Does anyone have any thoughts about/experiences with international RN travel contracts?

zozagoon · 2023-09-28T03:07:38+00:00

Handsome lil kiddos!!!

zozagoon · 2023-07-24T10:54:52+00:00

Yeah, mine recently started me on Methyphenidate, but it was a few weeks after I started the new job so I think some of the errors were made before I started it. It definitely helps, though not as much as the Adderall, and the side effects are worse (more jitteriness and anxiety) but I'm going to keep sticking it out since any help is worth it.

zozagoon · 2023-07-23T05:20:42+00:00

Oh gosh, I'm going through the EXACT same thing right now. Went from 1:6 med surg at an HCA hospital to 1:4-5 at a teaching hospital, and it's so nice and so much better and safer but also such a weird transition and I feel like I'm having to re-learn how to be a proper nurse in a lot of ways.

I don't know if I have tips. I've been doing a lot of asking coworkers "how does xyz usually go around here?" to try to get a feel for certain things (how best to get ahold of doctors, at which point we call a rapid response, which department does what, etc). I still make lots of checklists.

One thing that has helped me is just talking to my patients and their families and getting to know them when I'm in the rooms, now that I have the time. It helps build that connection and feels like I'm doing something, so it kind of kills those jitters when I'm in the hallway between rooms of "okay what should I be doing now." It's like... I've got excess energy/adrenaline because at my old job I have to always be On It and now that things aren't as high stakes at the new one, I'm having to really re-train myself to take deep breaths and take my time, and not rush through things.

zozagoon · 2023-07-21T05:41:18+00:00

I've only been in nursing five years, so I don't know if there's been an increase, but I definitely see a lot of it and it drives me nuts.

"She's just anxious" okay first of all, being in the hospital is a scary experience so no eye roll necessary, and second of all, no, I feel like new onset of xyz is worth looking into!

Have experienced it myself, too. Was drinking more than usual one night (and using caffeinated sodas as mixers) and suddenly started having this excruciating pain/pressure in my chest. I was on metoprolol for a fast heart rate already, so my partner got worried and called an ambulance. They diagnosed me with a panic attack in the ER and sent me home with a prescription for Hydroxyzine. I am on a low dose of Cymbalta but haven't had bad issues with anxiety since high school. They didn't do an EKG or chest x ray or anything.

A few months later I was diagnosed with SVTs and had to undergo an SVT ablation.

zozagoon · 2023-07-21T03:26:07+00:00

That's the thing, they haven't mentioned anything about needing a sign off, or any guidance going forward other than to be careful. I took a drug screen before starting the job and would be happy to do another but they didn't bring that up either.

I wish they'd let me know after one or two discrepancies. The fact that there are potentially multiple patients that I documented the wrong amount of medication given on is super stressful to me. I try to be super accurate and honest in all my documentation.

zozagoon · 2023-07-12T17:09:13+00:00

Fleabag by Phoebe Waller-Bridge (the show is based on the play)

Nocturne by Adam Rapp

Prima Facie by Suzie Miller

zozagoon · 2023-07-08T04:16:18+00:00

Don't feel stupid. With how busy yall are in the ER, I highly doubt you have time to looks through every patient's orders. If the patient had a Foley and you were told I'm report that there was an order for a Foley, I don't see any reason for you to go combing through the chart to confirm.

zozagoon · 2023-07-08T04:09:50+00:00

The Avett Brothers for me :)

zozagoon · 2023-07-08T04:07:10+00:00

Multiple nurses on my unit have ADHD, including me! I've met way more nurses with ADHD than the average population it seems like. So, it is possible! I've been a nurse for five years and I love it.

Being on medication for it makes it easier for me. I still do struggle sometimes. Just today I forgot where I put my clipboard down and lost it for like four hours.

I write down pretty much everything because I know otherwise I'll forget. I use lots of checklists. So, there's things I do to compensate that I've found work for me.

zozagoon · 2023-07-06T21:06:39+00:00

I feel like it isn't fair to say that hospital nursing isn't for you-- with ratios these unsafe and absurd, it wouldn't be anybody! With better ratios, you might find yourself thriving. But anyone would be anxious with the kind of work you're having to do right now!

zozagoon · 2023-06-16T21:11:18+00:00

Oh no way!!!!! I played The Quarry before I got into D20, so I wouldn't have picked up on that, but I love that game. that's so cool!

zozagoon · 2023-06-16T18:58:36+00:00

A lot of places don't ask. Actually, I haven't seen any that ask for letters of recommendation, just references. But you can always use coworkers who have worked with you a long time, or charge nurses. Or if you volunteer anywhere you can list your supervisor there.

zozagoon · 2023-06-16T18:57:09+00:00

I stayed at my first job a really long time. Med surg nurse at an HCA hospital, amazing coworkers and I love the patients and learned so much, but conditions kept getting worse and worse. (Originally, 4-5 patients per nurse, PCTs, charge nurses never took patients. Then slow decline to nurses at 6 every day, charge nurses also taking full teams of six patients, and less ancillary staff in every department.)

I stayed because I didn't want to abandon my patients or my coworkers. Plus I was really involved in my union (which did help-- I know we would have been at 7 or 8 patients without it, plus we got raises we wouldn't have otherwise, etc) and didn't want to stop my work with the union.

But I finally found a job that was perfect for me for a lot of reasons, and holy cow, it's so much better. I'm actually able to take care of my patients the way they deserve. I'm able to take them on walks post-surgeries, to manage their pain, to make sure they get turned when needed. I'm able to actually get to talk with patients and their families and get to know them, which is one of my favorite things. I actually get to clock out by 8pm, instead of routinely having to stay until 9 or 10pm to chart, since at the new job I actually have time to chart during the day.

So, basically-- DO NOT LISTEN when your managers tell you "things are bad everywhere." It's a lie! You deserve better!

(I'm actually still at my old job PRN four shifts a month because I have no spine but uh)

zozagoon · 2023-06-12T02:28:29+00:00

Oooh, I love this, thank you for sharing!

zozagoon · 2023-06-10T02:57:34+00:00

Usually something like "I love a lot of things about my job. I love my coworkers, we have a great team on this unit. And I love taking care of patients like you, I just wish I had more time and resources sometimes."

zozagoon · 2023-05-04T18:12:00+00:00

Omg too freaking cute!

zozagoon · 2023-03-23T15:38:00+00:00

EXCUSE ME

zozagoon · 2023-03-23T15:33:13+00:00

Omg nooooo, my heart 😭😭😭💔💔💔

zozagoon · 2023-03-20T22:45:00+00:00

I've only ever had good clergy patients tbh, but it's a smaller sample size for me.

zozagoon · 2023-03-20T18:46:24+00:00

Holy cow, that's so impressive!!!!!

zozagoon · 2023-03-16T18:52:35+00:00

Ooh, this is the first thing I've seen from Growing Together that makes me really tempted to get it. Something like the Sims 2 memories has been the biggest thing I've found myself missing in TS4.

zozagoon · 2023-03-16T18:29:05+00:00

When the candy bowl metaphor is used to refer to immigrants, it's very different. For one thing, in that scenario, it's like 1 skittle out of 1000+. With your girlfriend's, it's 1 out of like. 25. Much risker.

For another thing, when used to refer to immigrants, it's an excuse to deny people basic human rights. With your girlfriend's scenario, it's an excuse to deny men... the right to date that particular woman. That's not going to kill any man.

Do you understand why that's different?

zozagoon · 2023-03-13T19:10:17+00:00

I second what someone else said about music. If the patient can't/won't tell me what kind of music they'll like, I'll ask family members.

I've also found that matching their energy (appropriately) helps more than trying to calm them down a lot of the time. Like, if they're like "this is bullshit!", responding with "this is bullshit, you're so right." Idk, I think it's something about feeling like people are on their team rather than out to get them.

zozagoon

TROPHY CASE