One of the reasons you should always need to be nice to nurses, and police officers, is that eventually, you’ll need ‘em.  We all get sick, even the healthiest among us, will age.  And the chances of living your whole life, without being exposed to a crime-or stopped for speeding, is just about zero.

My son-in-law had to be hospitalized at St Mary’s in Athens, GA, with complications after recent back surgery.  I want to give a shout-out to the ER nurses, the ER Doc, and the nurses on the 6th floor for their compassion and care.

And no, they didn’t know a blogger with a national audience was in the ER waiting room-along with the pregnant girls, moaning with ROM, the softball, and work injured, and a few crack-heads, looking after one of their own (just a clinical observation-no facts here).

An ER on Friday night here, is an ER on Friday night-like anywhere in the US.

And just a warning to those nurses in Athens-my son-in-law is a police officer-so be extra nice.  He may be the smiling face asking for your Drivers License and insurance card, when you are running late for your next shift….. Thanks again!

Now for the Round-up of great nursing reads:

For a discussion on privacy and grief-check out this article by JParadisi RN. Having practiced medicine for 25 years in the same town, I have read far too many obituaries of patients.  The advantage of small towns you can send a card, flowers, or attend a service, and no one has a second thought about HIPAA.  Everyone assumes you know what is going on.

Sean at My Strong Medicine blasts the spot reducing myth.  Dammit, I was trying to get rid of the bags under my eyes…..

Man Nurse Diaries, has a thought provoking article about self-titration of hypertensive (blood pressure) meds.  I think that makes great common sense.  But it does require the patient to be able to, and comply with home blood pressure monitoring, and having a simple sliding scale type treatment plan.  It has worked in diabetes care for years!

Emergiblog has the 5th Anniversary Edition of Change of Shift! Congrats, Kim on your support of nurses in the blogging world!

At Your Cervix, explains why it takes an hour to get Tylenol in a hospital. Couldn’t have said it better!

Nurse XY has a post about the “S” word-and no you will have to go to his site to see what “S” means.

And for another take on privacy in medicine, see Aburdity is the New Reality by A Nurse and Her Camera.

Have a Great Week!

How many of you have  faced this scenario?

You have an ill patient who has to go to OR or Radiology in a hurry.  They have pumps, monitors, and cords plugged in all over the place.

It takes you 5 minutes or more and a hurt back to unplug and arrange the cords.  Then half-way there, the cords fall off the bed, and you have to start all over before you reach your destination.

Loose cords, ready for a fall!

As a Blogger, I never know what will be in my in-box each day.  A few months ago, I got a comment from a nurse in Minnesota who had invented a cord management system.  She has a patent pending on this device, and is working on getting funding for manufacture.

She now needs help from the nursing community-you!  She needs to prove to potential investors that the need exists for this product.

Before I would allow my nurse readers to get involved, I had to check her  out.

I have done so extensively, including her flying to our local airport for a meeting.  She allowed me to take her demo cord management system back to my local hospital.  All the nurses I showed it to were like, “Why didn’t I think of that?”  And, “When can we buy it?”  The local hospital facilities manager, who is a skeptic at best, was enthralled.

Sidney, the nurse inventor,  has asked me to get feedback from my readers on their assessment of need for such a product.

She has written a  short survey for nurses to  fill out, and has sweetened the pot with a $75.00 gift card to be drawn from those who fill out the survey.  Survey can be found at   http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/clinacord

You would have a chance to win a 75 dollar gift card and help out a fellow nurse.  You might also be responsible for making your life easier at work, when this product becomes available.

So please, fill out this survey, and email the survey link to your nurse friends, coworkers, and the materials management folks at your facility.  You will have done a good deed, and maybe will be 75 bucks richer for your trouble.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/clinacord

Don’t put this off, as the survey will be up only another week or so!

Sidney with Cord System on IV Pole, nothing dragging!

Nurse John , a new grad, is, of course, assigned the night shift in the ER.  He has just finished his second week on the job.  He is talking to his friend over a beer, right after work.

“I am not sure about this job.  I love the “rush” when the ambulance backs in.  The controlled chaos, the life and death of it all.  But, when I told my co-worker she was using the “old” CPR protocol, she jumped all over me.  I felt I was a 5 year old again-I am a grown man, nobody should be treated that way!!!”

Is being heard a right.  Is your “voice” or your opinion at work lost in the cacophony of noise, that is the modern hospital environment.

Do you feel like a lonely soul, the only one who still cares, and “gets it” when it comes to taking care of your patients and doing the right thing?

Do you feel that the only thing that matters in your facility is saving money, even if that means cutting corners with patient care?

Do you feel that even in 2010 the Docs at your shop, still regard nurses with disdain, and as bedpan queens or kings, rather than valuable team members?

Do you feel you have a “right” to be heard.  Rights are valuable.  Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Martin Luther King have all written about the importance of certain in-alienable rights.  But I don’t think the right to your “opinion” was included.  You may think the First Amendment amendment covers you.

Try freedom of speech the next time you want to complain about the  way the charge-nurse staffs the floor, or you complain that Dr Grumpy doesn’t say good morning-can you say unemployment line?

So how do you get heard, really heard, in a meaningful way?

Seth Godin has this list of 10 ways to EARN the right to be heard.  The list in Bold is from Mr Godin.  My comments beside the list are my own, with apologies to Mr Godin!

1. Be Informed-How often are you busy, busting your butt, while one of your co-workers complains about a change in protocol.  They haven’t bothered to read the memo that went out about the 10 deaths at another facility because of a safety issue with the drug or product.
2. Be Rational- We all think we are worth more money, and you want a raise.  But the hospital does have a budget, and times are tough.  Are your desires realistic.  Do you have potential savings you can offer, in efficiency, that might offset the salary bump. Have you been a “Linchpin”.
3. Pay Your Dues-Don’t you love to hear the new grads go off on how “Stupid” something is, when they don’t even know where the crash cart is, or the names of their co-workers.
4. Have a platform where a lot of people can hear you-Nurse Kim, a long time nurse blogger at Emergiblog, has recently written a rant about the controversy of having a National Health Nurse post developed.  Many others have commented on her stance.  She earned the right to be heard, by having developed a platform of well-written thought out posts on nursing over many years.  You don’t have to have a blog, to do this.  But you do have to earn the respect and ears of your peers.
5. Be an impacted constituent, not a gadfly-Is it really helpful for housekeeping to complain about the blood on the floor after an emergency procedure.
6. Represent a tribe of people with similar concerns-if your concerns resonate with your co-workers, and you have leadership skills, your opinion will carry much more weight than a lone voice.
7. You have been right before-We all know the story of “crying wolf”  too often.  There is a reason we know that tale, because it’s true!!!  If each of your comments or complaints has been found to be dumb, in-accurate, or just inappropriate, why should anyone care what you think.  And of course, if your comments are always on target, and helpful, then….
8. You are not anonymous-Anonymous complaints are rightfully ignored.  If you don’t feel your stance justifies others knowing who you are, then you must not think it is very important!
9. You have a previous relationship, and permission to interrupt-I automatically listen to someone I know- who has been there, done that, and has been in the trenches with me.  But even then, always ask them, “Is this a good time to discuss something important with you?”
10. Listening to you earns something of value-If you have a proven track record, then you will automatically get respect.  If you have assisted someone with your knowledge, or helped even in some small way-your opinion will carry a lot more weight.

The next two, are my own.

1. You have passion-If you feel strongly about a subject, everyone will know it, by your intensity, and emotion. They will give you a little more lee-way in listening to your thoughts. (Emotion doesn’t mean, crocodile tears!)
2. You have a broad knowledge base-I am much more likely to listen to those who are not a one subject know-it-all.  Unless I need someone for a problem in just that area.  There is a reason we use the term “Renaissance Man or Woman”, with reverence.  Those who have a width, depth, and breadth to their knowledge base, will always get my attention- over a one horse wonder.

Reader Comments and Questions:

• Have you had any problems getting heard?
• Do you feel as if you listen, as well as you speak?

Change of Shift, as always a great carnival of nurse blog stories is at Digital Doorway.

Not Nurse Ratched has a post about iPhone 4 and customer service-see what you think.

Off the Charts has several issues of concern for nurses up for discussion-go see what you think, and discuss!

Nursing Student Chronicles was on the receiving end of a “Pay It Forward” experience!  Great idea for all of us to keep in mind.

Does linking to her story and blog mean I Paid It Forward today???

Sean at My Strong Medicine has a list of Murphy’s Law, and how it applies to life.   I am going to shamelessly copy this soon for Murphy’s Law and your money!  Thanks for  the idea Sean!

Thanks to all  for sharing your stories,  knowledge, humanity, and most importantly your humor!

Emergiblog, writes about a blogging crisis of sorts. Since my blog is in it’s infancy, I can’t relate to a mid-blog crisis, but I think all of us who write regularly go through ups and downs in our creativity and energy!  Take two aspirin, and get back at it, is my free medical opinion, Kim! (and you get what you pay for!!!)

jparadisi writes, “It Ain’t No Sin To Be Glad You Are Alive” a well written glimpse into the lives of nurses.  Take a minute and read the post.  You will be glad you did.

At Nurse Zone, check  this post about OR Nurses asking for universal Time Out.  We have been doing Time Out at our facility for a couple of years now.  For you non-medical readers, Time Out is a brief moment before a surgical case is started inn the operating room. The OR is supposed to be silent, and the procedure, equipment, patients full name is announced-similar to a check list before takeoff in aplane.

Impacted Nurse, has this article about disaster response and nurses.  Particularly interested in the mental aspects of responding to disasters and its affect on the medical responders.

Nurse Practioner’s View encourages men to get Prostate Exams. Great advice.  I tell my patients that prostate cancer is God’s revenge on men, for Women’s suffering during childbirth.

At Your Cervix, writes about the dying art of hands on nursing. True in most parts of medicine.

Sean at Male Nurse, writes about falling off the fitness/healthy eating train. Been there/done that!  Great advice-get after it once again!

Laney, at Nursing Student Chronicles discusses the wonders of putting classroom learning together in real-world patients.   Most of those things we do learn for a reason, although that can be hard to fathom while studying at 2AM.

See Jane Nurse writes about Bondage-now get your mind out of the gutter-not that kind of Bondage… well maybe not, you have to go read to find out.

End of Life Care, and conversations with family members involved is the topic of Torontoemerg’s latest post!

Head Nurse discusses blood drawing etiquette.

Male Nurse Action Figure-Photo by gcfairch

Hope you enjoyed reading this collection as much as I did!  Thanks to all the Nurse Bloggers who continue to write about their world!

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a physician with a lot of experience (years and years of work), is getting to know your patients. Not just a “take two aspirins and call me in the morning”  type patients, but, real knowledge and attachment to those who trust you with their  inner-most thoughts, secrets, dreams, and of course, problems.

You have an inside view to people’s lives-their ups and downs.  And it is a hell-uv-a responsibility, and privilege.

Caring at Work!

One of my patients recently told me about a recent event at her job.

She is a para-professional at an in-patient mental institution. She is one of those people who love their work, and it shows when she talks about her profession and her clients/patients. (Just for clarification, medical professionals have patients, mental health and social-worker types have clients.)

She was tearfully recounting the death of one of her long-term clients. This was a guy who was known as her “second-husband” to the other patients. (Obviously not in any in-appropriate way.)  They just teased and laughed, and it helps the clients and the staff make lemonade out of lemons.

She was apologetically explaining to me how emotionally involved that she got with her charges, and was wondering whether that was a good thing or not.

I, of course, reassured her that in her line of work, how could you not be emotionally involved.  Yes, I know there are cold, callous people out there.  Just working to earn a paycheck.  Some can be abusive of patients and co-workers alike.

But those who make the lives of the unfortunate, better, in even a small way, deserve our gratitude and support.

Who would you rather have caring for your relative, if they were in such a facility?  Someone who made your love one’s lives more enjoyable- by a big smile every day, a flirty grin, a joke, or a cold-hearted automaton-doing the least they could  to get by  and not get fired- just passing the time away?

Eight Hours is Eight Hours

Putting your heart and emotions into your work can be done in the same  amount of time, as just punching the clock and twiddling your thumbs.  8 hours is 8 hours, (or in the nursing field 12 hours is 12 hours….)  But what a difference your attitude can make in the lives of others-during those same 8 hours.

And if you can’t put your heart into your job, maybe you are in the wrong job.  Maybe you need to look hard at your current situation and try to find where your brain, or sub-conscious, thinks your body should be.

Being a Linchpin

I couldn’t help but think of Seth Godin’s newest book, Linchpin. I have written a review of  Linchpin here-check it out!

In summary, the book emphasizes the need for all of us to be “emotionally” involved in our work.  To make ourselves a linchpin, or such an important part of our work environment, that we are  irreplaceable.  And, why are we discussing this here at The Millionaire Nurse Blog? Because, being  irreplaceable, makes you more valuable.  Being more valuable, means maybe a raise, or a promotion…..

Have you made such a difference in your work, lately?

If not, why not?

What do you need to do to get that feeling- the feeling that you are making a difference every day?

Think about it!

Reader Questions:

Do you leave a part of yourself at work every day?  Do you think you are a ” Linchpin”?  If not, do you think it is necessary or a good thing?
Let me know your thoughts.

No one goes into nursing for the money!  Or do they?

This article on Nursing Link made me begin to wonder.  Do nurses choose nursing for the salary, or to soothe the suffering, heal the lame, cure the sick, and, the current emphasis-prevent disease?

The altruistic do-gooder in me, would say: “Who would put up with what nurses have to put up with, unless they loved helping others!”

The night shifts, the a-hole docs-(yours truly excluded!), the liability, and  the continued second guessing by family.

This article suggests that even if you don’t go into nursing for the money, there is money to be made.  And what’s wrong with that.  It is the American way.

Here is the list of higher paid nursing jobs, from Nursing Link and their estimated annual salary:

1) Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist – $135,000

2) Nurse Researcher – $95,000

3) Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner – $95,000

4) Certified Nurse Midwife – $84,000

5) Pediatric Endocrinology Nurse – $81,000

6) Orthopaedic Nurse – $81,000

7) Nurse Practitioner – $78,000

Clinical Nurse Specialist – $76,000

9) Gerontological Nurse Practitioner – $75,000

10) Neonatal Nurse – $74,000

Average RN’s Salary:

• This link, for Pay Scale puts the average RN nurse’s salary at $47,000-67,000.
• This site, has the average a little lower in the mid-40′s, but states it is extremely variable by job, location, and experience.

But certainly the numbers quoted at Nurse Link, show the specialties above bring down a considerably better salary.  Of course, those of you who read, The Millionaire Nurse Blog, know that you can’t just blindly accept opinions, without doing your own due-diligence (research).

Many of you know, I just finished a survey of the nurses that read my blog.  I will be publishing that data here soon.  For just a peek preview, I will say that the salary range of those responding was much higher than I expected.  Of course that is a non-scientific survey of a small select group….

Advancing your degree is a big step, and one not to take lightly.

It requires sacrifice:

• Personal sacrifice- in the form of time away from your family and getting into the school state of mind, again.
• Financial sacrifice-the cost of tuition and the hit on your current salary-as you will not be able to work full-time, or even part-time in many cases.

Over the next few weeks, I will be writing about  a few of the above specialties in nursing, and interview nurses in those fields.  I will try to find out their stories, and whether or not it might be a path you would like to take.

So if you are thinking about an advanced nursing degree, stay tuned!  If you have friends who are considering taking the jump, let them know about us here at The Millionaire Nurse!

Reader Comments:

Do you have an opinion about an advanced nursing degree?  Have you gone on to one of the above careers?  If so, share your opinions about whether it was worth the sacrifice and what you would recommend for others.

I NEED YOUR HELP AND I AM WILLING TO BRIBE YOU!

Nurses and Nursing Students

I need your help with an important survey.  To add some extra incentive, by simply answering the survey, you will be entered in a drawing for the following prizes:

• GRAND PRIZE: $150 Amazon Gift card
• 5 Second Prizes-autographed copy of The Millionaire Nurse
• 10 Third Prizes-a $10 gift card to SUBWAY!

The survey will close after I receive the number of responses needed and it will be open for a maximum of three weeks, so don’t procrastinate!  You don’t want to lose your chance at winning the $150 gift card!

How To Increase Your Chances:

If you want more chances to win, all you have to do is refer other nurses or nursing students to take the survey.  They will simply need to enter your name and email address on their survey, which gets you another entry, increasing your chances of winning!

That’s right!  You could win a $150 gift card just for answering a brief survey about personal finance.

Click on the link here…..

Questions Are Simple-Easy to Answer-And Their Is No Wrong Answer!

Sample questions (so you know we aren’t asking anything obscene!) are “Do you participate in your employers retirement account?” and “Does your employer match any of your retirement fund contributions?”  The survey also covers student loans, and credit cards.

Help Your Fellow Nurses-and Me!

Your responses are totally confidential, but a summary of the compiled results will be posted at the Millionaire Nurse Blog. In addition, I will use the survey as topics for the blog and newsletter.  It will also help me to develop programs, videos and other tools to help you learn more about money management-and how to deliver those programs to you.  The way you want them!

To my non-nursing readers, I realize that you are sad that you don’t get to participate now, but don’t worry – I will be hosting another contest that will open to all occupations (except possibly lawyers:) in the future.

Nurses and nursing students*:

Click here to take survey

*The winners will require proof of nursing or nursing student status!

Maybe you want to know what is going on behind the scenes in health care. (Warning-Not for the Squeamish!)-Actually, this week, the stories are pretty tame, (from a blood and guts standpoint)-but you never know……

J. Paradisi has a great post about leadership, and getting heard.

Guerilla Nursing has a story called “Mothers”, it is amazing what folks can deal with-cause they have to!

If you think drinking and driving in a snowmobile, (insert 4 wheeler/boat/car) is fun, read this one called First Trauma, from TorontoEmerg.

RehabRN has a short post about complaints.

GuitarRN had a “Rupture” weekend-been there done that, scary is an understatement!

And last, but certainly not least, this story from a great parenting blog, Better Parenting,  about teens, raising children, and those challenges-not from a nurse, but a great read!!

Let me know what you think!

I came across this story from ICU Nurse about the care of a dying patient.  Please take a moment and read this beautifully written story, taken from just one shift in an ICU somewhere in this country.

Multiply that incident by thousands, and you can understand the degree of stress, and dedication required to do this nursing job day in day out!!!

Sometimes it is easy for a few of my readers to forget that this blog is dedicated to nurses.  My focus and passion is to help nurses to improve their personal finances.  Studies show that money problems are the number one concern of the majority of nurses.

Study after study show that stress is a significant cause of lost work time-and obviously stress from money problems plays a large part of that.

Some have asked me, why focus on nurses.  The financial information you provide is true for all professions-personal finance is personal finance.

Well, I would answer that this way-”why are we drawn to different professions as a way to make a living?” ” Why do some become nurses, others a police officer or fireman?”  “Why is one an accountant, and another a software coder?” “Why do some folks become wealthy and others stay broke?”

My answer is we are all human, with human foibles and varying personalities .  We think differently.

Nurses, in general, think differently than most.  They are usually giving people, and therefore don’t always pay attention to their own best interest.

As a physician I get to go to the hospital and deal with similar serious issues.  But for the most part Docs are lucky.  We get to breeze in and breeze out while the nurses have to “explain to me what he just said in English” when the family is shaking their head after we leave the bedside.

The nurses are the tip of the spear-so to speak.

So, if I can help nurses lives become easier, by helping them to understand  how to take care of their money, then I feel all this time at the keyboard is worthwhile.

It is really satisfying  to see a light of understanding hit someone who really had no clue-

• what the advantages of putting matching money into a retirement account.
• Or the magic of consistent investing and compound interest.
• The understanding that by changing their behavior towards money, they can make a lasting difference in their life and the lives of their children.

With all the hoopla over health care, and politics over the past 12 months, it is easy to forget there are real human beings, who dedicate their lives daily to give to others.  I think continued references to the “broken health care system” makes those working in the trenchs feel, that their efforts are in vain or at least unappreciated.

So take a moment, if you run into a nurse, to thank them for their service.  You never know when it might be you laying on that gurney, in a skimpy hospital gown, scared to death!!!!

So for those of you who don’t understand why all the nursing references here at The Millionaire Nurse Blog-get over it.  And for you non-nurses who continue to read in-spite of my health care bent, then thanks for your patience and support.

Check out this video on Critical Care Nursing, courtesy of You-Tube!!