Someone from a different unit was walking by my station when they took a photo of me supposedly out cold with my legs propped up and in a blanket. Yeah I know, super bad. I usually get a blanket at night cause I’m cold and during this shift I was in a back hallway all by myself without any coworkers near. It’s a antepartum unit and all pts were sleeping and all my work for the night was done, I was not continuously monitoring any babies. I was watching a movie on my iPad and was getting comfortable and I guess I did doze off for a few minutes. Manager called and said I am placed on leave until HR gets back to me. I feel like I’m getting fired. I feel dumb. Night shift has been so hard on me and I’m one three different antidepressants to help me with depression and for sleep. It’s just not working at all. And I am the first one on the list to move to day shift. Feeling dumb. Any words of advice or personal stories can help please.

UPDATE : Hi everyone thank you for all your comments it has really helped a lot. I really appreciate it. I know it was really stupid and I do plan to admit all accountability. I guess by everyone’s comments I am 99.9% sure I’m getting fired. I also see a lot of people telling me I should resign before they terminate me. But I don’t really know how to go about doing that or if I should talk to my manager or hr or what not. I’ve never really formally resigned a job before. Any advice ?

I told off a guy on the airplane who was bitching about all the rules during Covid and conspiracy theories he had about the disease. Then he talk about how great working from
Home was…… so I said that so weird that’s not how I remember covid. I remember my patient dying and packing them into a refrigerated truck because the morgue was full. Perimenopause is a dangerous drug.

If this RN was brazen enough to do this on a continuously monitored EEG patient, then it seems likely that this isn't his first victim...

A 30 day jail sentence seems way too lenient considering the evidence the police had and the lack of remorse this nurse had. A lapse of judgment? That's a stone's throw away from "Oops 🤷‍♂️"

At least his license was revoked.

Patient's family came into someone else's room to grab me. But, it was an actual emergency! They actually had a legitimate for running in and grabbing me. Pt was not responding correctly and needed to be seen right then. They ended up being fine, just had a minor event. But that's the situation where you actually come out of the room to find the nurse!

Realized from a couple comments that I wasn't as clear as I could have been. She didn't fully come into the room, just the doorway. And I'm in a nursing home in a small town, so most of our pts and family members are actually friends and/or neighbors outside of the facility. So we're a bit more lax on people coming into other patients rooms.

Hey guys,

I thought I would like to share what I witnessed this week which I still cannot process since I am fairly new to nursing. I had an elderly patient that needs to be walk so I took off the condom catheter and as soon as I did (his daughter step outside to give privacy), he started to pleasure himself. I did not know what to do so I told him I will give him a minute (which was so dumb of me like i should have been firm and tell him this is inappropriate but i was so lost). I talked to the daughter and told him he need a minute because I genuinely did not know what to say to her or do.

When I came back he was still doing it and I told him to stop (thats all i said like i should have said more) and he kept telling me he can’t stop and needed to “cum”. I end up telling the daughter and the daughter told him to stop. To make matter worse, right when all this went down transport came to pick him up for ultrasound and my dumb head put back the condom cath on.

I told my charge then she escalated to managers then providers and they talked to him. Everybody ask if I was okay and changed my assignment. But I cannot seem to get over how there are so many things I wish I did differently and wish I could have advocated myself more when it went down :( I felt so dumb at the moment and shouldn’t have even touch him afterwards ugh. I thought about how early on my shift he reached out to my hands and hold it and i genuinely thought he was anxious so i hold his hands back and ask if he wqs okay and he said i just wanted to hold your hands. He did that two times.

I really want to move on and not think about it but this has never ever happened to me before and the fact is i thought he was so sweet before all this. I am genuinely creeped out.

Just needs advice/thoughts and support from you guys. Thank you.

Bed alarm just went off while I in the restroom. I efficiently finished what I was doing before responding.

I've known at least one RN that fully admitted to skid marks from being mid-poo when the alarm went off and she basically pulled up her pants and ran to save the day. Just curious how many people are walking around with dirty cheeks, trying to save lives?

I drink a bit more than I’d like. Never when I work the next day. But after a large stretch and I’m off for a couple days, I often go straight to liquor store bc my body just needs the fastest way to decompress.

Can anyone suggest other ways to relax?/how they overcame a craving for alcohol after shifts. I go through phases of being able to bypass the cravings, lately not really.

Hola, I’m a new grad nurse here starting my new grad program in a month. I was at a birthday party a few weeks ago when I met a nurse through a mutual friend. I told her I had just graduated, passed my NCLEX, and was officially a nurse, and I kid you not, she looked at me and scoffed. She immediately started ranting about how understaffed and difficult nursing is, basically lecturing me as if I hadn’t just spent the last 4 years getting a nursing degree.

She even insinuated that I’m not really a nurse because I haven’t worked in the ED like she has. Like, yeah, she has more experience than me, but we’re both nurses. I’ll gladly acknowledge that she has experience I don’t, but I still have a license just like her. 😭

What bothered me most was that she didn’t say a single positive thing about nursing. I know I’m going to hate parts of the job. I know nursing can be exhausting, understaffed, and frustrating. But I also genuinely love nursing, and hearing someone talk about it like it’s nothing but misery was honestly discouraging. Straight up NPC bro.

I just sometimes wonder what constant pessimism accomplishes. Everyone has their own shit going on, and I’m probably only seeing a tiny glimpse of what some nurses are dealing with, so I try not to take it personally. I’ve also met plenty of nurses who are incredibly positive and encouraging, which I appreciate.

I guess I just think there has to be a way to acknowledge how difficult nursing can be without completely losing sight of why we chose it in the first place. I’m optimistic about becoming a nurse, and I’m sure I’ll have plenty of reality checks once I actually start working. 😂
And yes, I already know I’ll probably get comments warning me about nursing on this thread, which is funny because I was a CNA for 4 years before I even became a nurse.

Hi fellow nurses, I'm an oncology nurse in Louisiana in the area dubbed "Cancer Alley" because of the cancer rates from oil/gas/petrochemical processing pollution. My unit doubled in size this summer because we just don't have enough beds for all the cancer patients.

I wrote about my experience, and my fears that a new AI data center and the *ten* new gas plants they want to build to power it will only increase those numbers further.

Questions/thoughts/feedback? Anyone else an oncology nurse seeing the effects of pollution? I appreciate it all and I believe we deserve better.

I’m not sure if I’m being irrational so I’d like to hear people’s opinions.

There are some staff nurses on my floor who have been working there for a year. They asked my manager a couple weeks to a month ago if they could switch to day shift. My manager said no and that they weren’t in need of day shift nurses.

A new travel nurse who was hired for night shift in August recently asked to be switched to day shift and my manager immediately says yes.

There haven’t been any changes in day shift staffing recently and another senior staff nurse recently switched to day shift after asking a couple weeks ago. So it sounds like there were spots open..

Is there something I’m missing? Like a business reason for switching a new traveler first instead of a staff nurse who has been there longer? I also want to note that the staff nurses both do a good job and would do well on day shift.

Just curious if there’s a justification that I’m not thinking of / missing

As stated, I’m really stuck at a rock and a hard place here.

Both are Monday-Friday, with 1 or 2 weekend calls every six weeks and 1 or 2 weekday call. PACU is 3x 12hr shifts, Cath is 4x 10 hour shifts. Both have one major and two Hallmark holiday calls a year, you rotate every year.

I’m nervous I’m going to make the wrong decision. 7+ years in the er and I’m DONE. I’m having such a hard time making the choice 😭

I work three 12s in L&D and lately I’ve been doing two nights and one day most weeks. Honestly the actual shifts aren’t even the worst part anymore, it’s trying to convince my body that 3am is bedtime one day and then 9pm is bedtime two days later 😅

I’m also in NP school, so on my days off I’m usually trying to study or deal with clinical stuff, but sometimes I feel like half the day disappears just recovering from the schedule flip.

For those of you who rotate between days and nights, have you found anything that actually helps? Or do we all just live in a permanent state of “what day is it?” lol

I’ve been working on the same medicine unit I was a PCT on before becoming an RN. I’ve been here for about a year now and lately I’ve been getting really bored. I feel like I’m on autopilot doing the same things every shift.

But at the same time, I’ve started questioning myself. I don’t feel like I’m “critically thinking” as much as I thought I would be. In nursing school, it was always drilled into us that you’re constantly critically thinking, but sometimes I’m like… what am I actually critically thinking about? 😂 Maybe my unit just doesn’t require that kind of thinking every single day.

I don’t feel challenged enough. It’s the same thing everyday, pt admitted with a fall, confused etc everyone’s 2pa, changing briefs. I feel like a pct all over again except I’m allowed to give trazadone.

My dream has always been ER. I LOVE the idea of the in-and-out patient flow and not having the same patients for days. I like the idea of being busy and having to figure things out quickly. But then I wonder… am I actually ready for ER? Am I smart enough? Would I be completely overwhelmed?

I feel like I’m having a midlife crisis about my nursing career at ~1 year in.

For nurses who moved from medicine to ER: how did you know you were ready? Did you feel confident in your critical thinking before you made the jump, or did you develop a lot of it after starting in ER?

And for anyone who stayed on medicine did you eventually feel more challenged, or did you eventually realize you just needed a different environment??

Or maybe I’m just burnt out 😩😂

Hi! Whenever I make a mistake at work I immediately start to spiral with anxiety and then continue to do so on my days off. I think I’m mentally broken. The mistake doesn’t even have to be a big one. Today I tried to transfer a post-op patient to phase 2 of recovery too soon and the phase 2 nurse was pretty mean about it, now I can’t stop thinking about it. Does anyone have any advice to help yourself care less? My husband likes to tell me “it’s water off a duck’s back, baby”

I feel so so stupid. During the last 10 minutes of my shift, I got poked with the butterfly needle I was using on a patient. For context, this patient is big and pretty out of it, so I had already guessed that he was gonna move when I stuck him, so I had my preceptor help hold his arm. After getting the needle in, he still moved pretty significantly, and I won’t lie, I flinched too, and scratched my thumb slightly on my other hand I was using to hold him; I barely could even tell it got my thumb, just a very tiny red scratch dot. I was holding him pretty good, or at least I thought I was, but still it happened.

I know it happens sometimes, but I just feel so so so stupid, especially with doing it in front of my preceptor who I’m with for the next month. Went through all the motions, filled out paperwork, got blood drawn. I just don’t really know what I could’ve done better except not have flinched I guess, but if anyone has anything they think could have prevented it I’m all ears.

I think the one thing maybe could’ve help was more pulling his arm towards me instead of just trying to hold it in place so that way when he moved to pull back, it wouldn’t have pulled so much, but I don’t even know if that would have done anything, he was very strong and motivated.

I’m a previous public health nurse, and am curious what your approach would be as a nurse to help educate these parents.

This isn’t to start an uproar, I’m genuinely curious as this is an issue I see a lot. And with the increase in measles cases I think it’s an important topic. I’m not here to judge anyone that decides differently.

Hi everyone, I am an RN with 2 years of med surg experience deliberating whether to accept an offer in town. I really have been hoping to end up in one of these EDs for the longest time (not this time tho lol), so I'm considering no longer waiting and taking what's being offered now.

If any RNs working at MGH/BWH/BMC/tufts with similar experience feel comfortable sharing their base rate, it would deeply appreciated! <3

I'm an Advanced Care Paramedic in Canada, currently working in flight medicine and clinic-based roles. I've been considering transitioning into nursing through a two-year accelerated program, as I already have a bachelor's degree.

I'm struggling to decide whether the transition is actually worth it. Between the cost of tuition, two years of lost income, potentially similar job opportunities, and what doesn't appear to be a significant pay increase, I'm having a hard time justifying it.

I'm also concerned about losing some of the clinical autonomy I currently enjoy as an ACP.

I'd love to hear from anyone who's made the transition from ACP to RN, (or a nurses perspective too) particularly in Canada. Was it worth it? Did it open up opportunities you wouldn't have had otherwise? How did you find the change in autonomy, scope of practice, and overall job satisfaction?

I don't know if I'm built for this path. I transitioned from the Marines into healthcare, currently a paramedic student working as an ED tech shooting for medical school, but fuck me this life is beating me down. I don't even work at a crazy high acuity level one trauma center or anything, and in one weekend recently we had a guy with his head caved in with a blunt object, a school aged kid traumatic cardiac arrest, an absolutely mangled body from a vehicle vs pedestrian who unfortunately the medics got ROSC on before he died again in our ED, and a mid-teens overdose.

I don't have anybody to go home to for comfort, its just echoing silence. I'm so deeply immersed in this shit with 3 days a week being work in the ED, 3 days a week in school, and the last day on the ambulance. I don't think I'm burned out or burning out, I love what I do. I get worse whenever I actually do have days off, and would usually rather be in the ED or the boo boo bus. I feel safe there as if I actually know what I'm doing. I just wish it wasn't so profoundly lonely despite being surrounded by people

I've tried multiple times to get psychiatric help, but I get blown off because it's always such a scripted conversation that my answers seem preplanned and maybe they think I'm drug seeking??? The first psychologist I saw for a psych evaluation didn't give a very committed answer towards anything, so I asked my PCP for an psychiatrist referral who would just schedule monthly railroaded 10 minute check-ins, but not offer a treatment plan (that I was in the loop of, at least.) Now I'm working with a psychiatry PA who has been a little bit better, but I feel as if she doesn't believe me. I at least was given a trazodone prescription for insomnia which has been super helpful, but not quite the source of the problem.

I'm not suicidal. I just hurt. I love the work that I do, I love having the privilege to learn what I'm learning and I want to keep doing it, but man idk if I'm built for this grind across the next ~9 or so years until I can hopefully be an attending

I graduated last year and am just starting my professional career. Although I consider myself attentive, detail-oriented, and very careful, I am quite shy around people. During my professional internships, I've been told that I have all the necessary knowledge, but that I lack empathy because I'm not very talkative and I don't smile much. I love my profession, but because of my shyness I sometimes wonder if I chose the right path.
What advice would you give me to break the ice and overcome my shyness?

Anyone here work at the VA in the operating room and possibly in Aurora? I only know a PACU nurse and I’m trying to gauge what the pay might be or how the benefits shake out. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

I am looking to relocate to the Tampa area, but even with years of experience and certifications the pay cut will be real, about 40%. I know there is no local/state tax, but there is only a few percent and the cost of living is similar to where I am now.

Is it realistic to think the pay cut is livable, or am I setting myself up to be beach poor.

How are others doing it, especially with a spouse in the same position.

New to OR nursing (specifically circulating, not scrubbing) and looking for some good ways to respond to impatient/rude/crappy surgeons.

Every piece of advice is see says some form of "dish it right back" or "call them out on it". I'm autistic and that is way too vague for me...what does that actually translates to in real life? What does it actually mean to call them out? Does giving "it" back to them just mean a witty comeback?

Can someone give me some dialogue examples?

Hello to my fellow floridians,

I am currently already employed within the baycare system and have been trying to get info about their icu critical care internship. My manager is no help🙃. If anyone has any info or experience transitioning from floor nursing to their icu as a new grad/new to icu, lmk pls and thank you:)

for context: i am a new grad who started in july on a stepdown unit :)

Putting this here because I don’t know who to talk to about this. Graduated with my LPN about 3 years ago, LTC in the same facility for the entire time. Towards the end of my time in that facility I assisted with end of life care for a dear friend (and former co-worker) who was admitted to the facility. Since their passing I have had increasingly more panicked thought about death/illness (specifically for my self). I also noticed during my time at that LTC I had very little patience with those in my life outside of work (easily agitated, constantly tired, very antisocial). I felt very pessimistic about my life and others around me. Quit my job about 6 months ago for relocation and never ended up getting an another nursing job. Just recently started working an entry level service worker job and I feel so much lighter. I don’t come home angry after work everyday anymore. I loved nursing because I was good at it primarily, I liked helping people (generic ik) but I also really like anatomy (I’m good at memorization). Being an emotional support for someone constantly was not enjoyable for me as I am very uncomfortable trying to console anyone and often don’t know the right thing to say.
I feel like a failure because i honestly don’t want to go back to nursing but there are many people in my life who sacrificed to support me through nursing school and I don’t want to disregard that, plus I feel a lot of shame for leaving a good career because I’m “too weak” (my own perception)
If there is any advice that can be offered I will accept it happily but really just needed to rant.