A Change Gone Come

There are a few things that I truly take pride in outside of being a mom & wife, and precepting is my pride and joy in the Nursing profession.  I was able to log over 750 hrs in the last year precepting new graduates and new employees.  My love to teaching others stems from a specifically awful experience when I was in Nursing School, and again as a new graduate.

I was in the middle of my 3rd semester and after almost a year and a half on the same unit, we had learned which Nurses would teach us and which to avoid like the plague.  I had gathered my information about my patients the night before, and the next morning when I saw which floor nurse  was assigned to my patients my heart sank.  Not HER! Anyone but her!  I was worried but quickly decided that I would be the BEST Nursing Student she had ever seen and things would be different.  While at the Nurses Station another RN had noticed who I was assigned to and wanted me to relay a message.  I jumped at the opportunity and went on a search for her.

Seeing her about 20' down the hall, I smiled and said, "Oh, did you" but was quickly cut off as she declared, "I just got here and I haven't even gotten report yet so I don't have time for our questions."

I stood flabbergasted with my mouth still open as she walked past me towards the Nurses Station.

I wanted to cry.

Quickly, I found my fellow students and told them what happened.  I was given words of encouragement and we all went back to our assigned patients.  Later that morning, one of my friends came to tell me the nurse who I was assigned to had apologized to her.  This Nurse couldn't even recognize who she had yelled at!

We heard many times that "Nurses eat their young," and this incident fueled my fire.  I never wanted someone else to feel the way I did.

I continued to hold fast to my optimism and was excited to start my career in Pediatrics!  My orientation on the floor consisted of an insane amount of reading and learning the flow of the department.  Eventually I would be on night shift but initially was trained on day shift. Every time I encountered the Nurse I would be working with, I was either ignored or glared at.  After two weeks it finally took a toll and I ended up sitting in my car, crying and wondering what I had done wrong.  I always smiled, had a welcoming posture, and a positive attitude.  I had been warned that many new RNs had been "run off" in Peds, and finally I decided I wasn't going anywhere.  This is where I wanted to be and I had earned a right to try.

As my first shift on nights drew closer, I started giving myself little pep talks by restating that I was going to excel and was NOT going to be run off!

My first official night shift had me so worried that I was trying not to puke.  We received report and as soon as the day shift RN left the unit, this Nurse lit into me.

She said, "New grads have no place being in pediatrics because you have NO experience and you are putting the whole unit at risk by being here!"

I smiled and said, "I understand that I have no experience, which is why I'm so excited to be here, and I hope to learn everything I can to become the best Nurse I can."

She had no retort but continued to have a less than favorable attitude towards me for quite awhile. Later, she even gave me the nickname "hateful heifer," which I'm still not sure if it was a joke or her true perception of me.

After almost 2 years we were moving, and I had the pleasure of orienting a nurse (who had worked there previously) to new changes and procedures.  At the end, she told me how great I was at orienting and thanked me for welcoming her.  That was the best compliment I had ever received and it gave me the confidence I needed while venturing into my next job in a Pediatric Emergency Department.

After 18 months at my new job, I was able to start precepting and it brought me so much joy.  There is no better feeling then seeing others take the knowledge you have given them and watch them grow. I had the privilege of precepting many of the new staff in our unit, and especially the "baby nurses" (new graduates).  I cherish all the hugs and thank yous, and credit it all to the staff that trained and welcomed me!

I truly hope "a change gone come" in the Nursing profession.  Instead of "eating" our young, we will watch proudly as our baby birds soar and excel in a career that we hold so dear.

Tip of the Hat & Wag of the Finger

Okay, I totally stole this concept from the Great Stephen T. Colbert, but it's for a great cause! Since starting my new job I've come in contact with more people than I could have ever imagined. And in doing that, there are a few things I'd like to point out.

A Tip of the Hat to...

parents that know what medications (and dosages) their children are taking...and what times they take them.

parents that understand that we have their child's best interest at heart. I've yet to meet a nurse that won't question an order if they truly feel there's a better way for the child.

parents that care about their kids & show compassion when needed.

parents that truly attempted to make a doctor's appointment or get a referral to urgent care before coming straight to the ER.

parents that allow the staff to bribe their children with popsicles.

parents that know their limits & will either step out or stay talk with their child or help distract them during a procedure.


A Wag of the Finger to...

parents that bring their child to the ER for a fever, but don't own a thermometer or fail to try to medicate their child for said "fever."

parents who's children have SEVERE life-threatening allergies to medicine or food, yet don't have an allergy alert bracelet on their child. This is a pet peeve of mine!! Do you really want to run the risk of someone accidently giving your child a medicine or food that could kill them! There are a million different options for bracelets, anklets or even necklaces so ANYONE can clearly see your child has an allergy.

people who state their allergy to morphine is "it makes me tired." Really...really??

people who come to the ER to get a prescription for tylenol or motrin (b/c medicare/medicaid pays for it), yet they are carrying a Coach diaper bag.

parents who bring their kid to the ER for an ear ache, but complain about the wait time. If anyone is unaware, the patients in the ER are not seen in order of arrival, they are seen in order of who is the most sick/unstable/needs the most procedures.



All that being said, I really do love my job!! I'm learning so much & getting exposed to so many different people, which is always great.

What do you love & what would you change about your job?

Don't unfollow me yet!!

So, I'm in North Carolina, but life sure has thrown a few curve balls my way these past few weeks!

Cooper has decided that he doesn't need to sleep...pretty much ever. He is waking up every 2 hrs at night and is only taking about a 45 min nap. This wouldn't be so bad if Eric had arrived when we originally planned.

He was supposed to join me after two weeks, but on his last day (and his last jump) he had a less than desirable landing and ended up breaking his wrist, which had to be repaired via surgery.

He made it up a week late, and now can no longer attend his scheduled class in Arizona, and has to go back to Florida for an undetermined amount of time...waiting for his wrist to heal & then another class date & even possibly another duty station.

I started orientation and am LOVING the new hospital!!! They are 3 times larger than the one I used to work at, and I'm super excited to work in the Pediatric ED.

So, with all the stress & frustration, I've found one thing to be grateful for...I can wear ANY color shoes I want! And this is what I chose:
Don't you love them!! I have great plans to graffiti them out with signatures & my own wicked style.

I also have some great news! I have some AMAZING sisters that hooked me up, and coincidentally, will have hooked up one lucky reader. Yes, you read that right, I'm going to do a giveaway! A real one :o)

So, stay posted, don't unfollow me, and to give you an idea of how busy I've been...my nanny worked almost 50 hrs last week! Hopefully things will slow down once I hit the floor & get on a normal schedule.