[Chloe'sinNYNow]

Originally Posted by Dolce

Never do colostomy care bare-handed! I saw a nurse do this once and almost threw up. How gross can you get?

Ewwwwwwwwwww!!! Yuck, and Gross!
Come to think of it, I've seen this done too. Seasoned nurses who will handle blood products, IV's (inserting), and colostomy care barehanded (I think it was the WOC nurse!!)

As if they are truly not going to get slimed? I know that tape part is problematic, but.....

[heawilreb]

Always check for allergies!! Called Dr. because pt was in pain. Dr. ordered morphine,pulled up medication, went into pt's room to give drug. Pt's family asked what the drug was--found out pt was allergic to morphine!! Should have check pt's allergies first,narrowly avoided a serious or potentially fatal error.

[P_RN]

Oh that reminds me of my own experience. Just because the doc didn't list my allergy on the "admit from ER orders", BELIEVE me (and my medic-alert bracelet-paid $40 for that thing-) that I am allergic to _________. I had a very BAD adverse reaction to a certain drug previously and here you are trying to give it to me again.....thank goodness for my assertive hubby.

[poppy07]

"I want you to remember this statement when you have an 8 patient assignment on a floor when you are supposed to only have 5, the CNA and the Unit Clerk are out sick with a stomach virus which you know you will have tommorow. Your med pass is an hour behind, your three incontinent patients all need to be changed, two IVs just blew, one patient has a bp of 89/55 and the house intern hasn't responded to two pages."


Definitely does not take that long to make sure of the 5 rights when giving meds. best thing--just slow down a minute, and you will probably save a few. Remember the ABCs, if the med is not that critical--a few minutes or half hour or hour(s) sometimes won't kill someone. Not being thorough and checking, though, can.

[Ruby Vee]

Originally Posted by ChloeinAtl

Ewwwwwwwwwww!!! Yuck, and Gross!
Come to think of it, I've seen this done too. Seasoned nurses who will handle blood products, IV's (inserting), and colostomy care barehanded (I think it was the WOC nurse!!)

As if they are truly not going to get slimed? I know that tape part is problematic, but.....

Prior to about 1985, we did everything without gloves. There weren't any gloves available for us to use except the one box that was kept in the dirty utility room for the intern to use when they did a rectal exam. Once you've spent a decade doing nursing care without gloves, sometimes you forget to don gloves before hanging blood, and as for starting an IV -- I learned without gloves. I have a lot of difficulty starting them with.

[Chloe'sinNYNow]

Originally Posted by Ruby Vee

Prior to about 1985, we did everything without gloves. There weren't any gloves available for us to use except the one box that was kept in the dirty utility room for the intern to use when they did a rectal exam. Once you've spent a decade doing nursing care without gloves, sometimes you forget to don gloves before hanging blood, and as for starting an IV -- I learned without gloves. I have a lot of difficulty starting them with.

Yes, my retired MSN-RN mom has told me these same stories.

Doesn't mean it's right. Besides we know better now, don't we. And they spent each semester pounding the universal precautions into our heads in NS between 2005-2007. It was even on NCLEX.

No excuses.

[canoehead]

No judgements either, not between colleagues.

[Chloe'sinNYNow]

That "we" that I wrote means WE, as in you AND me. Goes along w/ handwashing and being carriers of infection (gosh wish I could remember the fancy name; or is it Vector?)

What is w/ people on this forum lately? Too many arguments all the way around!!

I didn't mean to attack anyone. I HAVE heard these same stories.
Such as cleaning out gloves and reusing them after blowing them up to check for holes, or the glass IV bottles that were drained and re-used

There are more tales of yeseteryear, but my mom sitting next to me now just cannot recall this late.

Stop attacking y'all! This is supposed to be a forum for healthy debate and trading knowledge.

[Smithbc1]

Always clearly document the medication, dosage, and time you give a med. Waiting to document is a big NO, NO! This doesn't just benefit the next nurse that get the chart, but also helps the hospital determine how much meds to order, what to bill for and the list goes on....Failure to document a few drugs may result in failed audits and financial loss for the hospital. Lots of hospitals go by criteria (InterQual) to establish medical necessity. One dosage not documented may determine medical necessity for admit or continued hospitalization.

[Emmanuel Goldstein]

Originally Posted by P_RN

Oh that reminds me of my own experience. Just because the doc didn't list my allergy on the "admit from ER orders", BELIEVE me (and my medic-alert bracelet-paid $40 for that thing-) that I am allergic to _________. I had a very BAD adverse reaction to a certain drug previously and here you are trying to give it to me again.....thank goodness for my assertive hubby.

Amen.

I have a latex allergy. It IS listed on my charts and orders when I'm admitted. I tell everyone who cares for me I have a latex allergy. And yet I still encounter nurses who will try to tell me it won't hurt me if they use latex while caring for me. I stayed awake for over 24 hours straight after my last 2 surgeries, and stopped multiple nurses as they came at me with latex gloves and tournequets, etc. I had to request (multiple times) a sign be placed regarding the allergy and that non-latex gloves be stocked in the room. The docs and CNAs and other staff never questioned me and used the appropriate equipment. Only the nurses were hell-bent on using latex products for my care...