Red Hat Momma

We use methadone in our LTC Special Care Unit, and our dosing is every 4 hours from 8 am to 8 pm and it workd wonders. As far as physicians and litigation, I've not heard of it, but in the past, state surveyors have given poor surveys regarding pain control. Of course if there is a problem with the physsician not prescribing enough pain control medicatins, you have options such as talking with the hospice nurse, family, the medical director ansd on up the chain of command. In our ares we have excellent hospice nurses and medical directors for hospice. They not only rely on us and our opinions, they look to us for direction because we are there on a daily basis, and most of the time have known the resident prior to hospice care.

First of all, thanks for taking up for our nursing home resident, next, thanks for keeping calm in the heat of battle. You go girl, keep reminding us who the true professional is, and keep us in the loop as to sanctions etc. :kiss

Yes, who has worked night shift that has not dozed or slept, let us hear from you. Yes it is a serious matter, a fireable offence, reportable to the BON. Who of us have slipped when charting at night and the pen either made hen scratches or unintelligable words. Was this an acute unit, sub acute or ICU. Where were the other staff members, respiratory for example if the patient was on a vent. What was going on in this nurses personal life. What happened to us that we don't take care of us,{our fellow nurses}, so we can take care of our patients. Yes there is a science to nursing, but it is also an art. The art of caring for another using knowledge, science, technology, ingenuity, common sense, patience and mothering to care for people at some of the toughest and worse times of their lives. Yes the punishment should fit the indescretion, but it will probably never be as bad as what this excellent nurse already feels. By the way, did anyone else sitting with this patient close their eyes and hit lala land for a few minutes.:) [/url]

In our area, state surveyors start out at between 15-16 bucks an hour, lpn's 11 to 11 to 14, rn's 15 to 18. Ihave worked with some per diem nurses that make from18 to 31 an hour. They are mostly icu and er nurses, now agency is a different matter. cna and cma go for about 11-15 and hour, lpn up to 36 an hour and rn up to 46 an hour.

[/url] Go for it girlfriend. Women are like a fine wine. We get better, not older. We can not only impart wisdom to our classmates, we provide even more to the people we take care of. All of your previous roles in life in life have made you uniquely qualified to b an excellent nurse. The kind of nurse that patients ask for by name. You go girl.

:angryfire Something needs to be done, reasons explored,etc.,supervisor or DON to work with her. This may be a symptom of an even deeper problem:stone