January/February Nurses and Student Nurses - Page 2

[mamanurse]

Originally Posted by marilynmama

I asked about their rehabilitation rate in my interview and from their stats only 10% reoffend. So the program does a good job and has been there for years. My job itself wouldn't be threatened, they have excellent funding (I would only stay about a year anyways). The boys have to qualify to be in the program (it's not just for anyone).

After discussing this all with my husband I have again decided to take the job. I've been canceled my last 2 out of 3 shifts in the PICU and this has been going on for the last 4 months and I couldn't pay my student loan this month---have you all had any problem with your hospital census being low lately??? Anyways, I've decided to go ahead and take it for a year and then do something else (I don't think this is something I would want to do long term honestly but I also want the HELL out of the hospital).

Thanks for the input though!

Ehhh.... Removes foot from mouth. I wish you luck at your new job then

As for being cancelled. I've been out on maternity leave for almost 12 weeks now, but my unit has been exceedingly slow. We have all the scheduled surgery patients and trauma/burns overflow. Since it's not "trauma season" and our scheduled surgeries are down due to the economy, many people are getting cancelled. I think it's over now, though, as I know our overflow unit was open last week.

[MelW]

Originally Posted by marilynmama

I asked about their rehabilitation rate in my interview and from their stats only 10% reoffend. So the program does a good job and has been there for years. My job itself wouldn't be threatened, they have excellent funding (I would only stay about a year anyways). The boys have to qualify to be in the program (it's not just for anyone).

After discussing this all with my husband I have again decided to take the job. I've been canceled my last 2 out of 3 shifts in the PICU and this has been going on for the last 4 months and I couldn't pay my student loan this month---have you all had any problem with your hospital census being low lately??? Anyways, I've decided to go ahead and take it for a year and then do something else (I don't think this is something I would want to do long term honestly but I also want the HELL out of the hospital).

Thanks for the input though!

My mother-in-law is a social worker and a co-ordinator of regional youth forensic psychiatric services. Her specialty is in treatment and therapy of youth sex offenders, and their program has a very, very low re-offense rate. Most of their clients are very young, were themselves abused, and with intensive support do very well. Good luck in your new job!

I'm less than 2 1/2 months from starting my vacation and year-long maternity leave from work. Unlike with my first pregnancy, I'm not craving the break from the job. Last pregnancy I was working rotating 12s in labour and delivery. The day job is much less physically draining in pregnancy. I am a bit nervous about taking a year off after only 9 months in a new job, but I'll deal with it when my leave is over

[Nillarilla]

Jumping in here. I am a hemodialysis RN in Canada. I have 6 more shifts until mat leave though. I work 4 12s 5 off. I am looking forward to this leave. I need to figure out what to do with my life. Any ideas on career changes to something that is similar to nursing but doesn't have the same negativity/bitterness associated with it. Or maybe a change within nursing. I know the hospital is not for me. I would like to do something that is crunchier and fulfills those values. I have been thinking NP but I don't know about job security after I am done. I am in BC and NPs aren't very well utilized as of yet.

[Rockies5]

Originally Posted by Nillarilla

Jumping in here. I am a hemodialysis RN in Canada. I have 6 more shifts until mat leave though. I work 4 12s 5 off. I am looking forward to this leave. I need to figure out what to do with my life. Any ideas on career changes to something that is similar to nursing but doesn't have the same negativity/bitterness associated with it. Or maybe a change within nursing. I know the hospital is not for me. I would like to do something that is crunchier and fulfills those values. I have been thinking NP but I don't know about job security after I am done. I am in BC and NPs aren't very well utilized as of yet.

Welcome Nil!

where do your intestes lie? "crunchy" is pretty general

nutrition? preventative care? rehibilitation? something with children? lacation? the areas and choices seem almost limitless.

Congrats on counting down the shifts

[polyhymnia]

I'm considering nursing but I would like a lot of details, I will ask here but also if there are other forums for nurses I would love to know about them too!

I am curious about:
1) your degree/certification
2) your current position
3) your usual hours; whether you are required to work overtime when your employer needs it; whether you can work overtime when you want to
4) typical tasks you do

[CNM2B]

Originally Posted by polyhymnia

I'm considering nursing but I would like a lot of details, I will ask here but also if there are other forums for nurses I would love to know about them too!

I am curious about:
1) your degree/certification
2) your current position
3) your usual hours; whether you are required to work overtime when your employer needs it; whether you can work overtime when you want to
4) typical tasks you do

Hi! I love being a nurse, so I'll answer these questions for you. I have a BSN, but am currently working on my master's to become a CNM (Certified Nurse-Midwife). I work part-time on a neuro unit and my hours are 7p-7a. I am scheduled for 1 or 2 days per week, but I can usually pick up extra shifts if I would like. I am never required to work extra hours, but they often call if they need help and I have the option. I can also choose to pick up extra shifts on another unit, but I usually don't do that (I like working within my comfort zone). I love night shift because I can still be a stay-at-home Mom. I am tired the day after my shift, but I nap when my 2-year old daughter naps, and then I can make it through until her bedtime. It is a great job!
Working on a neuro unit involves taking care of patients who have had strokes, bleeds, surgery or brain injury. I do neuro assessments every 2 or 4 hours to make sure there is no change, pass meds and do my best to meet the needs of my patients. They are often confused or combative, so that is always an extra challenge. Every day is different, but I enjoy my job. The docs we work with trust the nurses, so I have a lot of autonomy to make decisions. I feel like they listen to us and take our concerns (sometimes we have no more than a gut feeling telling us that a person is going bad) very seriously.
Good luck in your journey! I find nursing to be a highy rewarding career!

[kate3]

I am curious about:
1) your degree/certification
2) your current position
3) your usual hours; whether you are required to work overtime when your employer needs it; whether you can work overtime when you want to
4) typical tasks you do

1. PhD (in nursing), Women's Health NP
2. College Professor, NP in family planning/STD clinic
3. Academic year (Sept-May) I teach 2 classes/semester, work per diem in the clinic year round as schedule permits, present at conferences as schedule permits (some paid, some not)
4. Very flexible; I do a lot of school work from home; I pick clinic hours that are good for my schedule

[marilynmama]

1) your degree/certification: BSN. Plan to start masters program here soon. Just not certain what or where!

2) your current position: RN in a large PICU trauma center, now leaving for a different position in a sexual offenders unit.

3) your usual hours; whether you are required to work overtime when your employer needs it; whether you can work overtime when you want to: Well, my unit has been really slow lately so we have been getting called off. Usually we can float to other units (NICU or the floor--I hate leaving my comfort zone but it's usually not bad). I work three 12s a week, nightshift which I like. Now Ill be working 8 hr shifts at night. I get a lot of time with my kids. I really do like being a nurse, I just hate working in the hospital. Never require to work OT but when it's available you can have all you want. Some of the RNs i work with make some good money. Im not very motivated by money and enjoy my time off work more....lol.

4) typical tasks you do: Well in the PICU I have 1-2 critically ill children that I manage. We, in general, assess q4hours, and do total care. I LOVE my patients and most of the families. I do all meds, labs, charting, call the resident when needed--lots of critical thinking at my job. It can be VERY stressful though when things go downhill, and it happens fast. Assessment skills have to be good and you have to learn fast.

[marilynmama]

Originally Posted by Nillarilla

Jumping in here. I am a hemodialysis RN in Canada. I have 6 more shifts until mat leave though. I work 4 12s 5 off. I am looking forward to this leave. I need to figure out what to do with my life. Any ideas on career changes to something that is similar to nursing but doesn't have the same negativity/bitterness associated with it. Or maybe a change within nursing. I know the hospital is not for me. I would like to do something that is crunchier and fulfills those values. I have been thinking NP but I don't know about job security after I am done. I am in BC and NPs aren't very well utilized as of yet.

Teaching? Community or public health? Home health? Clinic working with moms and babies?

[Turkish Kate]

Originally Posted by Nillarilla

Any ideas on career changes to something that is similar to nursing but doesn't have the same negativity/bitterness associated with it. Or maybe a change within nursing. I know the hospital is not for me. I would like to do something that is crunchier and fulfills those values.

I've got it! Diabetes educator! *Very* crunchy, lots of diet and exercise teaching, lifestyle education and maintenance, very wellness-oriented, and very much in demand (at least in the US). Good luck!

[lorijds]

I am curious about:
1) your degree/certification

ASN (associates of science in nursing) which makes me an RN. I'm working on my bachelors part time, not really sure why, though. I'm not really interested in being an NP. Maybe eventually I'll get my masters to teach.

2) your current position

Floor nurse on a medical floor.


3) your usual hours; whether you are required to work overtime when your employer needs it; whether you can work overtime when you want to

I work 7p to 7a three times a week. I choose to work every Sat, Sun, Mon because I wanted a set schedule. Usually people on my floor have to work every other weekend.

We are not required to work overtime; but we were threatened with agency nurses if we didn't. Basically our director sent out an email saying that we had two options for times that our staffing needs exceeded our ability. One was to sign up for overtime; the other was to contract with an agency. By and far we all agreed we'd rather sign up for extra shifts than see someone come in and get paid 10-20$ an hour more than us. It isn't mandatory, because we have enough people who sign up to make it work. I don't like to work extra, but during short times (like now) I try to pick up an extra shift every other week.

You can't work overtime whenever you want; only when they are short staffed.

4) typical tasks you do

There isn't enough space to detail it all out. In a nutshell, every day I assess my pts, pass meds, deal with any health issues that arise, monitor labwork, vitals, heart rhythm, etc; stay in contact with docs on what's going on with their pt, some informal teaching (I'm night shift, so we don't do quite as much teaching as days). Last night I restarted an IV, did frequent neurochecks on a new admit, did education for a woman who was getting a heart cath in the morning, did everything I could to make one sweet old lady poop (I wasn't successful), did a bunch of charting, emptied a couple of commodes, turned and changed a couple of pts, hung a lot of antibiotics and IV fluids, and tried to keep track of everything that was going on with my 7 patients. My aide was great, she was the reason that 7 patients didn't seem so bad.

I would recommend visiting allnurses.com and read some of the "what is your day like?" or "what's it like to be a nurse" sort of threads.

[GooeyRN]

Originally Posted by lorijds

I am curious about:
1) your degree/certification

ASN (associates of science in nursing) which makes me an RN. I'm working on my bachelors part time, not really sure why, though. I'm not really interested in being an NP. Maybe eventually I'll get my masters to teach.

2) your current position

Floor nurse on a medical floor.


3) your usual hours; whether you are required to work overtime when your employer needs it; whether you can work overtime when you want to

I work 7p to 7a three times a week. I choose to work every Sat, Sun, Mon because I wanted a set schedule. Usually people on my floor have to work every other weekend.

We are not required to work overtime; but we were threatened with agency nurses if we didn't. Basically our director sent out an email saying that we had two options for times that our staffing needs exceeded our ability. One was to sign up for overtime; the other was to contract with an agency. By and far we all agreed we'd rather sign up for extra shifts than see someone come in and get paid 10-20$ and hour more than us. It isn't mandatory, because we have enough people who sign up to make it work. I don't like to work extra, but during short times (like now) I try to pick up an extra shift every other week.

You can't work overtime whenever you want; only when they are short staffed.
4) typical tasks you do

My last employer was similar. Either work more, or agency are coming in to get paid more than double what we were. Employee's called their bluff. We then got offered double time for if we agreed to be put "on call" and got called in.

[polyhymnia]

Thank you everyone for those answers, and thanks to lorijds for the allnurses.com website recommendation!!

I am considering an "accelerated master's program", which basically makes up for me not having an RN or any nursing training at all, there are two of these programs locally and one trains NP's the other I would do a CNM program. But, with both, after 1-1.5 years I would have my RN and could work part time while finishing the program which seems like a great idea.

BUT I am not sure if I can do it. I have a desire to, but also a needle phobia that I need to cope with

[lorijds]

Let me tell you about my needle phobia. I work myself into a quiet panic attack any time I have to get a shot. It's not pretty. It's actually pretty embarrassing.

I can give shots to babies, sweet old gals, and everyone in between. I gave my youngest dd her flu shot this year when she didn't want the office nurse to give it. I can insert IVs into screaming kids (I used to work peds for a while) or 25 year olds in pain, whatever. But come near ME with a needle, and I'm likely to cry. Seriously. I have to be sitting down to get shots. I am ashamed to say that one reason I don't give blood is my fear of needles.

I *do* have tattoos, though. Freaky, isn't it, that the tattooing doesn't bother me. It's shots and IVs that about sends me over the edge.

[BugMacGee]

Originally Posted by polyhymnia

I'm considering nursing but I would like a lot of details, I will ask here but also if there are other forums for nurses I would love to know about them too!

I am curious about:
1) your degree/certification
2) your current position
3) your usual hours; whether you are required to work overtime when your employer needs it; whether you can work overtime when you want to
4) typical tasks you do

1) BSN (also have a completely useless, for now, BA in political science)

2) staff nurse in 20 bed level 3 NICU

3) 7a-3:30p three days a week.

4) I work with sick babies. Mostly preemies but some term babies as well. We get them stable. Lots of monitoring, medication, feeding. Parent education. Breastfeeding help when they are able.

[Mom2ThreeBeans]

Hi,
I am currently a CNA working Home health and Hospice and I love my job I plan on applying for the LPN program in october depending on how the economy goes. Dh is looking for work now so I can work less and make time for school. After the LPN program I can lateral over to the Rn program woohoo.

[mamanurse]

Originally Posted by polyhymnia

I am curious about:
1) your degree/certification
2) your current position
3) your usual hours; whether you are required to work overtime when your employer needs it; whether you can work overtime when you want to
4) typical tasks you do

1) your degree/certification I have a BSN and an "original" BA in biochemistry

2) your current position I work on a surgical unit that also serves as trauma and burns overflow. Our typical surgery patients include abdominal, orthopedic, neurosurgery, and head/neck surgery. Two days a week I am a "resource nurse" or "patient care flow response nurse" That means I help the floor RNs with their job handing out meds, admitting patients from the ED or direct from office, receiving patients from PACU, prepping and sending patients to pre-surg, starting IVs, answering call lights, and I am the sole ACLS code/RRT responder on Monday and Tuesday for the unit. On Wednesdays I'm a regular floor RN who carries anywhere from 3-7 patients depending on my team (CNA or LPN or primary)

3) your usual hours 0700-1930 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. No weekends. We've never been required to work overtime in the time that I've worked there and during "Trauma Season" I can almost always work overtime if I want to.

4) Typical tasks For resource nurse see #2. Floor RN typical tasks include at least 2 assessments, at least 2 sets of vitals, passing meds, ensuring my patients are able to eat, ADLs, changing beds, admitting, pre-op stuff, post-op stuff, care plans, coordinating with CRCs, SLPs, OTs, PTs, PAs, MDs, and RTs, discharge planning, and anything else the other disciplines "don't have time for."

[Turkish Kate]

Originally Posted by lorijds

Let me tell you about my needle phobia. I work myself into a quiet panic attack any time I have to get a shot. It's not pretty. It's actually pretty embarrassing.

I can give shots to babies, sweet old gals, and everyone in between. I gave my youngest dd her flu shot this year when she didn't want the office nurse to give it. I can insert IVs into screaming kids (I used to work peds for a while) or 25 year olds in pain, whatever. But come near ME with a needle, and I'm likely to cry. Seriously. I have to be sitting down to get shots. I am ashamed to say that one reason I don't give blood is my fear of needles.

I *do* have tattoos, though. Freaky, isn't it, that the tattooing doesn't bother me. It's shots and IVs that about sends me over the edge.

Same here, except for the tats. My philosophy is that 'tis better to give than to receive.

[polyhymnia]

Originally Posted by lorijds

Let me tell you about my needle phobia. I work myself into a quiet panic attack any time I have to get a shot. It's not pretty. It's actually pretty embarrassing.

I can give shots to babies, sweet old gals, and everyone in between. I gave my youngest dd her flu shot this year when she didn't want the office nurse to give it. I can insert IVs into screaming kids (I used to work peds for a while) or 25 year olds in pain, whatever. But come near ME with a needle, and I'm likely to cry. Seriously. I have to be sitting down to get shots. I am ashamed to say that one reason I don't give blood is my fear of needles.

I *do* have tattoos, though. Freaky, isn't it, that the tattooing doesn't bother me. It's shots and IVs that about sends me over the edge.

Originally Posted by Turkish Kate

Same here, except for the tats. My philosophy is that 'tis better to give than to receive.

Thank you both! That's encouraging. I plan on speaking to a counselor about this before making any decisions, but I really think I can do it - like you have said, on other people without trouble. I do worry about being "practiced on" in labs or anything like that, which I think is how things work?

I don't have nearly so much trouble with giving blood as with receiving an injection, but it's still not great.

Thank you to everyone who answered my little mini-survey. I am starting to think this might be a good career field. But we shall see.. I have a bunch of pre-reqs to get out of the way before I even think about applying.

[tortuga]

Originally Posted by polyhymnia

Thank you both! That's encouraging. I plan on speaking to a counselor about this before making any decisions, but I really think I can do it - like you have said, on other people without trouble. I do worry about being "practiced on" in labs or anything like that, which I think is how things work?
.

I can't speak to the needle phobia part, but I am a 3rd year nursing student doing med/surg labs right now. We practiced physical assessment on each other (last semester), but injections, ivs, etc, get practiced on bananas, then dummies. We have programmable dummies in our labs that have tubes and stuff coming out of them, so that when you put an IV in, and flush the line, you see the saline running out in a few seconds to know that it was the right place. They also have programmable b/p, pulses, moans, and other things like murmurs or crackles/wheezes.

They are non-intimidating to practice on, but are very expensive and faculty get wound up about students practicing on them without supervision. I like to tease dh that I will practice on him instead if I need more practice (he does have a needle phobia )

I think I posted a brief intro on some past thread, but will again. I'm Abby, I have two dds, almost 3 and 5.5. I have just started a new clinical rotation, on the cardiac floor, I am actually really excited to gain some good cardiac related skills, even though I eventually want to be a CNM/WHP. I also just applied for a CNA position in peds, overnight, at the psychiatric hosp. Hopefully I'll hear something soon!