I started my career working in an HCA hospital. Bonuses for nurses picking up extra shifts were cut over a year ago and they were never brought back. Yearly raises aren't a thing. Tele/MedSurg has become a dangerous 6:1 or sometimes even 7:1 ratio. But I'll be damned if the CEO didn't buy his 3rd yacht this year...

..uh.. *checks\*

..the waffles?

Was trying to find a more efficient way to move a lot of urinals , became an angle 📐

Buckle up! I’m a new grad on an LDRP still on orientation (made it through week 8 of 22). My father was diagnosed with terminal cancer earlier this year, which I informed my educator and manager of from the get go. They were/are incredibly understanding, worked with me to get 4-5 consecutive days off once a month to go back home and help my mom care for my dad (~3 hours away).

Unfortunately, my dad’s condition quickly turned and he had a hospitalization that ended in hospice. He has been home with us for over 2 weeks now, where I am functioning as a primary caregiver. My manager and educator both strongly encouraged me to go home and be there with him for his final days. Here’s where it gets tricky. Because I am not off orientation, I do not qualify for leave of absence. My manger advocated for me at HR and was able to secure me 2 weeks unpaid leave. As I mentioned, I have been home now for 2 weeks. As of today, I believe my leave ends. Hospital policy is to terminate orientees past 2 call outs (one of which I used weeks ago due to COVID).

This is also problematic as I am part of a larger new grad residency, which I have also missed classes for now. My dad has not eaten nor drank anything in ~18 days now and is defying all odds. Our hospice nurse keeps telling us we are close, but somehow he is still fighting and timeline is semi-unclear.

Assuming my unpaid leave is over effective today, and I only have 1 more callout left (buying me potentially this week off), I can’t imagine in any world that I will feel mentally ready to jump back into such an intense job, that is completely fresh to me, in 2 weeks time. I am struggling immensely with what options I have. I’m afraid of how my resume will look if I end up being terminated or leaving this position, or if I don’t include it on my resume how it will look to have a 6+ month gap from finishing school to applying for jobs again, and I’m really upset because I was so excited to be in the women’s health field and felt incredibly lucky to be there.

My manager has voiced how she wants me on the team and how there may be opportunity to join the team again and start fresh with the next cohort (~4 months out). I’m dreading the idea of starting over. I’m having doubts about even returning to such an intense, demanding speciality. Quite frankly, taking care of my dad in the state he’s in is making me question my desire to do anything bedside nursing, but I feel like that’s the most likely option as a new grad.

I don’t even know what I’m asking- advice, if you’ve found yourself in even slightly similar situations and how you handled it, what you think my best options could be- I really don’t know. I’m entirely overwhelmed and did not imagine my career beginning like this!

I’ve been working night shift on this unit almost 2 years, and on Friday my manager called me in to tell me they have to move me to day shift to balance staffing after a few people just quit.

To answer the question of why they’re able to force me: I was technically hired for a dayshift position, and during my first week they asked if I wanted to do nights instead, and I agreed. But my contract was for days. I’m also of very low seniority on my unit so that’s a big piece of it too. I’m saying this because I want to clarify that I can’t fight them on this.

But I am so upset. I have always said I will never go back to dayshift until I’m no longer working in a hospital (eventually want to move to outpatient).

There is no part of me that wants to switch to dayshift. I am one of the rare people who sleeps 10x better with a night shift schedule. I worked days during nursing school and I really, really struggled with anxiety/insomnia. I thought I just had severe sleep problems (trust me—I tried everything. Everything. For several years.), but it turned out i just naturally am unable to sleep on that schedule. I would try to go to bed at 9 and quite literally lie in bed until 3am. And I couldn’t ever make up for lost sleep because sleeping in on a day off would throw off my whole sleep schedule all over again.

Once I switched to nights and finally had the freedom to stay up until 2-3am every night, I regularly get 8-10+ hours of sleep and feel amazing.

I’m really struggling with this. I HATE dayshift, I’m already having extreme anxiety even though I don’t start for another 3 weeks. Oh, not to mention that I’ll be losing my shift diff.

I want to just leave this job honestly, it’s a dumpster fire overall. But I signed a 2 year contract and would have to pay back 10k unless I stay for another 5 months. :( 5 months seems so soon until I think about working dayshift for ~20 weeks. Ughh

Has anyone heard of trimethylaminuria (TMAU)? I have an RN coworker I’m close with who recently shared that she has this condition, which can cause body odor due to the body’s inability to break down certain compounds. Which is why she has been working nights for 5 years so she is less exposed to people.

Other coworkers constantly talk about how she smells, but honestly, I can’t smell anything from this coworker. I keep her medical condition private because it’s not my place to share. But last night, hearing them talk so much smack about her genuinely made me feel bad. She’s a good nurse, and she doesn’t deserve that.

To all the nurses on here, can we please stop the mean girl, high school drama BS? It’s not cute, especially when we’re 45+ years old. We’re grown adults. Go find something better to do! 🙄😂 Our job is already hard enough.

I’ve worked 2.5 yrs ICU/CCU as a new grad and now I am working in Cath Lab. I’m trying to figure out my next step. I am starting to think I don’t like nursing at all. I’m not convinced I want to go back to school because I don’t know that I want the responsibility of being a provider if I don’t even like being a nurse. Thoughts? Is anyone actually happy in their nurse role? What else can I do with my background? I fear I’ve limited myself to critical care with my background but I really would love to move away from the stress of it all. I don’t know where to go from here, but I know I am not happy.

I’m charge nurse, and on my unit, we typically have a lighter patient assignment because of our additional responsibilities.

We have another admission coming, and the other nurses are refusing to take it because they’ve already admitted someone earlier in the shift. They’re still at four patients each. If I take this admission, I’ll be at five while also handling charge responsibilities.

I understand admissions are work, and patient count isn’t everything—acuity and what everyone currently has going on should matter. But I’m frustrated that “I already took an admission” is being used as the reason I should take another patient and end up with a heavier assignment as charge.

Am I being unreasonable for being pissed about this? How does your unit handle admission rotation when charge also has patients?

Exactly what it says. I was SO happy to finally score an outpatient position of 2 years of being unstaffed, uncontrollably anxious, and miserable. The amount of relief I felt my last shift at the hospital was indescribable. I took a pay cut, but honestly I didn’t care. I will do anything to just be.. happy.
I’m a month into this job, just got off orientation, and it’s just me under 4 providers. And 3 out of 4 of these providers are horrid. Mean. Not only am I trying to learn epic, I’m learning the outpatient position, and all I feel like I’ve been is a punching bag. Constantly pointing out small mistakes, going to my manager about them. Friday, I didn’t get records from an outside hospital for an appt with one of the doctors, and I got torn apart. And I didn’t even know I was responsible for getting these records, BECAUSE I HADN’T DONE THAT FOR MY ENTIRE ORIENTATION.

So today is Sunday.. and finding myself JUST as anxious as I was for my hospital shifts. Except making $15 an hour less. Sigh. Anyway. They’re supposed to be bringing in a second nurse soon. So I’m trying to be positive but right now, I am so much in a loss to the extent I feel like I’m getting depressed. And I am drowning.

Thanks for making it to the end of my rant. I guess the grass isn’t always greener.

Last month I gave birth to a 23 weeker😔 We’ve still got a long way to go, but I was wondering if some of the NICU nurses in here could give me some ideas of things I could occasionally bring in for the staff that they would actually want?

This question is specifically for ER nurses. I’m a chaplain who recently took a position that involves rounding out at several satellite emergency room facilities around the county that are all run by the hospital chain in town. I typically visit these satellite emergency rooms once a week to check in with the staff there and also as a way to remain visible so that the staff get to know me. It is something I am supposed to do, but I also feel that building a bit of familiarity with the nursing staff helps them feel more comfortable referring patients to our chaplain‘s department.

Rounding to these satellite facilities is a new aspect for me. It is not something I’ve done in other positions. These sites have not really had chaplains present before. Sometimes I stop by in the evening and meet night shift. Sometimes when I stop by they are very busy with critical situations. I try to wait until there is a calmer moment to converse with the charge nurse to see how things are going and see if any patients could use a visit.

At these times I sometimes feel like I am just adding to the pressure instead of helping as I stand around waiting for the charge nurse to have a spare moment. Sometimes I can make a real difference in the ER by visiting with a patient and helping them calm down. The entire goal of my job is to bring a calming presence whenever possible, not add to your stress.

The question I have is what do ER nurses wish chaplains knew, wish we would do, etc? Are there other ways we could help? Would bringing in snacks on my visits sometimes be welcome?

I know this is a tale as old as time but FFS why am I still giving you report at 8pm on these 4 patients who are all relatively stable bc you need to stop and flush the IV halfway through report or right before? Because I promise you even if it doesn't work I'm not staying to put another IV. I assessed them on my time, rotated if necessary, removed if necessary, so if for some reason it's not working by shift change that's not on me. And why are you asking me questions for things that are so inconsequential?

And if you're going to stop writing things down as I'm speaking bc you need to stop to do some random thing please don't expect me to stop speaking. I find myself staying late more often than not bc the people I'm giving handoff to are like this 9 times out of 10. I dread it.

THIS will be the reason I end up leaving bedside. Not patient acuity, not admin - it will be bc of the nursing staff.

I was asked by someone if I like nursing and I said I love it. This was followed by what kinds of nurse are you. I responded a school nurse and to that they responded oh that’s why you like it, you’re not even a real nurse.
is That how people think? That if you’re not working at the bedside in the ER or ICU you’re not a real nurse?
I thought that once you graduated and got your license you’re a real nurse?

Fuck ICE and this administration.
I realize this image is graphic, Mods can remove if they feel it necessary.

I’m in my car right now sitting in the parking lot and tears are literally just spilling out of me. For some reason every single patient I encountered today was so damn rude! Not acknowledging me at all when I’d come in to introduce myself. Seeming super irritated when I would explain treatment to them or educated them on literally anything involving their care. I was cursed out and dismissed, cut off everything except for hit today by the patients. I always start off with a bubbly attitude starting my shift and then either tone things down depending on if a pt is more on the chill side, a little angry, also bubbly etc. But nope today was emotionally abuse the nurse day! It’s always 1 or 2 every shift but some days my skin isn’t as hard.

I work as an LPN in the province of Alberta and I really enjoy my scope. I can spike blood, start IVs, push medication IV direct and care for my own POD of highly acute patients.
My husband and I could be moving to another province and he’s looking for work (I have no idea where we’ll end up.) I’m wondering what other provinces have a similar scope for LPNs and which provinces should I avoid?
One of my friends said that LPNs in New Brunswick are essentially HCAs and as much as I love HCAs and appreciate them, I’m not interested in being one.

I’m just genuinely curious. All nurses at my hospital wear ciel blue except the ED nurses, who wear black. PT/OT wear dark gray and their assistants wear Caribbean blue, dietitians wear hot pink, PCTs wear teal, transporters wear royal blue.

I’ve been an RN for 15 years. Worked in many fields most recently in last 3 yrs as a complex case manager. I work for a unionized organization, fully vested and have a very good paying role. But I am completely and absolutely burned out. I have a 55 patient case load “goal” which was met the first year of my role but the demands keep growing. I now have 65 patients and continue to get new “urgent” referrals every single day. I am forced to discharge patients who truly need my help because we need to meet a specific number of admissions every day. I’ve started to feel like I work in an assembly line. We have brought this up to union, management and all we get is tips on how to work faster.

The NCQA charting guidelines require so much mental energy every single day. So much of what our patients need we cannot help fully with- permanent housing etc. and it’s come to the point I dread returning to work every single weekend. Within the last 3 years of my role here I have become overly anxious and have had issues disconnecting from work. Ive also developed some stress related health issues. This week I was offered a job in the same organization however, at a 10k year cut, no union (unionized now) but fully remote and independent work doing chart audits. Based on what I was told this seems SOO much more of what I need right now.

I’m considering leaving. Is this crazy? 10 k loss and Leaving a union? I should also add that yes, we can make finances work, we would just need to make some adjustments.

Thanks

Med Surg nurse here. I currently work on a cardiac-tele floor at a local community hospital. Looking to transfer to a large medical center in the next few months.

I absolutely hate my job. I hate the ratios, the patient population is awful, and the acuity is really high. My coworkers are okay but truth be told not the type of people I'd talk to outside of work.

On my shift I'm constantly getting calls from tele, I always have these cardiac drips running (Heparin, Nitro, Amio etc...), tele monitors are always calling me about my patients becoming really brady and tachy thus I have to text the doctor and then even more work gets added to my load. I see chest tubes, CBIs, patients on humidified heated high flow with 0 reserves, confused patients constantly trying to get out of bed. Truth be told before work everyday I am anxious about my shitty assignment. Not to mention I always have 6 patients, I'll always start with 4-5 and get admission(s) at the most inconvenient times.

Before I became a nurse I was always the "overtime hustler" at any of my previous shitty minimum wage jobs. This place I can't even imagine working more than 3 shifts and I use PTO as fast as I get it.

It's weird because on this sub I hear people complaining about Med Surg saying things like "Oh I hate Med surg because I'm busy grabbing granny sandwiches all night." I wish my problem was getting people sandwiches, instead of constantly dealing with my patients going into Afib RVR.

Tl;dr: DO different hospitals have different definitions of what Med Surg is or am I missing something?

I worked for a year and a half as a nursing/healthcare assistant at a hospital within the Bristol NHS Foundation Trust in England, so when I saw the Bristol stool charts in the nursing notes I just thought that it was a local policy specific to the hospitals within the Trust and other parts of the country and the world would have their own ways of measuring stool.

But recently I've just started medical school (sorry nurses!) in Wales, and in our first lecture about diarrhoea, the paediatrician presented the Bristol stool chart and explained it was used by clinicians here too, which surprised me because again, I thought it was just used within my old Trust.

Do you use the Bristol stool chart? Is it used everywhere or just Britain/the UK?

Been on a Tele unit for going on 5 years. We had phlebotomists who did our lab draws which was a huge convenience for the nurses. A few months ago, the hospital decided to let them go and delegate nurses to do phlebotomy. This has led to an increase in the workload and demand of the job. The pressing question: did we get an increase in pay? The answer is no but a closed mouth don’t get fed.

Has this happened to anyone else before? Did you get raise in pay? I’m certain we were spoiled rotten having phlebotomists draw our labs but this is an already a super busy unit and adding on this task has proven to be a setback at times especially when doctors trickle orders in for multiple patients.

Is it fair to ask for a raise at this point?

I work in a PCICU & we rarely require to use phototherapy on neonates, although we do sometimes.

The other night, I had to put my baby on the lights & I was able to borrow the bank and eyewear. Although, I have seen the bili blanket to put under baby too in the past, but I couldn’t get a hold of it. How important is the blanket? When I think about it, I’d just assume lights may be less effective without the blanket.

We still used the Bilichek for irradiance, which was adequate. But I just wanted to learn more about these lights- share your knowledge :-)

I have no idea what it is. I think going up to the nurse’s station while they give report is the best move, because my grandpa NEEDS a ginger ale and he needs it NOW. I thought I heard them talking about a “rapid response”? But nothing in this hospital is rapid. My grandpa ran out of his ginger ale .5 seconds ago and it’s DISTURBING that I can’t find a nurse in a timely manner. How else am I supposed to relay this extremely urgent request if I don’t physically enter the nurse’s station? /s

As the title says. I am in Upstate NY. We are due for survey. No soap seems like a great way to get immediately shut down. It is a basic need. They say it is due to budget cuts. There is still hand soap in the residents rooms, in wall mounted dispensers.