Ive noticed quite a few nurses on this site so I thought I would start a thread for those of us that would like to have ONE more thing in common, besides the LB. I will start out...

My name is Kimberly and Ive been an RN for 25 years. I currently live in the Boston MA area. I work in a neonatal intensive care unit. I also have a background as a sexual assult nurse examiner and DMAT (disaster medical assistance team) altho currently am not participating. I have many years of upper level management experience however decided to get out of that grind and do bedside nursing once again which I am enjoying. Once I leave the hospital, Im done.

The other avenue of nursing that I am enjoying is Legal Nurse consulting. The money is great, the work is rewarding and you can do it from home. Im always looking for people to assist me in areas that I have no expertise in so this will be a great way to make contacts as well and ask for advice.

I have not had the surgery yet, but will meet with the doc next thursday. I as well as most of you im sure have researched this to death. I look forward to reading everyones response.

Hi everyone, nurse- midwife here working for a municipal hospital in Queens NY, but live in Brooklyn.

Just picked a surgeon after going to 5 info sessions, really wanted to feel good about my surgeon, I know a little neurotic.

It's nice seeing so many healthcare providers on board - good luck on all the journeys

gigi

purple...

i know what you mean about working those night shifts. when i started here in boston, EVERY hospital I interviewed with required you to do swing shifts, ie 1/2 days and 1/2 nights...that really sucked because i just never got the rest that i needed and was always grumpy. your right about the eating on night shift. i read a study and found that most people that work the night shift tend to gain more weight because they found that people would eat just to try and keep awake, and everyone ended up bringing goodies into the night shift. i think too that the night shift has occasionally more down time than the day shift...anyway, absolutely know where you are coming from. by some miracle of God, I was moved to days the beginning of this year. now instead of sleepy, im just tired!! good luck at chop, the #1 childrens hospital in the world!!

hi Gigi...want to wish you luck in your journey. you work a difficult area in a difficult part of town im sure. ive worked some labor and delivery and never really liked it..always scared me for some reason...

kim

Laura, welcome to the site, I enjoyed reading your post!

kim

Gwen..

cudos to you for going to anesthesia school and trying to lose weight at the same time. Keep it up and good luck on your journey...keep in touch!

kim

Me too! I'm a L and D nurse, graduated nursing school in 2002. I also have a BS in health education. I love what I do--I'm starting a new position in a few weeks with CHOP (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia) in their brand new Special Delivery Unit.

I had my band in Jan 08 and am down about 26lbs. I wish it was faster, but I'm happy.

My biggest issue is my 12 hour night shifts. For one, they are horrible on my body and a prime contributer to my migraines. However, they are also rough for eating. I pack healthy food, but some days I'm just so tired I find myself making dumb choices.

That is good progress, even if it feels slow. Losing any weight before a first fill is a bonus, so assuming your first fill was sometime in Feb or even March, you're doing great. I didn't start losing weight reliably until about 5 months after I was banded.

Good point about the night shifts. I think working as a nurse in a hospital is a terrible eating environment, any shift. My last job was the worst--when I was on nights AND days. There was always some sweet treat, usually several, there all day. Patients bring it in to thank us, coworkers bring it in, it's always there. When I was first banded and in charge they would leave it RIGHT ON MY DESK so it was right under my nose. OMG. I had to move it to the kitchen every time. Plus on nights there is rarely healthy food available at the hospital. Just an extra challenge.

Keep up the good work.

Can I come play?

I'm Marisa, I'm 37, Mom to Sophia (5) and Amelia (3) and I just finished my first semester of pre-reqs -math and AP I - for Nursing School (and made Dean's List - woo hoo!!). I'm doing it at a community college basically because even though they're equidistant from my house, it's way cheaper than Seton Hall by about $300/credit. :party:

If all goes as planned, I will be entering Nursing School next spring; where I plan to go for my Associates to get my RN. I figure I can probably then get whatever hospital I end up at to pay for the bridge to BSN afterward.

I'm completely starting over, since the last time I went to school, it was for theatrical set design. Before I had the girls, I was a project manager for an NYC architecture firm and then ran a construction office that specialised in brownstone renovation.

I always was sorry that I didn't go into medicine, and needed to figure out how I was going to 'reinvent' myself once the girls went to school full time. When I realised I could do it in roughly three years, I decided to go the Nursing route.

I'm pretty sure I want to specialise in ICU, though I'm not going to rule out other options depending on what I might like during rotations.

So, I guess you can say my goal is to be a skinny RN by the time I hit 40 :party:

-m

Hello everyone!

I'm an RN in Ohio. I'm currently working in OR with a background in ICU and ER for almost 10 years. I wanted to try something new, so I've made the switch to OR about 6 months ago. I would like to advance into management or education until I can go back to school. I'd like to either got to NP school or CRNA school. I'm struggling with the decision, but I know that I am not done yet either way!

I am very interested in Legal Nurse consulting, but have really no idea how to get involved. Any suggestions/advice on that?

~C

welcome aboard marissa and congrats on your journey thru nursing school. i do think its smart to go for the ADN and let your hospital pay for the BSN and further if you want. good job!!

Turler..

I would be more than happy to give you some advice on legal nurse consulting. Contact me at my email addy, nicunicu2002@yahoo.com and I will fill you in.

kim

Wow, I'm blown away by all the talents and ambition of my fellow nurses!

Gwen..

cudos to you for going to anesthesia school and trying to lose weight at the same time. Keep it up and good luck on your journey...keep in touch!

kim

Thanks Kim! It's not an easy thing, but it's definitely possible--I just have to be patient with a little bit longer timeline for losing the last 15 lbs. I usually get to work out enough during the week, but there are weeks it just isn't possible with exams and projects and early morning OR, and I just have to let that go and do the best I can. Fortunately with the band, I don't really gain during those weeks, which I'm sure I would if I was doing this without the band. School kicks my butt for sure, but it was a great decision and I love it. Luckily I have very supportive husband who helps make it all possible too. I don't know how I would do it otherwise.

To Turler, I'd definitely shadow a few CRNAs to help you make the decision which way you want to go. I'm sure you work with CRNAs but it would be very helpful to actually do a shadow experience with one, and also with one who doesn't work in your hospital to see if you like it. Most programs really look for applicants who have done this. In fact that was the main reason I didn't get in the first time I applied to school, because I hadn't shadowed a CRNA. It's also pretty common to apply more than once for school, so try not to worry about that either. I can talk to you more about it if you are interested, just PM me if you like.

Hi all!

My name is Shannon I am an Rn in vancouver canada. I currently work in psychiatry as well as an acute surgucal ward. I am so happy to be going for my surgery this month, on the 30th and can't wait to loose the weight, be lighter on my feet, and not ache so much after those long shifts. I just graduated in 2007 December with my bsn and could not do up my grad gown. I knew i had to do something soon. Now with the love and support of my family I am on my way, and so excited. Good luck to everyone. And one quick question. Anyone have any good healthy snack ideas for night shifts? Thanks!!

hi shannon, here are some night shift Snacks that I use, oatmeal with raisins and milk, string cheese and an apple, yogurt and 1/4cup of kashi Cereal, 1oz of lime and chili almonds, a sugar free rice pudding cup with cinnamon sprinkled on it or some whole grain crackers with hummus, olive tapenade or tziziki (so not spelled correctly) on them. that's about it since I know what works for me at work and really don't vary it all that much, as for beverages I have 1/2 unsweetened tea and 1/2 lemonade, 1/4 pomegrante juice with sparkling Water and most of the fizz stirred out, a soy latte or sometimes a bottled starbucks drink.

hope you got some ideas from these suggestions.

good luck with your surgery!! we'll be looking forward to hear how you do.

wow, thanks for the quick reply. All good ideas and the thing will be for me to have something small i can snack through the night with! Thanks again I am on a night shift right now! so back at it I go and I will certainly stay in touch!

Shannon