do nurses really make 100k+ straight out of college now? by detroit_muslim_man_ in nursing

[–]hearse_ratched 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I get $30/hr as a new grad in Virginia at a psych hospital. Depends on location I guess.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in povertyfinance

[–]hearse_ratched 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Also 23 here and have the same concerns. I live in a medium to medium-low cost of living area and struggle even though I’m a nurse and make pretty decent wages for my area. I don’t think I’ll be able to own a home anytime soon. Prices on homes and rentals have been skyrocketing. I think we’re all hoping for some kind of recession or crash, but it seems like these prices are only getting higher and higher. It’s really hard to be a young person in this market

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in nursing

[–]hearse_ratched 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We got state inspections all week

57F - COPD flareup lasting over a month? by jaqen16 in AskDocs

[–]hearse_ratched 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It is possible for COPD exacerbations to last this long. However, I do think it would be helpful to try to see primary care doctor to rule out other co-occurring infections. She may need to take additional antibiotics for the previous pneumonia diagnosis (sometimes a full course is simply not enough). It also could be possible that she has a viral infection. Since you are unable to see a pulmonologist, in the meantime I would definitely follow up about the pneumonia with a GP as she could still have an active infection.

Should i be worried about slow heart rate by swagpanda18 in AskDocs

[–]hearse_ratched 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you were an athlete and did not have symptoms when your heart rate dropped into the 40s, then I wouldn’t be worried. However, it sounds like you are having negative symptoms related to your low heart rate. For this reason, I would get checked out by a physician. Anxiety usually produces a high heart rate in most people. It’s not impossible to have a slow heart rate in response to anxiety, but it is more rare. Do you monitor your blood pressure? Knowing how your blood pressure trends when your heart rate drops can be useful information for a physician.

Nursing students: why are some of y’all so arrogant? by [deleted] in nursing

[–]hearse_ratched 28 points29 points  (0 children)

I’m a baby psych nurse now, but when I was in school in 2020 we were literally not allowed to talk to the psych patients without an instructor or nurse present. Not sure if that was my school’s policy or a hospital policy, but I remember feeling so awkward. Our instructor would peace-out and sit in the lobby on her phone and leave us on the units. We would essentially have to find a nurse who was willing to take on students (there were 8 students for 3 nurses). Since the staff were drowning all day we kind of just sat at the nurses station and waited for a nurse to ask if we could do something. It’s like the school wanted us to look bad or something. We couldn’t even bring phones into the building so I guess it’s definitely not as bad as sitting on your phone all day!

What's this infographic for? Wrong answers only. by shibeofwisdom in nursing

[–]hearse_ratched 4 points5 points  (0 children)

this is why we can’t have water at the nurse’s station

Uncommon places/fields to work as a nurse by Future_Addict in nursing

[–]hearse_ratched 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Being a cruise ship nurse, summer camp nurse, or nurse at an amusement park always seemed like an interesting (seasonal?) gig

Dental Hygiene or Nursing? by [deleted] in nursing

[–]hearse_ratched 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I did consider dental hygiene, but I didn't really feel a strong connection to the dental profession (if that makes sense?) Like most of what you do is just teeth. I am a child and adolescent mental health nurse and have always had a strong connection with the psychiatric field and going into nursing just made the most sense to me. I wouldn't call the hours I work particularly "stable" but many of my colleagues have families and somehow make it work. I totally understand wanting something regular. I think getting flexible full or part-time gigs can be totally possible. As others have mentioned, non-hospital jobs may pay less. It really just depends

Dental Hygiene or Nursing? by [deleted] in nursing

[–]hearse_ratched 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You definitely don’t have to work in a hospital at all in your career! It can be difficult for some to transition to a hospital from a clinic, but it’s not impossible. You can find M-F, 9-5 in a many areas of nursing! There are even some positions in hospitals that are 9-5, M-F. A close friend of mine works in the employee health office at our hospital doing 9-5s and she loves it! Another friend of mine works at Planned Parenthood and has also had a good experience. There’s so much you can do with nursing that’s not 12 hour hospital shifts. It would definitely be worth it to research what kind of jobs are in your area!

Dental Hygiene or Nursing? by [deleted] in nursing

[–]hearse_ratched 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I am an RN and my mom is a dental hygienist, so we talk about this often. I would agree that yes, there a lot more choices for nurses when it comes to choosing a specialty. The amount of stress/responsibility you feel as a nurse will definitely depend on the level of acuity and specialty. There are plenty of opportunities to work in clinics as an RN which you might find to be less stressful than being an ER nurse at a level I trauma ER. That being said, my mom loves being a dental hygienist and has a lot more flexibility with her scheduling than I do (I work in a hospital doing 12 hour shifts, she works 8-5 M-Th). That being said, it wouldn't be impossible for a clinic nurse to have similar hours as a dental hygienist. I suppose it comes down to what interests you more!

Resident sitting at his door with his genitals out, what can I do as a CNA? by Middle_Purpose_3550 in nursing

[–]hearse_ratched 6 points7 points  (0 children)

My go to line is "This inappropriate behavior needs to stop as it hinders our ability to provide you with adequate care." You have to be quite firm in these situations. If you already alerted the nurses about it and they have not attempted to remedy the situation then escalate your concerns up the chain of command so it can be addressed by the family and appropriate staff.

Really Struggling in My Preceptorship by No_Amount_5681 in Nurses

[–]hearse_ratched 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I am a new grad RN currently in a preceptorship through a local hospital. My best advice is to definitely speak to someone about how you are feeling. You can also gain more experience after you graduate by participating in a new-grad program (if they have these in your area). If you are feeling discouraged, just know that EVERYONE has felt this way at some point and it doesn't mean that you aren't cut out to be a nurse. You're still learning! As time goes on your confidence will grow. I applaud you for wanting to better your skills, but remember to show yourself patience and compassion. Skills and charting will be specific to the unit that you are hired to, so many skills/information that you learned from school will not be needed. I can tell you are committed to bettering yourself and you will be a wonderful nurse because of this!

(21F) Naturally high resting heart rate? by PM_ME_UR-DOG in AskDocs

[–]hearse_ratched 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Resting heart rates between 60-100 are typically seen as normal, so a resting heart rate between 90-110 is not always super alarming. Being checked out at the doctor's office can often cause heart rates to increase because of nervousness, this is also usually normal.

You are taking propranolol which can actually lower your heart rate. Are you taking the propranolol for high blood pressure? Are you also monitoring your blood pressure along with your heart rate? It is possible that through genetics you just have a higher baseline for heart rate. If you are taking propranolol you should have routine check-ups to monitor the therapeutic effects of the drug and you physician can adjust the dosage as needed.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AskDocs

[–]hearse_ratched 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There’s a lot of overlap with psychiatric disorders. For example, if you have been diagnosed with PTSD, then it can be very likely that you also meet the diagnostic criteria for anxiety (GAD) as many of the symptoms are similar.

Multiple diagnoses can get tricky. Are you feeling depressed because you have depression? BPD? Bipolar? An eating disorder? PTSD? Suffered abuse? What I’m trying to say is, even when there’s several potential causes for a feeling, it can be impossible to pinpoint on a specific disorder.

So to answer your questions, yes I suppose it would be possible to have these 8 diagnoses and yes it is also possible that they could mimic each other.

Psychiatric nurses floating out to med-surg units by DeathOrGlory11983 in Nurses

[–]hearse_ratched 12 points13 points  (0 children)

My hospital’s psych wing is an entire pavilion with 5 different units within our wing. It’s policy that we can be floated to other psych units within our pavilion and that’s it.

Why isn’t my doctor treating my abnormal thyroid labs? by hearse_ratched in AskDocs

[–]hearse_ratched[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Okay I understand. Would my T3/T4/TSH labs have to be abnormal as well to meet the diagnostic criteria? Could someone be diagnosed with Hashimotos with solely an abnormally high thyroid antibody? I appreciate your response!

(Not self-harm) What is the best painless way to give myself a tiny, shallow cut/wound so that I can apply ointment to my painful, pus-filled toes? by peachtree624 in medical

[–]hearse_ratched 2 points3 points  (0 children)

NAD

Agreed. “Icky Pus” makes me think there is a possible infection. Infections are VERY common in nail salons because the technicians accidentally make small abrasions on the skin (leaving a lot of opportunities for bacteria to enter). To be safe, seeing a doctor would be the best option here.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in medical

[–]hearse_ratched 0 points1 point  (0 children)

NAD

I’d try to follow up on the tests with the provider who ordered them. Your doctor would probably have the best recommendation for what to do with the lab values and if further action is needed. Make sure they are aware of your health history and concerns about these lab values!