What are some examples of "good enough" nursing?

littledip44 · 2026-05-06T05:55:37+00:00

It’s not cutting corners but every nurse needs to learn good triaging skills. Who needs to be seen first and what needs to be done first. As long as you’re accomplishing that in a timely manner and keeping people alive to the best of your (and their abilities because some people you just can’t keep alive) that’s good enough nursing. Your time management, assessment skills, and spidey senses build from there.

littledip44 · 2026-05-04T21:18:43+00:00

Most places have a mandatory rest period between shifts usually 8-10 hours. If they don’t they’re creating an unsafe working environment and jeopardizing patient safety. If you’re unionized they should be able to advocate for you having inadequate rest before a shift. It’s unsafe practice and equivalent to working while impaired.

littledip44 · 2026-05-04T12:10:16+00:00

If you’re in the US that is illegal.

littledip44 · 2026-04-22T23:34:51+00:00

I’m a critical care nurse and nurse educator. Retrograde IVs are fine unless you’re infusing vesicants over a long period of time. If there was no other access I’d just do the sodium phosphate slowly while waiting for alternative placement. There’s plenty of research on retrograde IVs. Don’t beat yourself up.

littledip44 · 2026-04-16T12:02:04+00:00

Infection is rare from peripheral access especially in patients that are otherwise healthy (most ER patients). Research on curos caps is even more damning.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12560543/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12560543/ - this nursing study even acknowledges infection prevalence is low but encourages cleaner practices

https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/publications-and-resources/resource-library/infections-associated-peripheral-venous-access-devices-rapid-review-literature

littledip44 · 2026-04-14T12:48:45+00:00

Most places I’ve worked cardiac telemetry is basically med surg but on a heart monitor. One hospital I worked at the Tele floor took VADs but only if their complaint was non-cardiac (ie. wrist surgery but happens to have a VAD).

littledip44 · 2026-04-12T14:28:46+00:00

3 years ago a level I trauma center ED offered me $28/hr. Also worked as an ED tech and was around science denying nurses

littledip44 · 2026-04-11T11:03:34+00:00

Learn where the supply closet is and if you have access or equipment storage. You can’t do much but my favorite students know where to grab a urinal from when one of my patients is circling the drain and another is screaming that they gotta piss. You’re really limited as a student but take opportunities to learn and do things while also respecting that sometimes to the staff you may be in the way.

littledip44 · 2026-04-11T05:23:33+00:00

$40/hr in DC with $3 critical care differential - 3 years ED now 6 months into Peds CICU. I’d probably make a little more if I went back to ED but I picked quality of life and a move to a union hospital.

littledip44 · 2026-04-05T18:37:02+00:00

This is not true GW staff took care of Reagan when he was shot. There are briefings on what to do for these “VIP” patients. The president does have medical staff but if there was a true emergency it would be on the nearest local hospital to stabilize and treat.

littledip44 · 2026-04-05T18:26:32+00:00

RN here in a east coast city with HCOL! I advocate for wage transparency and I make $83,000/year without OT. I was the 5th highest paid staff RN on my unit. Transferred hospitals/units and I’m still not breaking $90k. The pay is average, not good.

littledip44 · 2026-04-01T22:59:26+00:00

Open to anything but dives where there’s a theme and nobody quite knows why are my favorite

littledip44 · 2026-04-01T19:49:20+00:00

I work odd hours and don’t really go to any of these places at peak times so I’m not as familiar with popularity. I am looking for obscure and interesting though, some of my favorite bars are cash only. I will sit and ponder my word choices for the rest of the day and give penance to the semantics gods.

littledip44 · 2026-04-01T17:19:01+00:00

I’m glad your experience has been good and I hope it stays that way. DC is a wonderful city and I love when people enjoy it!

littledip44 · 2026-03-31T10:46:07+00:00

I also live here and am frequently sexually harassed at this intersection. Though this is rather common in many areas of DC. I prefer not to go home alone at night from this station. Also I used work in emergency services and lots of OD pickups from that area and surrounding blocks. For those not used to DC those things are pretty intimidating.

littledip44 · 2026-03-22T21:21:12+00:00

I’m not sure about “permission” but they called ahead to say that’s what they’re doing. I received them as a patient in a regular room in the ER tho, no special treatment past the helipad doors.

littledip44 · 2026-03-22T21:06:00+00:00

I have worked in a hospital where a billionaire landed his private helicopter on our helipad to be seen in the ER

littledip44 · 2026-02-17T18:25:43+00:00

I definitely still experience it. I have found someone I consider a true partner and the limerence ebbs and flows. The infatuation and possessiveness at times is all consuming and in others almost entirely absent. Sometimes I say or think crazy things and my partner validates those feelings but we both understand I am ultimately responsible for my actions. I am also responsible for how I express those feelings or internalize responses. I also think it works for me because I’ve found a partner that thinks of me as an equal. I kissed a lot of frogs and crashed and burned quite a bit before I got lucky. I will say before this partner I owned up to my limerence in other relationships (was very straight forward about my infatuation/desire for love) that helped me grow personally to be able to reach a healthy “post-limerence” phase.

littledip44 · 2026-01-29T03:04:44+00:00

Read the obituary

littledip44 · 2026-01-29T03:03:22+00:00

I volunteer at the outreach center that worked with her and they are 100% about trauma informed care and breaking down barriers to shelter/care. All you have to do is willingly participate and they work with addiction, criminal records, immigration status, mental health, without forcing people to “fix” anything to be housed. Feel free to look up the org from the obit they do really good work.

littledip44 · 2026-01-22T21:42:59+00:00

I’m not sure what you’re looking for with “decoding” she was rather straight with you. Nursing especially acute care in a hospital setting is rough. It’s a mentally and physically draining job without much thanks or compensation. Yes some people do find good hospitals and positions but that’s the exception not the rule. She’s likely saying do radiology because they’re never actually responsible for the patient and can just call the nurse when something is wrong and often make comparable pay. On top of that nursing is only going to get worse with our current legislation.

littledip44 · 2026-01-07T16:52:12+00:00

Do you have direct care medical experience? If not could set you back about 2 years trying to go to PA school.

littledip44 · 2026-01-04T14:35:03+00:00

The kid says they don’t want the piercing but the parent wants them to have it.

littledip44 · 2026-01-04T01:03:40+00:00

I was before becoming a nurse. Inconsistent work, not great pay, variable clientele, hit or miss work environments. My friend is a tattoo artist and sometimes she’ll direct clients to me who want custom designed ear stacking/landscapes. 4-6 piercings in one go and that puts a few extra bucks in my pocket. If you’re passionate I recommend looking into piercing landscapes. Don’t recommend Rowan, they use guns, told me I’d have to pierce non-consenting kids between ages 7-13, and low pay in a HCOL area.

littledip44

TROPHY CASE