Hello All MAY 6th,2004 WLS NURSES & MAY WLS NURSES!

Hello Dear Nurses, I will be having my open RNY proximal on May 6th,2004 @ 0830! I feel very comfortable with my doctor's expertise and excellent surgical outcome track records. My main concern is that in the past I have had a bad hospital experience from having a rude non-professional anesthesiologist to unfortunately having very pitiful to not really any nursing care. I would have never ever treated a patient the way I was treated ever in my lifetime. I hope and pray that there are a few compassionate empathetic & caring nurses to help me get through this WLS in the hospital. I can try to do most of my care myself with the help of my husband, but he is not familiar with proper procedures and how to use equipment correctly. Guess I will need to give him a quick course lol . I am hoping to get through this hospitaliztion without much pain, nausea, and vomiting and attitude type nurses taking care of me. I hope that I may get a chance to give back to other patients excellent nursing care with plenty of TLC without an attitude problem and plenty of love. I will try to be more assertive for myself and not take just any type of care. Have any other RN's had this happen to them? How would you handle my dilemma? I wouldn't tell anyone I was a nurse for in the hospital I am a PATIENT 1st. Do you think pulling rank any stating I am a nurse in a very nice manner would be to my best interest? Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated! Hugs to all the true loyal nurses still left in the world, so please stay that way forever. A saddened RN in Virginia who anxiously awaits her WLS to be on the losing side forever!

Hi Margaret! I am also a nurse and scheduled for my lap RNY on April 28th. This Wednesday!! WOOHOO....I have struggled with your very same question and I have another dilemma as well. The hospital where I am having my surgery is affiliated with the hospital where I work so I have an additional worry regarding confidentiality. I have had some experience being on the patient and family end and I do think that telling the caregivers that I was a nurse made a positive difference. For example, when I asked a question I wanted the real answer not the the non-medical answer. I feel the nurses and doctors were more forthcoming when they knew I spoke their language. Also, the nurses were on their best behavior. Of course, they always should be but you and I both know that is not the case. Hope this helps. Take care and good luck! Hey did you realize your having your surgery during Nat'l Nurses' Week? Phyllis

I had my surgery Dec. 15, 2003 and I elected not to make it known that I was a nurse. Overall my experience was positive with the nursing staff. There was only one nurse who chose to conduct her inappropriate personal conversation at my bedside the night after my 7:30 AM surgery. Fortunately, that was her one and only shift while I was there.

hi there, i had my surgery may4th this year. i was looking on the nursing board and wondering how you are doing and how your care was in the hospital? jennifer