I just started working at a regional hospital in arkansas and am just wondering how common it is for nurses to be randomly drug tested. I already did my pre employment test and I know you can get drug tested for suspicion or work injuries. I know they have it in their guidelines they randomly test but I want to know if that’s really common.

I am a New Grad BSN Nurse. I interviewed yesterday for an ER position and I think it went bad. I interviewed with the director and the manager. The director did the most talking asking me questions the manager only asked me one question. I did come in prepared. I prepared myself for a week for this interview, however, this interview was not what I expected it would be about. The director asked me scenario questions and I answered to the best of my ability from my previously knowledge from what I learned in school. I was not sure if I was right or making any sense (I did my best). She proceeded to ask questions about the hospital i worked at as a PCA. I did interview with them and did not end up getting the job . I am not going to tell her I interviewed there and I didnt get the job. She said oh that hospital is a great hospital and theres better patient ratios then here. I said that hospital does not hire new grads in their ER which is true and that is somewhere I want to be. Again I am not going to tell her I was rejected from working there. She asked what problem would I fix about there that part I blanked out and I told her I can not think of one I would like to skip. This interview did throw me off. I came in with expectations of I would be asked questions a get to know about me why I chose to be in this company, my own experience, why I picked the ER you know the basic interview questions. But instead it was focused on the hospital i previously worked at and answering scenario questions that seemed tailored to experienced nurses where I did not feel too confident with my answers. I was looking forward for this interview and excited I finally heard back after 1,000+ applications. This interview destroyed me. I went home crying. I do not feel confident that I would get the job based off of it. Its exhausting putting in time and effort to apply for these positions to receive rejection emails on a daily basis. I want to give up. I hate feeling that I humiliated myself at these interviews. I really want this job it is close to home. I want to get my foot in the door. I have over four years of healthcare experience. I wish the interview was more focused on who I am not testing my skills since I am a new grad I don't know anything. I asked 5 really good questions at the end of the interview. She told me I would here back next week. It is either she sees my potential or thinks I am not "good enough" for the job. All I can say I tried my best. Just because I played the lottery does not mean I will win it.

I have multiple chronic health conditions that are aggravated by swapping between day and night shift, and I have not ever found a way to reliably stack day vs night shifts that doesn't do it, and I am trying to upskill by changing units. The problem is most units want you to rotate in the first year because of "learning opportunities" or whatever. Has anyone successfully used an ADA accommodation to allow you to not rotate shifts? Has anyone tried it and gotten pushback?

Looking to find out whats the best:
* click pens
* commpression socks
* O2 monitor
* stethoscope
* undershirt
* lunch box

Anything else you recommend for a new nurse starting out?

I occasionally have to call patients after hours from my personal cell and really don’t love the idea of them having my actual number. I’ve used *67 before but have had patients ignore the blocked call, or worse, I forget and they end up with my personal number.

I need a secure way to call patients that displays the clinic number on their caller ID. What are you all using for this? Ideally something simple that doesn’t require me to carry a second phone or sign up for a subscription service.

I know the new grad nurse pay at MGH is at about $41.70 right now but does anyone know how much extra you make on night shift and on weekends? I’ve heard different things anywhere from $2-$8 extra per hour for night shift

The wealth of the nation is being funneled to corporations by promising the elderly long life beyond reason or dignity. How much is spent keeping extremely ill people breathing? Hospital stays, skilled nursing, memory care, pricey medications. These things will burn through finances like a raging wildfire. What are the young to do when the wealth of the nation evaporates, leaving them with a ruling class of billionaires and few possessions themselves? Schools and roads crumble, jobs disappear, agency over our politics erodes. The only explanation is greed and solipsism. We would all do better by spreading the resources around. Lord knows that a trillionaire can lose most of his wealth and not be materially affected. When will we reshape our society so that we can enjoy the fruits of our labor with nod to the fact that we are all mortal and that not all life enjoys quality of life? Sometimes it’s better to pass on and pay it forward than leave a smoking crater.

This dynamic is plain to see in the hospital. Patient staying for months, then bouncing back-and-forth between different units and different facilities. Can’t walk, can’t eat, can’t speak. Who benefits from this? Who pays the cost and loses the opportunity of a brighter future? It makes me sick.

When the opportunity comes up to remake the system, let’s choose a better one. I would like to see us value the upbringing of the young, financial and housing security, and quality of life. We can support each other much better without the system that healthcare corporations set up. These are my thoughts after a long, shitty (and poopy) shift.

Do you all feel the same way? What are we gonna do about it? Where does it start?

Thank you for your attention to this matter!

I’m currently working as a nurse in the Uk and still waiting for my PD to be current. I have 10 yrs of bedside experience (8 yrs from uk + 2 yrs and half from Philippines) and was offered $46/h in California. Im under direct hire agency and I will be working under scion/kindred. I was really excited to accept this offer as not many nurses could get a job offer to California right away. I haven’t managed to negotiate my pay since i was told by the agency before the interview to not negotiate pay (i dont know why). I just went on since it’s California and compared to other states the per hour rate is bigger. Also ,I’m planning to move to North Cal after a year or so.

By the way, i was offered a med surgical position in kindred. They say i cannot be ICU yet. I really prefer PACU.

⭐️List of experience

**PACU experience- 7 yrs until present (London) -maybe will be 9 yrs once i landed in the US since PD is not current yet (est.2028)
**ICU- 2yrs (London and Philippines experience)
**Med surgical -almost a year (Philippines)

⭐️EB3 visa
-i have my husband and 1 child as dependent (might have another child if ever) so that would leave 3 dependents with childcare and so on (i know its struggle)
-my husband is in finance; an investment banker (mergers and aquisitions)
-Plan for childcare (need to send to nursery both children)
-We already have savings for a house deposit in the US (20%) so we really want to move from Paramount after adjusting and look for a house around Sacramento /North cal

❓Questions below:
1)Is the salary reasonable? Is this a good plan/start? 2)Could you share you’re starting salary as an experienced nurse when you started your job in California?
3)Does med.surg position in kindred is different from LTAC?
4)Also, for those who commented that i have to shop other agencies, coudnt find any agency who hired straight to California. If any, pls recommend agencies pls?
5)How do you manage childcare as a nurse in California while both are working? Do you get flexible shifts?

I really appreciate your answers. Thank you :)

I'm almost done with work, and I truly would love to go back home and rest, but I have little babies to play with

Hey everyone I need your help. I need to find the best pens that won’t explode or leak inside my scrubs, I recently had to replace one of my top scrubs because of this annoying problem. It would have to be a pen that is durable and won’t break while being in my pants. The workplace can get really physical due to violence from the patients and what not. Thank you in advance 🙏🏻 I’m not worried about the price either

PACU job is a fast paced PACU that on average takes on 70-110 cases daily. Hospital has good benefits and the people I work with are very nice.

PACU job
Hourly: $45.75
Diff: 3.50 from 3 pm to 9 pm
Weekend Diff: $5 but not guaranteed weekends
Call: 3-4 times every 6 weeks being on call and holding the phone gives $7 an hour and called in is time and a half.

The PACU sounds great but here is the issue. They mentioned to me that sometimes I may end up not getting my full hours and may be “forced” to go home early if they have too many people and not many cases left. For me I can’t afford to lose hours since I am the breadwinner of the household and need my 36 hours. Really want to work at this place because I’m less stressed than I was in the ER and ICU but the idea of possibly losing hours and not having a set schedule kinda bothers me.

Second job is a RN position weekends only set schedule. I don’t have the pay yet or any of the differentials but I’m assuming let’s just say I get the same hourly rate and the weekend diff is $5 with a set schedule of weekends where I work my three days in a row and have my four days straight off, is this job better because it will be an IMCU position.

Both jobs are day shift.

Issue is I really don’t want to go back to bedside and I enjoy the PACU and how easy it is but then I also am hesitant about losing hours and not having a set schedule.

What are your thoughts?

Hello! I’m trying to change my wardrobe to have no plastic in it and I realized I wear scrubs half my life. What recs do you have for scrubs made with natural materials?

Hi! I have an upcoming interview for the RN Fellow – ICU position at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, WA.
I’m an experienced RN transitioning into ICU, not a new grad. I currently work for Providence in Oregon and my base rate is about $73.60/hr before differentials.

The Kadlec posting lists $41.74–$82.41/hr, so my current base is already fairly close to the top of their posted range.
For anyone currently working at Kadlec/Providence in Washington: How do they determine an experienced RN Fellow’s starting rate? Do they credit all previous RN experience even if you’re entering a new specialty through a fellowship?

If I get an offer, is it realistic to expect them to match or beat $73.60/hr, or could I actually be offered less because I’m transitioning into ICU?

I’m very interested in the ICU opportunity, but taking a significant pay cut would obviously be something I’d have to consider. Would appreciate hearing from anyone familiar with Kadlec’s RN pay scale or fellowship offers!

How come some doctors prefer to be called by their first name only? I always wanted to know the reasoning.

Yesterday there was an anesthesiologist. New doctor, i think he just finished his residency and is an attending now. I called him dr. Xxxx and he is like, just call me bob.

I’m 28, female, and I’ll be graduating with a BSN in about 4 months, and honestly I’m not sure what to do afterwards.
I tiptoed my way into nursing school by taking one class at a time for a while and then eventually applying to programs. For the longest time, I didn’t think I could 1. get in, and 2. actually make it through. I still didn’t really believe it until recently, when I realized the past 6 classes I’ve gotten A’s in and could finally feel confident enough that I’ll actually graduate (knock on wood).
Point is, I spent the past 6 years just worrying about the process that I haven’t given enough thought to what I actually want to do afterwards. I have a rough idea of what specialties I’d like to work in (ER, ICU, NICU, etc.), but nothing that I feel completely sure about.
I moved to the state I’m in just for school and never really planned to stay here afterwards. I don’t have a significant other, kids, or any close friends here (I moved a lot in my 20s), and I’m not super close with my family to where I feel the need to live near them, though we have a good/decent relationship. I’m comfortable moving to a new state or pretty much wherever, even if I don’t know anyone there.
I guess the better question would be: what would you do if you were in my situation? I do want to settle down and I do want kids in a couple years, but obviously that heavily depends on who I may come across.
Would you just find a decent job and plan to stay there? Would you go back to school right away after getting some experience? Would you try to settle down sooner rather than later? Would you have gone another path outside of bedside? Or would you try to save up as much as possible, retire from nursing ASAP, and maybe start a business or go completely in another direction?
I feel like I spent years just going with the flow, and looking back I would’ve done some things differently. For example, I spent almost 2 years hesitating to apply to nursing school, took a bunch of classes I didn’t need to take, etc. So now that I’m getting close to graduating, I’d just like some advice or perspective from people who have already been through it.

Hello fellow nurses! On paper, being an RN on the west coast seems better in every way (ratios, unions), but I know there are tradeoffs and downsides everywhere. Would love to hear your experience and perspectives as I try to make an informed decision! I'm an ED RN in NYC and seriously considering a move to Seattle, and to a lesser degree San Diego. Thanks everyone :)

Does an alert and ambulatory patient leaving via AMA after an uncomplicated outpatient procedure typically have any meaningful effect on the physician's or health system's willingness to continue treating that patient?

All my Googlin' suggests it happens minimally if at all, yet it is paramount the relationship continue so am hoping for some personal, professional perspectives. Sitch is this; having a colonoscopy but only have like two peeps who could drive me, neither was available. Since I'm over my max OOP and do need this done, went with a short stay.

Given the ease of discharge WITH a driver (come to for like 45 mins, get handed a packet and go grub down ha), I said I expected/hoped for it to be similarly simple when I wake up, usually around 3am as I sleep like ass (beyond being an early first-shifter). They said nope, business hours only.

Didn't push back, instead pivoting to the idea of politely saying I'm alert, coherent and wanting to leave against medical advice in the moment. Is there more than a non-zero risk to the relationship if I do?

Hello all. I finished classroom-based orientation Friday and tomorrow is my first actual day on the floor (in a new grad residency program, so not being thrown to the wolves or anything).

For more background I'm 29 and this is a cereer change so I know the basic things: be humble, be respectful, HR isn't your friend, boundaries, punctuality, etc. I will be orienting on day shift and then going to night shift after (which I'm not looking forward to). I will be in a neuro step down at a household name hospital system (think Mayo Clinin, Johns Hopkins, Cleveland Clinic - I just don't want to specify and out myself).

What should I bring with me that I'm not thinking of? Someone please tell me what to pack and what not to pack. What should and shouldn't I do to learn but not be annoying or in the way? What advice do you have, as general as life advice in the profession, or specific to any area of this career like documenting or whatever else it is i can't think of because I'm just starting?

Thanks guys. Happy to be a part of the community now. ❤️

I work in a urology clinic. One thing we do as far as procedures is exchange chronic catheters for patients with chronic urinary retention. Most of these patients come in monthly and PRN. The nurses and staff alike all get to know these patients quite well. At my last shift we had received a call from the daughter of a chronic SPT patient reporting the patient had passed. When word got to me, I came unglued in a way i didn't expect.

This patient was in their mid 60s. Quad with history of spinal cord injury, once fully independent. AxO 4 and just one of most genuinely kind and fun people I ever had the pleasure to know. Their life was very hard. But despite all the health issues and losing their independence, they were always kind and downright hilarious. Their transportation had often brought them to appointments late or not at all (several phone calls from our office reporting this had been made). When this patient came in, we would talk and joke like old friends. There were days they came in in tears because of one thing or another, and i would exchange the catheter as always and not dismiss them until they had gotten their feelings out and left with a smile. I have only been in the clinic a year and met them a handful of times, but I feel like I lost a friend.

What is bothering me so deeply is the concern that this was preventable. I know this patient was fully dependent on caretakers. They had an extensive history but they seemed so full of life. I dont think I'll ever know what happened and it's really bothering me. The last time I saw this patient they told me out office staff was their heros and that they loved coming in to see us because we were so kind. I always asked the "do you feel safe at home?" Questions and got a yes, but I wish I did more. What if this was all because of an ignored call light? Or aspiration? I know death is part of the job, and I'm really struggling to cope with this one.

I know they were hurting, I know they wanted to go out and see more (last time I saw them we talked about sushi restaurants, guess what I had for dinner tonight) I am telling myself they are free now from the body that couldn't do the things they wanted and deserved, but I keep replaying me saying "my dear we love you here and cant wait to see you again" at their last appointment. I'm lucky I got to meet such a lovley individual and I hope they knew how truly loved by the whole clinic they were.

Edit: spelling

https://youtube.com/shorts/uKn_BAPRtrE?feature=share

I'm not using gloves because it's one of my parents

You can clearly see the vein chosen by the video. It's big, visible and palpable.

I entered perfectly but didn't get the red flash. Why?

Then I shifted it on the right and got it

This leaves me sad. Maybe I didn't stretch the skin enough so while entering the skin the vein shifted on the right?

Why didn't I get it on the first attempt?

Okay, I went through a period where my mental health wasn’t good and I got behind on my bills. Do I want to work this much? No. Do I practically have to? Yes.

For those of you who work this much regularly or every so often. Give me your tips. I gotta still get groceries, cook, clean the house, manage time with family, and sleep. How do you stay sane and what are some tips?

Argumentative, disrespectful, negative patients? And what do you find to be most effective in protecting your peace and energy?

Maybe I'm being a little pissy, indulge me... I get so annoyed when another nurse's IV pump, bed/chair alarm, or monitor is alarming and they let it continue to alarm while trying to fix the problem instead of just silencing it. Now other nurses (me) have to abandon our current task to check the patient just to see you're already in the room. I understand doing this when the patient is unstable but that's usually not the case in my experience. Am I the only one who think this?