Thinking Outside the Box

I swear, my nursing career must have more lives than a cat.

Formerly know as "be the square peg in the round hole". There comes a time in most every career as a nurse when one is at a crossroads. What at one time was exciting, high octane nursing was a thrill. But with every thrill, there comes a time when it gets old. When the need to be all you can to so many can be more stressful than satisfying. Then comes the question...where do I go from here? Read More

Unrealistic expectations of nurses.

I just got home from a busy day of work on a critical care unit (CCU). I cried on my way home while driving in my car. Not because I am sad, but because I am angry. The expectation of a nurse is unrealistic. We are expected to give patients their medications on time. Some of these medications are anti-rejection medications in transplant patients, antihypertensive medications to reduce insult to one's heart and vascular system and medications to prevent seizures. We are expected to reposition patients at least every two hours... Read More

[Toon] How did you feel when you got your first nursing paycheck?

All that time in nursing school had to pay off sooner or later. I'm sure many felt elated, many were ecstatic, and many just wanted to blow it all away. Do you remember your first paycheck? How did you feel? Did you celebrate? Please share your stories... Read More

Need Advice... Nurse stealing non-narcotic medication

I am a new nurse and I am not sure exactly what to do regarding this issue. I am about 4 weeks into my first job as an RN and yesterday my preceptor asked me to see if any of my patients had PO Zofran. I asked why and she said that one of the nurses was feeling nauseous. She stated that the nurse she was asking for had asked for PO Phenergan but that she felt better giving her Zofran. I replied by saying "no, none of my patients have PO Zofran". I'm sure I had a funny expression on my face because she followed up with the fact that she frequently took medication like Mucinex or any over the counter medication from patients... Read More

[Poll] To get insurance or to not get insurance...that is the question

I am currently a LPN and have always carried malpractice insurance throughout my entire career, and you could not convince me otherwise. Well, I am currently in a bridge program working on my RN. Today we were at clinicals, and we were just discussing the end of our day with our instructor. I had brought up something about malpractice insurance and to make sure you always have it. Our instructor highly emphasized that we DID NOT get malpractice insurance. I was baffled by this. She said most RN's she has ever worked with never carried it because it just puts a big red X on your back. She proceeded to tell us that even her ethics professor at her school told her not to get insurance as well. My instructor said that hospitals will cover you under their policy. Now I already knew this, but I also know that hospitals do not have our best interest... Read More

Hospital RNs - how do you organize your shift?

I know this is going to vary from shift to shift, facility to facility, and based on patient ratios, but I'm wondering how everyone organizes their shift? Read More

MS, OB or Onco Patients?

It's a blessing in disguise since our ward caters to three major areas of nursing. We have OB, MS and Onco patients in which we can practice our nursing and theoretical skills. But among these three, which type of patients do I prefer to work with?

Medical-Surgical is the least area that I would like to work at especially during emergency procedures. Pre-operatively, patients are always hot-tempered with what they're feeling. Some are quite panicky while the rest remains clueless of what... Read More

How do you update families in your ICU?

I am curious about how other ICUs update families. Do you allow anyone to call in and talk to the RN? Is it limited to specific contact people? How do you know it is the wife on the phone and not someone else? Are there any rules/guidelines your unit has about phone calls from families (won't be transferred to RN during report, only should call q shift, etc.)? Read More

RN wondering is it worth getting BSN

I have been an RN for 20 years. I have tried several times to return to school for a BSN. I do not see the point. I do not care to be in management or education. I'm not making any less than someone with their BSN, this I know for a fact. I don't even like nursing anymore and wonder is it worth it? Read More!

Life, Death, and the Nurse In Between

I don't mean to make light of the subject matter when I say I'm a rookie when it comes to death. But I come from a small family, and one that's stayed pretty healthy for the first 28 years of my life. I've kept this fact nervously in the back of my mind, knowing that I would likely encounter end of life circumstances in the nursing field. I was told you'd never forget the first patient that slipped away from this life, and after my experience yesterday, I would have to say I'd agree. Read More

What Are The Most Creative Call-off Excuses You Have Heard?

Ok. Maybe that isn't a fair title. Perhaps some of the excuses are true. But I would like to see what others have been told as far as why someone called off. Here's a few of my favorites... Read More

Working outside my scope of practice?

I am not sure if I am really working outside my scope of practice, or just my comfort zone. I have worked on multiple different floors and have been pulled to multiple others. I do not mind being pulled, sometimes it is a nice changenof pace, but, where I am being pulled to now is different. I am now a labor nurse and have found myself being pulled to a higher level of care (Level 3 NICU). I am really not comfortable with this pull, I do not feel that I have the advanced training needed to adequately care for these infants. If they are too sick to be under my care on the floor, then shouldn't they be too sick to be under my care in a NICU? Read More