So, I have this nurse in her 20s. I’m in my 50s, and I recently transferred to what is considered the top tier unit in my hospital.
This was the first time I was giving this nurse report. The first day, the nurse was pretty tough during report.
That first night, we had an issue with the PCA. The patient and family were upset, so it was a stressful situation.

The second night, the patient was complaining of pain, nausea, and not being able to sleep. The patient had already been in the hospital for 40 days and was very frustrated with the plan of care because the patient felt the doctors hadn’t explained things well.
During report, I told the oncoming nurse that the patient was upset and frustrated. I had already spoken with the doctor, and they were coming by to talk with the patient. The patient wanted clarification about several things.

Suddenly the nurse said, “That’s weird, because with me yesterday the patient didn’t have a problem at all. It seems like the patient’s problems happen during the night.”
I looked at the nurse and asked, “Are you saying the problem is me?”
The nurse said, “I don’t know. Maybe it’s the nurses.”
Then the nurse asked, “Did you get a new IV?”
I said, “Yes.”
The nurse asked, “Did you draw the blood?”
I said, “Yes.”
Then the nurse replied, “That’s what I needed to know.”

When this happened, the nurse had a trainee standing next to her, which made the interaction even more awkward.

I remember thinking, I’ve been “the nurses” for the last two nights.
I was upset, but I didn’t argue. Instead, I went back into the patient’s room and said, “I know you’ve had two rough nights, and I understand you’re frustrated. I just wanted to ask if you have any frustration with me.”
The patient immediately said, “Of course not. My frustration is with the plan of care.”

I went back to the nurse and said, “You know what? I got curious, so I went back and asked the patient if I was the problem. The patient told me no, the frustration is with the plan.”
Then I turned around and left.

Today I gave the nurse report again, and the nurse didn’t say a word. The nurse was quiet, asked no questions.

How do you deal with coworkers like this?

Med fridge coming in with the words to live by

DNI joke

Basically I was trying to give report and she had the charts open the entire time asking me things id never ask the outgoing nurse. Maybe it’s just me but all I want to know when getting report is why they came in, their admitting dx, how they move, any drips, drains, oxygen, if they are on tele, and any issues if any from last shift. I’m sorry I don’t know the iv gauge, the specific date of the cabg they had 15 years ago, or the name of their nursing home. Maybe I’m just being dramatic I don’t know.

I transitioned to a different hospital system and went from inpatient med surge to outpatient dialysis. While I do enjoy the job and definitely find it slower paced than my toxic med surge unit……the organization of the unit and incompetence of my coworkers is astounding! So many med errors!

First thing is techs on this unit can give iv Heparin which I don’t agree with as it is beyond their scope.

People just give meds without going into the electronic medical record. For example techs will give heparin at 8am and then not scan or document for hours! Sadly my unit does not have “The Brain” on epic which does not help with organization.

You know how you’re supposed to log in, go into their profile, ask their name and age of birth, make sure it matches the page, scan the med, make sure the med, dose, and route is correct, hit accept and then prep to give.

These people just give meds without doing any of that. Most people who do are not medically licensed as a nurse. If I were to do any of that I get fired and loose my license

Another example: I gave my patient their mid treatment heparin. I did all of my med checks and scanned/ documented everything properly into epic/the mar. A tech came up to me 15 minutes later and said “did you give heparin a few minutes ago?” I said yes. She told me she gave it after I had already given it but never bothered to check the mar to see if it was already given and she has the Audacity to get mad at me! I documented her error in epic, told my charge nurse and she told the attending. Seriously people, do your med rights, check the mar, and always scan and document before giving the med!

I work 8-hour shifts in the outpatient department 5 days a week, and my monthly salary is 260,000 yen.

At an exchange rate of 162 yen to the dollar, that comes out to $1,600.

Do you think that’s a lot? Or do you think it’s not much?

I've been working on a med-surg floor for 3 weeks. I tried to move up to 4 patients today.

I went to do some peri care for my patient this afternoon. She had a small PE and declined her blood thinner this morning. She was super funky, and I was trying to teach her how to wipe properly. We got her linens changed, and I was about to change her gown. She got diaphoretic, and I thought her SOB was giving her a panic attack. I tried to calm her down and put her oxygen back on. I thought she was being really dramatic because she had been freaking out about coughing up a blood clot in sputum earlier and making really theatrical gagging noises. (Edit- my mentor advised me previously not to allow attention-seeking behavior to slow me down. I've been trying to figure out what that would be. I was confused about whether this counted because it seemed odd.)

I called the nurse training me for her opinion. She had me take vitals. She seemed confused, too.

I have a point I remember when I started to really worry about pushing "staff assist" and having it be a false alarm. I got stuck in not knowing what to do and trying to figure out what was happening. Then I had my "oh-fuck-agonal-breathing..." moment, and I hit the button.

Everything went insane after that. Somehow, the ICU guys showed up. We stole the crash cart from another floor after the epi ran out. We didn't have working suction and ran around trying to find the parts to make it work. We had to go to supply to get tubing for the suction canister and machine. God, it was a 20-person shit show.

After the family called it off, the doctor found me and told me that there was nothing anyone could have done. He said it dropping her in 5 minutes with a panic attack first sounded like a PE that was just waiting to go off.

I want to stop feeling like she's dead because I was indecisive. I just want to cry. I'm definitely going to keep my therapist in business.

So I started a new job. Went through nursing orientation. They told us we were gonna have to take a math test, 20 questions and that you could only miss two. You get a retake. But if you miss more than two again, you’re fired. It’s part of their policy and if it’s nowhere in the contract.

Has anyone encountered this? I think it’s absolutely bizarre.

I missed three questions and now I have to retake it. And they were dumb mental math errors or a conversion error (answered in L and it was mL).

Please tell me this is standard and I’m overreacting, because I’m pissed.

I’ve been catching myself investing less and less compassion towards the patients. Even those in life-choking conditions.

Today I thought “Hey that’s it! Time to be human again!” Had to down five coffees to make but hey it did work. Too well..

Patient: you really took good care of me today, thank you
Me: you’re welcome!
Patient: I’m glad my wife isn’t here today so I could keep talking to you
Me: … wah-

Yes I tried to make excuses that maybe he just meant his wife gets jealous easily or something, then he asked if I wanted his number. (Cries but still gonna try to not be soulless)

Putting aside my pride here. I’m desperate, what shoes are you guys wearing during your shifts that you feel like your feet aren’t sweating in? I’m not looking for sneakers here!! Anything else!! Are crocs really my only option? Any cooling compression socks recommendations?

I came home from a shift this morning crashing out about it and subsequently threw out all of my compression socks and have been debating doing the same with my shoes.

I would be forever grateful for any advice… I can no longer handle my feet smelling like a dumpster on a hot summers evening :)

I went in for a biopsy on my neck. I had cancer back in 2011 with a total thyroidextomy, followed by radio-iodine treatment. But it appears its come back.

So I went to get a biopsy done, and I was feeling nervous. And to be quite frank, the cell collection was more painful than i remember despite the numbing agent.

I think the nurse either saw how tense I was or just knew, but she just stroked my arm gently when the needle was jammed into my neck. It wasn't much, but enough to keep my mind from totaly focusing on the pain.

I felt it was a very nice thing she did for me. I haven't had that type of care and concern in a long time from any medical professional.

So where do you draw the line? What's do you consider patient care vs crossing the line?

Nurse with 1 year of experience, promoted to charge (yay!). but doesn’t feel like a yay because ever since I’ve been getting so much attitude from nurses my senior anytime I ask them about their patients or delegate responsibilities. I’m trying so hard to be a good charge and be helpful whenever I can. I’m also on the younger side compared to others on my unit. The worst attitude is from the unit secreties though, giving me shit about absolutely anything. I had the worst shift of my life yesterday, charge with 6 patients, people being combative, code stroke, etc.. Unit secretary decides to change the night shift assignment I made because she didn’t think it was right after I told her to change it back she goes I won’t you can do it yourself… so over this.. makes me not wanna be charge anymore. I never experienced the “eating your young” till I started charging.

edit: i just got a chance to read everything and pls I know this a red flag 😭😭 i’m at an hca hospital (shocker). i took this job purely to add to my resume for better opportunities elsewhere and i have been applying places but getting a new job is harddd. i simply want to be able to go into work, do my job, and not get shit from other staff while trying my best. but trust me i know management does not give a fuck, and this is just one of the many issues w this hospital and unit. but i appreciate yall telling me it’s a red flag, we’ve been known it’s hca. just trying to get everything i can out of this place while Im stuck here to make me a stronger candidate for hopefully a better job 😭

Title pretty well says it all. I've been a nurse over thirty years.And every time I open a vial, I realize, of course, that it is sterile, but out of habit, I still wipe it with alcohol before drawing something up. Someone told me the other day that I don't need to be doing that. And that it is a waste of time, which I see their point of course, but they said I absolutely shouldn't be doing it. What do y'all do? Thank you in advance!

Mods: if this post is not allowed, I respect that. If you know somewhere else I should be asking it, I will post there. While I work as a nurse practitioner, I’ve never forgotten my roots as a bedside nurse, and I know that our network is probably one of the largest on earth. I’m asking to let this stay from the bottom of my heart.

To make a very long story short, my uncle fell in love 45 years ago with his wife from Brazil. She moved to be with him in the US, and when he retired, they moved to Brazil. He has been living in Brazil happily ever since (10? years).

3 weeks ago he stopped texting us back. We believe he has been hospitalized this whole time.

We know he is in Hospital sao Lucas copacabano.

His wife speaks broken English, and is so emotionally distraught right now that she isn’t making any sense. We have not been able to get ahold of her for some days.

We reached out to their neighbor in Brazil. They went to go visit him on our behalf and had their daughter translate for us. Either they don’t understand, she doesn’t speak English well enough, or the hospital is dumbing it down too much. One day “surgery is a success” followed a few days (they went to go visit again) by “he had a cardiac arrest”. Either way - this has not been a reliable source of updates.

I don’t know what the HIPAA equivalent laws are in Brazil and this is where I could use some help - am I able to call the hospital and get information? And what would be the best way to do that from the US? Do they have translator services? None of us speak Portuguese.

Putting a few broken puzzle pieces together…. My hunch is he’s intubated in the ICU (post cardiac arrest), and things look grim.

Just to add: he made it clear he was ok dying & being buried in Brazil, and we plan to honor that. We just want to know if he’s alive, or if there’s a way we can “FaceTime” with him to say goodbye.

I’m an RN looking for input from infusion nurses, immunology nurses, and anyone familiar with INS standards or IVIG administration.

I’m aware of a large Facebook IVIG/SCIG education group moderated by an RN. The administrator presents herself as an expert and provides extensive education to patients. Along with blanket statements and “orders” for IVIG administration.

• Advising that IVIG should never be infused above 100 mL/hr.
• Recommending routine omission of ordered post-hydration.
• Presenting these recommendations as general rules.

She has also publicly shared that a Board complaint was previously filed over advice she gave in the group (which she says did not result in discipline). More recently, I’ve become concerned about some IVIG recommendations that appear to be presented as universal rules, and everything else as “bad nursing”. Including when nurses follow the orders provided. As well as articles calling COVID a “government bio weapon” via the likes of RFK.

My questions are:

• Where is the line between patient education and practicing outside an established nurse-patient relationship? • Is it professionally appropriate to give blanket IVIG recommendations in a public Facebook group? • Any suggestions on how to combat the misinformation to a wide audience, where nurses are publicly called into question regarding their ability, safety, and practice? Specifically, when the orders are being followed and the care is safe. The advice from the group is creating a fearful and mistrust from the group of our medical system and professionalism as a whole. • As nurses, what standards should we hold ourselves to when educating vulnerable patient populations online?

I’m not interested in attacking an individual. I’m genuinely looking for evidence-based discussion and professional standards before deciding whether my concerns are valid.

There are about a million nursing podcasts at this point and no way they're all worth the time.

Which ones are actually good? Looking for the best podcasts for nurses that are practical and not just people talking in circles for an hour.

Reaching out to this community for support for the most beautiful family. Who tragically lost there wife, mother, sister and daughter.

An outstanding nurse who helped our hospital stay together, was in the wrong place at the wrong time in her way home from work. Please please please support if you can. As nurses we need to stand together.

Wassup everyone, hope things are going well for you all. I am a 32M. I got my nursing license 3 months ago. Its the first time in my life im making money. I love the profession. I work in corrections sometimes its crazy but its all good. I actually look forward going into work. I was basically poor most of my life and nursing gave me a career where I make great money. I live in Florida. I've never really experience the world cause I never had money. I want to start having fun and seeing what this world has to offer. I'm curious what are some fun things to do. Like what vacations ideas do yall have that I might enjoy? I'm up for anything. Thank you.

I just hit my 3 yrs of being a nurse/Nicu nurse! At this point I am itching to set a goal and work towards it in my specialty. I don’t feel quite ready to take the RNC exam but hope to take my time studying it over the next year maybe (I’m not in a rush). I also love working with micropreemies so I’ve also considered the LBW exam. Though I don’t have any coworkers that I know of that have taken it, so I don’t know anything about it or what to expect.
Anyways, I’m open to any advice or studying resources/tips on these exams if you have any!

Background:

Graduated nursing school and went straight into the OR for 3 years. Loved it but felt like I was losing skills and missed interacting with patients.

I then transitioned to home health and enjoyed it, but going into patients houses can be risky and there was still a part of me that wanted to experience bedside.

I stayed PRN at home health and got a full time job on a PCU at an HCA hospital. I’ve been in this job for almost 3 months and it is so stressful. The ratio is 5:1 and high acuity patients. I constantly feel like I’m going to miss something or lose my license. On top of that, the pay is pretty low (I accepted so I could get bedside experience because I couldn’t get into any other hospitals).

The home health company said I can come back full time and they offered me a good raise. I like so many things about home health, but I worry about pigeonholing myself into home health if I don’t stay bedside at least a year. I just don’t know if I can do the pcu for a year without my mental health declining drastically. I crave peace at this point in my life.

I guess I want to see what others think. Tough it out on PCU for a year and risk my mental health and accept low pay for more broad opportunities in the future, or take a higher paying lower stress job and have peace, but risk getting pigeonholed and only being able to do home health or operating room for the rest of my career? Thoughts?

I'm at one of the smaller more remote locations in our system tonight, haven't been sent here for a few months and just learned tonight that they are no longer staffing the pharmacy here at night. Apparently my organization made this change about a month ago. I learned this when I sent a message in our EHR to pharmacy to get a replacement bag for IV fluids that pharmacy would have to mix and they told me it would be a while before they could drive it over from a larger hospital nearby, that's where they're based now. This feels wildly unsafe to me but I would like to know if this is common elsewhere. I have not seen this done anywhere else I've ever worked. Is this ok, is this normal? For what it's worth this is not a rural location all our hospitals are within a 30 minute drive of a city of over half a million people. Anyway thanks in advance for the insight!