I think it's wonderful that so many nurses have become involved in the above mentioned programs, but I would also like to mention the flip side of nursing and smoking. When I graduated from nursing school in 1984 I didn't smoke. But after years of nurses going outside for smoking breaks, which was actually becoming a social thing at the time, I became weak and fell into the trap. Now after ten years of smoking I'm trying everything to quit. It's a terrible, stupid thing to ever become involved in. I know it's dangerous, it's life threatening, and yet here I am still trapped. I've tried nicotine lozenges, patches, and the medication Chantix which turned me into a raving lunatic . My only other option is to quit cold turkey. I don't want to die from cigerrettes. I don't want my children to smoke because I did, or my grandkids to have problems from being around the smoke. ( no, I don't smoke inside the house or around them) if anyone has any other tips on quitting smoking I would appreciate it. I would gladly cast my vote to not allow anyone to smoke within 50 feet of any public facility, that way it will discourage any young, new nurses from ever picking one up. Learn another way to socialize at work. I fell into this trap but you don't have to. This is my way of fighting against smoking. I will tell anyone within hearing distance just how stupid it is to ever start smoking. Hopefully our next generation of nurses won't ever know about the side effects from years of smoking.

Wow, I can't believe the way some of the nurses are talking to each other here. I've been an LPN for 28 years now, and when my son decided to go into an RN program I was really proud of him but also worried for him. I told him that in my experience I have found that nursing can be a very cut throat, back stabbing career field. That doesn't mean that everybody behaves this way, but a lot of them do. After reading these post I feel this is not a very productive way of solving disputes. Everybody is entitled to their opinions. It doesn't make you right or wrong it just means you have a different opinion. But I would hate for a young, new nurse to read these spats between older, more experienced nurses and think this is the norm. Try and remember why you went into nursing in the first place. Be kind to each other because together our voices can be heard.

Well I think until we learn to respect each other's opinion and agree to disagree, no organizations can make nursing a better profession. The responses for this blog are proof of the intolerance among nurses. Although I have been looking for job for a while now and it can be very frustrating and discouraging at time, however keeping up with the industry and the profession via organizations such as this one is vital for my professional survival. It is true, when things are hard we tend to blame others but let's not lashing out at a collegue who is trying to help us remember the important things. Frankly, no body can take away our hearts for service and dedication, unless we give it away. That is my opinion!

I agree rasfanta- Nurses in this country are under seige by the business corporate sector of these healthcare systems. They are using OUR licenses to keep the doors open to satisfy state and federal regs and threatening us with our jobs to practice our profession to satisfy their own wallets and ignoring all patient safety and standards of practice. The professional nursing organizations that should be standing behind us are cowering in the corner from intimidation. Nursing is in shambles from these profiteers and no it's not safe for anyone to be a patient in these hospitals. These corporate fools think a wind and a smile at a patient is going to prevent harm- It's the department store business philosphy. Our professional nursing organization leaders should be escorting these corporate CEO's and administrators out the front door with a police escort. Our nursing organization leaders should be storming these board rooms and demanding some crediable answers, iether with supeonas or with out them, to the shinagains that has become standard hospital administration operating proceedure. Instead of turning a blind eye hoping it will all go away.

Well now, isn't this some speech. Do you understand the mess the nursing profession is in today? What have all these nursing organizations done for nurses? You have sat back and allowed this profession to be "dogged" out. The nurses are under siege and I know you know this. Your organization is impotent. You haven't done a damn thing to improve the working life of nurses anywhere in this country. You have allowed management and the financial sector to have their way with us. You allow non-nurses to supervise nurses. You can't secure employment for new graduates or retired nurses who have much to offer. There is no quid pro quo done with state legislatures that impose all these ridiculous rules and laws that directly effect nurses. You have no power and you have not done sh-- for us. You want to use us just like all the other leeches out there making their living off the backs of licensed nurses. I was going to say licensed health care professionals, but nurses are the only ones attacked relentlessly by everybody. We are fixing to change all of that. We are going to join forces with one union, a National Nurses United. One voice United. All this maltreatment must stop, now.

While providing home health respite care, I noted a low grade fever in a diabetic stroke client, who was also bedridden and had toe ulcers. The family caregiver was doing daily dressing changes to the toes. In my assessment, I evaluated the wounds and discovered increased sloughing of tissue under the wet dressings. Further evaluation by the primary care provider resulted in changed orders for wound care and eventual hospitalization for debridement and antibiotics for infection, dialysis for pending renal failure, and treatment for a cardiac condition. The patient recovered and all his wounds healed completely. I learned how important close attention to details matters in diabetic patients!