and what is down. I'm grateful to be able to connect with nurses in other places.

You make an excellent point about it being the nurse managers job to find a repalcement. We have had CNA's who are working with 102 temps and pneumonia because they couldnt find someone to work for them. I've been at work vomiting on am hourly basis but was told- thats just what we have to do.

Well my concern is that I would be turned in for Patient abandonment since I agreed to work the schedule. I do NOT want to jeopardize my license. But going to work like this would be unsafe. Also jeopardizing my license--and patients most off all! I don't feel competent to handle an ER case after getting my bell rung.

Nursing has so many different options. If you dont enjoy bedside nursing you can work ER. If you want to do EHR or education you can do that. I think if you're in nursing already, there is probably a field you can choose where you will not be miserable, maybe content, or maybe even happy.

At our hospital, the policy is that if you have to call off, you need to find your own replacement. We are a critical access hospital so there are not a lot of staff on standby. The population of our town is about 1500. I had an injury before work today, got hit by a gate that a cow ran into when we were sorting. I passed out and when I came to, I had a forehead abrasion and pain in my L ribs. I was scheduled to work that night. So my question is...I was in NO shape to call around to find a repalcement. I called in to work and let them know what happened. They were very snotty to me on the phone. Needless to say I'm going to an ER 40 miles away to get checked out. Is this normal in other places? Especially critical access hospitals? I know we dont have staff but I can't function safely as a nurse with a head injury.