So, I am in the process of finishing up my prerequisites for nursing school. I read a lot about different types of nursing specialties and I read a lot of stuff on this site.
But I just have some questions of my own that kind of stick in my mind (and make me nervous about being a nurse). I wanted to hear feedback from real people rather than reading articles.
You don't have to answer all these if you don't want to.
-First off, I would love to hear about what your average day is like. And if you have a specialty, what are the pros and cons of your specialty?
-Second, how much of a role do nurses play in diagnosing a patient? Do they need to get approval from doctors before beginning treatment or treating a patient? Depending on your specialty how does this process work at your job/what's the protocol for treating/diagnosing a patient?
-Looking back on your education and career path, is there anything you wish you would have known, or any advice you wish you would have listened to? Or anything along those lines...
-Have you ever taken part in a loan repayment program (nurse corps/VA/or something else)? How did that go? Any pros/cons?
-How do you keep your emotions and personal health (mental/physical) in balance? What are your coping methods? Have you ever had to deal with a difficult or traumatic situation at work that threw you off your game? How did you deal with it?
-Is there a rivalry between doctors and nurses? My mom works at a hospital, and she says that some doctors are arrogant and demeaning to the nurses and support staff, and others aren't. But if you've been in that situation how did you deal with it?
Thanks in advance! I was just interested in hearing personal feedback rather than reading articles.
I run around like a chicken with my head cut off!! All day!!
I'm still very new so I'm still trying to take it all in. It's so hard to explain what I do in a shift. It's a lot and can be overwhelming some days. The biggest thing a nurse does? Assess and analyze. Then we report. We also help with the psychosocial aspects of the patients and their families.
-First off, I would love to hear about what your average day is like. And if you have a specialty, what are the pros and cons of your specialty?
I work on a thoracic/general surgery unit. My average day starts at 7 am. The doctors are usually in the midst of their rounds so the new orders aren't written in the charts yet. I'll print off my meds and start to plan my day. I'll go around and meet my patients, do their vitals, assessment, and give them meds. I also see if they need any pain meds. I check the charts for new orders, go for break, come back, and check on everyone. I start doing dressings. At some point in an ideal world, I would have charted. Then the day starts varying around this part. Sometimes there's discharges and admissions, sometimes patients get sick and need more attention. I love my job and the only con I can think of is that the budget cuts which isn't related to my unit.
-Second, how much of a role do nurses play in diagnosing a patient? Do they need to get approval from doctors before beginning treatment or treating a patient? Depending on your specialty how does this process work at your job/what's the protocol for treating/diagnosing a patient?
Like others have said, we don't diagnose a patient. But we do assessments like previously mentioned. We assess whether a treatment is being effective and we communicate it to the doctors if it isn't and what are findings were. I always need an order from the doctor before starting a treatment. And we can definitely make suggestions depending on the doctor.
-Looking back on your education and career path, is there anything you wish you would have known, or any advice you wish you would have listened to? Or anything along those lines...
Not right now at this time, but ask me some other time haha.
-Have you ever taken part in a loan repayment program (nurse corps/VA/or something else)? How did that go? Any pros/cons?
I haven't so I don't know anything about this.
-How do you keep your emotions and personal health (mental/physical) in balance? What are your coping methods? Have you ever had to deal with a difficult or traumatic situation at work that threw you off your game? How did you deal with it?
Having a great support system. I have had difficult and traumatic situations and they help get me through it. I also exercise, run or go for walks at least three times a week. It's hard because I work full time 12 hour shifts and so I'm always tired, but I'm even more tired when I don't go and my mental state isn't at its peak unless I do that a few times a week. I also love to write, so that's what I do on my days off. Sometimes, I'll disappear from the world on my days off because I need space and time to deal with something at work. But not every shift is a bad shift (like I'm making it out to be).
-Is there a rivalry between doctors and nurses? My mom works at a hospital, and she says that some doctors are arrogant and demeaning to the nurses and support staff, and others aren't. But if you've been in that situation how did you deal with it?
There are some doctors that are demeaning to nurses. How do I deal with it? It all comes down to the patients. I would rather wake up a grumpy doctor in the middle of the night then to let my patient decline because no one has addressed any negative changes the patient has experience. But most of the doctors on my unit are pretty awesome. You also get to learn each doctor's particularities, which helps.
-First off, I would love to hear about what your average day is like. And if you have a specialty, what are the pros and cons of your specialty?
I work on a regular unit in the hospital. It is not a specialty unit. We get everything.
My day: Start looking at my orders and medications/MAR while waiting for report. Get report. Say hello to all my patients and families, if there. Try to assess all my patients ASAP, but I may have to still check some orders or address problems before or inbetween seeing the patients. Troubleshoot issues like bad IVs, pain meds., when the patient is going for a test...you name it. Back to checking orders. Give meds as ordered. Give any preps. Chart. Round. And troubleshoot more inbetween and take admissions. Discuss patients with docs and get needed orders. Draw labs. Give report. And the order is different shift to shift and may have some additional skills utilized.
NurseGirl525, ASN, RN
3,663 Posts
I run around like a chicken with my head cut off!! All day!!
I'm still very new so I'm still trying to take it all in. It's so hard to explain what I do in a shift. It's a lot and can be overwhelming some days. The biggest thing a nurse does? Assess and analyze. Then we report. We also help with the psychosocial aspects of the patients and their families.