Tips and tricks of the trade

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Oct 23, 2004

I know if any body has cool tips and tricks it is the government/ military. I like to use a stethoscope for hearing impared patients. Let me know some you guys have and we can all learn stuff we only learn at conventions/ classes.

I am not quite sure I understand your post. Are you asking if nurses use a hearing impaired stethoscope? I know of several nurses that do use a hearing impared stetchoscope and they say it works well for them. Is that the question you were asking?

Not sure what you want to know about tips and trick of the trade? Please give us a little more detail of what information you need. Thanks!

EFMBholder · Oct 28, 2004

What I am asking is what cool tips or tricks do you use at the job. I used a stethoscope for a hearing impared pt in the field. Stuff like that. I hope that is clear for you guys. The cool stuff everybody shares at conventions and symposium.

EFMBholder · Oct 28, 2004

What I am asking is what cool tips or tricks do you use at the job. I used a stethoscope for a hearing impared pt in the field. Stuff like that. I hope that is clear for you guys. The cool stuff everybody shares at conventions and symposium.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2004

Well im not in the military, and i dont go to many symposiums or conventions but...

Slip a glove over the hand to cover IV's when patients get in the shower, if the site is farther up the arm,, cut the fingers out, use the thumb to secure the hub of the tubing (keeps it from having to be pressed against the skin or otherwise at the wrong angle) and secure both ends of the glove with tape. Patients appreciate the dexterity and ease it gives them when an IV is in place.

A reversal of stethescope. I like that, and im sure hard of hearing patients do too. It probly helps keep them from being frightened if they can hear whats being said.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2004

Well im not in the military, and i dont go to many symposiums or conventions but...

Slip a glove over the hand to cover IV's when patients get in the shower, if the site is farther up the arm,, cut the fingers out, use the thumb to secure the hub of the tubing (keeps it from having to be pressed against the skin or otherwise at the wrong angle) and secure both ends of the glove with tape. Patients appreciate the dexterity and ease it gives them when an IV is in place.

A reversal of stethescope. I like that, and im sure hard of hearing patients do too. It probly helps keep them from being frightened if they can hear whats being said.

USNRN309 · Oct 31, 2004

If you're looking for tricks/tips for in the field, anything goes. During my first deployment, creativity wasn't just the mother of invention, it was the supreme being. Some of the unusual things we've... since our smallest ET tube was a 7.5, a foley can be used to intubate a small child. Small piggyback bags, like the 50- and 100cc bags can be refilled by reversing the tubing from a large of NS. We would also keep our bags of fluid out in the sun during the extreme heat of the day (since it was over 100 degrees) so at night, we would have warm fluids for our patients. Since you are absolutely limited by the amount of supplies you have, almost any solution you can create will work.

EFMBholder · Nov 4, 2004

These are all great! Lets keep 'em coming!