an oldie but goodie

[amoLucia]

For all us ancient ones, how about remembering an oldie - aramine IV drip!

Was watching an oldie TV channel and Dragnet, Squad 51 (can't remember the real name, but it was with firemen/paramedics Gage & Desoto) and then Emergency came on. Some snakebite pt had bottomed out and was in the ER. All nurse Dixie McCall was doing was taking a manual blood pressure, handing the docs meds (that docs administered) and making phone calls.

No specific directions; just "an aramine drip".

I got the biggest kick watching the nurses walking around in their white uniform dresses and their white heeled shoes (beige pantyhose) and wearing their caps. (I am an antique nurse who loves nursing caps!).

So for you all you nurses out there, what are some of the obscure and oft forgotten meds that we all used to use at some time can you name???

Aramine precipitated this thread, but I also offer that oldie, aldomet. Any others???

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

And don't even get me started on the fact that Dixie McCall was a "hot babe" back then, but would be considered an overweight cow by today's standards.

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

Only remember Julie for her singing career.

Thanks or educating me. :)

[PMFB-RN, RN]

I remember fetching ash trays for physicians who were smoking in ICU to prevent them from dropping their cigarette ashes on the floor.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

TY all for the comebacks. Also remember when Dilantin could be used as a last resort for ventricular arrythmias not responding to other meds.

I guess the blond paramedic on Squad 51 popping the caps off the Bristo-jets for lido wouldn't be so impressive anymore. I also remember procainamide. Just thought of 2 other old-timey meds that I hope to find in my drug book that I need to look up - now I'm hooked.

Brytillium? Projectile vomiting!

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Paraldehyde for alcohol withdrawal (would melt plastic syringes!) and chloral hydrate (Noctec) for sleep. Chloral hydrate was used in old movies to pour into someones's drink "slipping them a Mickey Finn".

Paraldehyde would melt styrofoam cups, too. We had a couple of glass glasses on the unit just for that.

[mortalol]

we give "punctured" adalat all the time in my ICU:p

[amoLucia]

I knew I'd remember the correct TV shows that started all this. Dragnet, Adam 12 with cops, Reed and McCoy, and then Emergency. The TV formats of the latter 2 were similar - a rookie and an experienced staff member responding to calls. Thanks for the earlier correction. Mea culpa.

Remember when we all gave barbituates, like seconal and amytal, regularly for sleep.

[Ruas61, BSN, RN]

I remember fetching ash trays for physicians who were smoking in ICU to prevent them from dropping their cigarette ashes on the floor.

I remember smoking in the nurses lounge on the floor. Amazing to think that ever could be.

[amoLucia]

I remember when we could actually smoke out in the open - like the floor lobby.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

I remember working with an LPN who used to make his med rounds with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. He had an ash tray and would put the cigarette -- if he remembered -- in the ash tray every time he entered a patient room.

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

I remember (not that long ago) using pieces of tape to label every channel manually for what drip we were giving on it, then making little tape flags at the end of the lines where they plugged into the CVL to keep them all straight. Now if you program the pump the preferred way, using the "smart" database, all of the med names will display on the pump. Good luck getting anyone to do THAT though. Not nearly as fun as tape flag arts and crafts, I guess.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

I loved "Emergency" ! (still do, I watch the oldies channel too) Gage and DeSoto were the characters on that show. I had a HUGE crush on Gage when I was in 7th grade. Thanks for making me smile today, I got a kick out of the aramine drip as well. (And you've gotta love Dixie the RN on that show - I always thought she was so glamorous!)

And IMAGINE she wore a pant suit white nursing uniform!! PANTS?!?!?!?! It was just around that time that they allowed a female nurse to wear a white pant suit uniform--I think Nurse Dixie led the way!!