I officially have had my license for over a year and in October will have been practicing for a year. This inexperience *always* makes me second-guess myself.
Follow your gut instinct!
Recently I had a patient who was AAOx3 but bedbound. No supplemental oxygen, no respiratory issues. I had been her nurse one evening and the next morning she just did not look right. My gut told me something was wrong but my minimal experience prevents me from ever being 100% positive of anything. I went with my gut and, long story short, she was sent to the hospital and diagnosed with aspiration. She died. There was nothing I could have done to prevent it, as it was only the start of my shift and I was doing rounds when I noticed it. I'm glad I did follow my instinct otherwise she would have suffered longer and passed away sooner.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
stress
When I attended nursing school full-time and worked part-time as a waitress I was positive my crazy schedule was the most stressful my young adult years could ever be. Now I work full-time hours as a Registered Nurse and my stress level is through the roof. Lives are in my hands. Making a mistake could result in hurting someone or losing my license. There are way too many tasks to be done in an 8.5hour shift and I sit down for literally only my 30 minute meal break (*if I even get one*). A majority of nurses experience these things and really need to find a way to overcome the immense stress from the field.
Start with a nonpharmacological stress intervention! The amount of stress from my career was seriously affecting the relationship with my significant other and neither of us realized it until I almost lost him. This sounds totally obvious, but join a damn gym!
I am in no way a physically active person, aside from work, and becoming a member at the gym was the best thing I could do for myself. We all know the obvious benefits of exercise - better health, weight loss, being more alert and awake, etc. My stress has greatly diminished because now I have a release and can get it off my mind. Give it at least a one month trial and see how much a difference it will make. :)
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Another great website !
Nursing Link
This is incredible for basically everything nursing-related. Articles, NCLEX study center, career advice, news, networking, deals & discounts, an "ask a nurse" section, etc. They also send out occasional emails (optional) with incredible articles and fun tidbits such as "nurse's tattoos."
Try it!
This is incredible for basically everything nursing-related. Articles, NCLEX study center, career advice, news, networking, deals & discounts, an "ask a nurse" section, etc. They also send out occasional emails (optional) with incredible articles and fun tidbits such as "nurse's tattoos."
Try it!
Saturday, August 13, 2011
NCLEX tips
1. Do not stop studying, no matter how comfortable you feel with the content.
2. Do yourself a favor and don't schedule your test in the morning. You will most likely be incredibly stressed out and get a small amount of sleep. You need to be alert and ready to take on the NCLEX challenge!
3. If your nursing program provides an NCLEX study course, take advantage of it! It not only will reinforce what you have learned but you will feel more comfortable and confident when the day comes.
4. Listen to your nursing instructors - **the amount of questions you get on the test does not dictate whether or not you pass!** In case you are not aware, you can get anywhere from 70 to 265 questions. I had friends who passed and only got 70 questions. I had friends who passed that had 100+ questions. I passed and had all 265 questions.
5. Most likely, you will feel like you failed. You didn't. Don't worry. :)
6. Listen to the advice given to you by your instructors...they've been through it before!
This will be one of the most difficult days in your nursing career. Good luck to all of you and please ask if you have any questions :)
2. Do yourself a favor and don't schedule your test in the morning. You will most likely be incredibly stressed out and get a small amount of sleep. You need to be alert and ready to take on the NCLEX challenge!
3. If your nursing program provides an NCLEX study course, take advantage of it! It not only will reinforce what you have learned but you will feel more comfortable and confident when the day comes.
4. Listen to your nursing instructors - **the amount of questions you get on the test does not dictate whether or not you pass!** In case you are not aware, you can get anywhere from 70 to 265 questions. I had friends who passed and only got 70 questions. I had friends who passed that had 100+ questions. I passed and had all 265 questions.
5. Most likely, you will feel like you failed. You didn't. Don't worry. :)
6. Listen to the advice given to you by your instructors...they've been through it before!
This will be one of the most difficult days in your nursing career. Good luck to all of you and please ask if you have any questions :)
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Avoid the 3pm-11pm shift !
Being young with zero healthcare experience it was almost impossible to get a job after passing boards. In a thriving economy it is common for student nurses to secure jobs months before graduation. With our current economical situation, it took myself and fellow new-to-nursing colleagues at least two months to obtain a job after graduation. We were even told in school to expect the shifts we don't want in our least-desired position.
Excited to receive my first job offer, I took a 3-11 shift at my current employer. The pay was outstanding and I was tired of waitressing only make ends meet. This seemed perfect - great pay, opportunities to grow and learn, and I really enjoyed the population I would be working with.
Everyone I know, and mostly everyone in the US, works first shift. My six months working second shift did give me experience and income that I needed however my social and family life dwindled to a point that I started on an antidepressant. I live with my boyfriend and was only spending a total of twelve hours per week with him (at the most). I saw my family and friends once every two weeks if I was lucky. Anyone my age should not be missing out on such memorable family and social experiences. And for those of you who have younger kids, please avoid! You don't want to be absent during their youth and when they need you the most.
Of course there are always negatives and positives to each story. If you are a parent of older children who don't live at home, take this position. If you already have a minimal social life and/or already seldom spend time with your family, take this position. If you're to a point where you're so strapped for cash and you need the pay differential, take this shift.
I spent six months working 3-11 and would never go back. My happiness and relationships are far more important than the extra $2/hour pay differential. I escaped by changing to a per diem position at the same company and that decision has dramatically changed my life for the better.
Excited to receive my first job offer, I took a 3-11 shift at my current employer. The pay was outstanding and I was tired of waitressing only make ends meet. This seemed perfect - great pay, opportunities to grow and learn, and I really enjoyed the population I would be working with.
WRONG. My life was over.
Of course there are always negatives and positives to each story. If you are a parent of older children who don't live at home, take this position. If you already have a minimal social life and/or already seldom spend time with your family, take this position. If you're to a point where you're so strapped for cash and you need the pay differential, take this shift.
I spent six months working 3-11 and would never go back. My happiness and relationships are far more important than the extra $2/hour pay differential. I escaped by changing to a per diem position at the same company and that decision has dramatically changed my life for the better.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Rude & inappropriate
There is a geriatric man on my unit who is alert and oriented. After telling my CNAs to "suck his ___" and that his nurse is "probably jerking off," he is by far the rudest patient I have ever come across.
Behavior like this is completely abominable to me and I just do not understand what would compel someone to treat strangers this way. If you ever find that your relative is acting this way toward their health-care providers (the ones who do the grossest and toughest of jobs) please correct this behavior. It is repulsive, and whether we want to or not it will in some way affect their care. It sounds harsh, but it is the truth for every healthcare professional. Never in my life, even at this very moment, would I ever consider treating a patient with less than my absolute best. However, when you are being disrespected it is difficult to not be filled with anger that makes you feel negative toward that person. I know it is a flaw that myself and other nurses need to improve on, but the patients also need to develop tact and politeness so we can the passionate patient advocates that fueled our fire to be nurses.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Five easy tips:
1. Help your CNAs as much as possible. If you show them this respect and hard work then they will do the exact same for you when you need a favor.
2. When asking any of your coworkers for help, do it with kindness and politeness. I've found I can get anyone to do anything simply by using "please" and a smile.
3. Never ever ever forget your professionalism. This is where I made my biggest mistake so far. In my everyday life I don't have an ounce of drama. Starting my nursing career was like a new world for me because there is drama and gossip galore. I got caught up in it and there was a wild situation that took away the professional image that my bosses had of me.
4. Never be afraid to ask, whether it be a knowledge-based question or for help with doing something you aren't sure of. Everyone will respect you more for not making a mistake and being 100% sure you're doing the right thing.
5. Do not be late ! We have a CNA who is 15 minutes late for every shift. How she has not been fired yet is beyond me, but she definitely has lost a lot of respect from her coworkers.
These may seem like common sense but in the heat of the moment, forgetfulness is at its finest.
2. When asking any of your coworkers for help, do it with kindness and politeness. I've found I can get anyone to do anything simply by using "please" and a smile.
3. Never ever ever forget your professionalism. This is where I made my biggest mistake so far. In my everyday life I don't have an ounce of drama. Starting my nursing career was like a new world for me because there is drama and gossip galore. I got caught up in it and there was a wild situation that took away the professional image that my bosses had of me.
4. Never be afraid to ask, whether it be a knowledge-based question or for help with doing something you aren't sure of. Everyone will respect you more for not making a mistake and being 100% sure you're doing the right thing.
5. Do not be late ! We have a CNA who is 15 minutes late for every shift. How she has not been fired yet is beyond me, but she definitely has lost a lot of respect from her coworkers.
These may seem like common sense but in the heat of the moment, forgetfulness is at its finest.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Intro
I am not a writer, in fact, I suck at writing. My content will consist of the chaos I experience in each shift along with possible educational information I happen to come across. I hope to open the eyes of even just a few people to the world of nursing; the hell we can endure, and risks we take every single day.
Let's start off with a simple fact that not many people realize. Most of you who do not work in the healthcare industry will never experience the amount of stress that we take on in a single shift. If we make a simple mistake it could kill someone or cause a new onset of chronic conditions. If we make a single mistake, one that seems trivial, then we will lose our license to practice. You make a mistake in your job and you either get slapped on the wrist or fired. Every move we make is crucial not just for our patients' lives but for our own. We understand their lives are important and we try our absolute hardest not only with our skills and knowledge, but with our hearts. The last thing we want to do is harm your loved one. Please go easy on us when we're taking care of you or your family.
Let's start off with a simple fact that not many people realize. Most of you who do not work in the healthcare industry will never experience the amount of stress that we take on in a single shift. If we make a simple mistake it could kill someone or cause a new onset of chronic conditions. If we make a single mistake, one that seems trivial, then we will lose our license to practice. You make a mistake in your job and you either get slapped on the wrist or fired. Every move we make is crucial not just for our patients' lives but for our own. We understand their lives are important and we try our absolute hardest not only with our skills and knowledge, but with our hearts. The last thing we want to do is harm your loved one. Please go easy on us when we're taking care of you or your family.
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