miya

oh yeah!! I forgot about that one too! I was thinking . . .that nurse looked up in years, so to speak, chances are her "character" was probably a nurse before that kid even decided to go to college! When you see nurses protrayed like that, why in the world would anyone want to be a nurse. It looks like an awful job to have, u know? It seems like they would've already had a show about nurses - you'd think it would provide great drama for a TV show . . .

Oh my god! I haven't posted in a long time, but I just had to post again. I'm watching the premier of Grey's Anatomy -- any of you see this?? (new show on ABC) The Doctor, after being questioned by a nurse says, "I'm just a resident, but you take 4 years of medical school, and let me know if I'm right." (Did I quote it right?) Then, as he walks away he says, "I hate nurses." Then, he walks up to a female resident and mistakenly calls her a nurse and she responds, with anger and indignation, "Did you just call me a nurse?" As though it were a racial slur! I mean, nurses have historically been marginalized in many mass media outlets, but this is amazing!!

I was reading last night about some hospital, somewhere in which the administration was trying to pass a cost-cutting rule where the nurses would be required to clean the rooms after each patient in order to enable the administration to cut down on their housekeeping staff and therefore save money. One doctor fought it, saying that if the administrators had any idea what the nurses had to do each shift, they would so just how impractical that idea was.

u missed something. nevermind.

are you serious??? man . . . really?

Yeah, I figure it this way: For one, every single job in the world has parts of it one will absolutely hate - whether it's a typical piece of paperwork, one specific responsibility, whatever. That's a given. And , no one goes into nursing (well, save for a few odd birds) thinking, "gee, I'd love a career doing digital disimpactions and enemas. . . what career offers me that opportunity?" I have volunteered in hospitals before - all through high school, actually, in L&D and in ER. I've been around it before. Seen some things. It freaked me out a bit, grossed me out a bit . . . but I still want to go into nursing.

Sorry I used the words duty and task. Semantics. Trying to ask a specific and concise question. Thanks for the responses.

I was at my public library and found a Fundamentals of Nursing textbook. I sat down and flipped through it and I was thinking, "I could really do this . . . I can really see myself doing this with pride." But I'm still a little concerned about adjusting to the less-than-glamorous duties. I get a bit uncomfortable when I read about, for example, digital manipulation of an impacted stool. Or looking at some of the skin ulcers made my stomach churn a little bit. How did you all adjust to these type of tasks? I'm sure some of you weren't at all affected by it, but what about those of you who were a bit more squeamish? How was the adjustment process? ~Miya~

was just wondering why you didn't think it qualified as a novel . . . Main Entry: 2novel Function: noun Etymology: Italian novella 1 : an invented prose narrative that is usually long and complex and deals especially with human experience through a usually connected sequence of events

Then what is it?

Um, I'm not a nursing student . . .

Malik is an LPN??? I had no idea.

Have any of you considered working in another area of the medical field - whether you worked there prior to nursing, plan to work there after nursing, considered it as an alternative to nursing, etc.? I'm still making my final decision to pursue a nursing program. I'm 100% sure I want to be in healthcare. I'm about 97% sure the path will be nursing. But I still have my doubts . . . Thoughts? Comments?

In the book Nurse by Peggy Anderson the author talks about slowly killing off patients. She wrote about how they would give them high levels of pain medication in frequent intervals. By the time they give the next dose, the previous dose hadn't totally gone out of the system and the dose would build up over time and, I think she called it, "whiting out", I think, or something like that. A lot of people say this book is a pretty accurate (albeit dated) account of nursing. I'm not a nurse yet, so I have no idea!

Has anybody else read this book? I'm just about to finish it. It's amazing to me, how different hospitals used to be only 25 years ago. The patients would smoke in their rooms (thank god that is over with!), and the doctors would blatantly harass (sexually at times!) the nurses, and the nurses still viewed themselves as mere handmaidens to the doctors (not the nurse narrating the story, the nurses she described). Very interesting. Does any of that book still ring true? Do the duties and the responsibilities appear to be accurate?

I noticed that comment too. But that probably also hit the nail on the head in that many patients probably under-appreciate the role of nurses in the healthcare setting. A lot of people probably do think, "she's just a nurse." I love that show though. Been watching it since high school. Actually made me want to be a nurse in the first place (think Nurse Hathaway).

yeah, it' still odd and, quite frankly, hilarious. to each his own is right. so long as it's not specifically harmful i guess it doesn't matter. but all these different "afflictions" that seem to be remedied by leaving the cord/placenta attached, it's just causal and it's a dangerous line of thinking. Just cause you hiccup every time the lightning claps doesn't mean the lightning is causing your hiccup. And if you want your theory to prove successful, your mind can easily interpert things to fulfill your expectations as such. Our memories are tricky tricky things. So, enjoy the whole "Lotus Birth" if you so choose. In the grand scheme of things, it's no big deal. Our lives are long and full.

I just thought of something . . . the justification for these practices (like licking your baby clean) used is that it is a "natural" pracitce . . . isn't it also natural for many animals to eat their young when they are threatened? Hamsters do it. Other animals do it. Dinosaurs did it. So, with that line of reasoning . . . is that next? In addition, animals that lick their babies clean are lacking OPPOSABLE THUMBS. Perhaps if they had those they could mosey on down to the local watering hole and dunk their babies. I don't know, the line of reasoning is just terribly faulty.

Any suggestions on how to go about compiling a comprehensive list of hospitals in the NYC/Westchester area? I'm doing some research for career planning. Any associations or professional journals or websites I could go to? Thanks!

hmm, could this be a niche in the market? custom placenta bags? perhaps . . . isn't it somewhat unsanitary? to carry around an organ (isn't a placenta essentially an organ)?? I mean, isn't it like having your kidney removed and insisting on carrying it around with you for a few days? Or your gangreous foot?

mother of a 3 year old here. all i keep thinking is: as if bringing home and tending to a newborn isn't overwhelming enough, i also have to tend to my placenta!! salting and herbing and patting and wrapping it for how many days? those first few days after my son was born i barely accomplished anything outside of changing diapers and nursing.

I absolutely feel your pain. I'm dying to go to nursing school. There are 2 schools near me with part time evening/weekend programs that I'm trying to get into. I'm worried cause I got myself a C in my English 101 class way back in 1999 (it's a req pre req for entry up here in NY and I can't retake it). I will have to work FT to support myself and my 3 year old son. Can't really move in with anyone and have very limited help with child care. I'll have to wait until my son is in public school so that I'll have money for a babysitter in the evenings (right now that babysitting money goes towards day care during the day). So, I'm forging forward and praying it will all work out for me. Good luck.

I cant' get that link to load. When was this article written? It says that the proposal will be considered in fall or winter. Is that fall or winter of this year? I am on the NYS Board of RNs and I can't find any info (although I haven't delved very deeply yet). I guess I just have to wait for some decisions to be made. I want to get my BSN and my advanced degree no matter what, so it doesn't matter to me. I'm only concerned because the only way I can get into the field is with my ADN (because of family/financial obligations). So long as this option is available to me, I'm happy. I'm all for education and advanced education. But that's just me and how I was brought up (emphasized by family). ~ Miya ~

any suggestions as to where i can find some facts, do some of my own research? I'm about to start my pre-reqs for my ADN and have some serious concerns (I'm in NY).

Yeah, but what's going to happen to all the ADN programs? When will they be phased out? I'm trying to start and complete my ADN within the next 3 years (I have to go part time and waiting list/pre req issues). I'm worries. Better question, who is the authority on this legislation? How can I reasearch this and find out the facts? Thanks.