dewp_63

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1. ER Nurses Treated Different in my Hospital!

   dewp_63 replied to Jen2's topic in Emergency

   "When I took my PALS class it was taught by the PICU nurses and when I went in for my megacode the instructor said, "OK Mrs. ER nurse lets see how you deal with this one." He made me run the megacode for at least 35-40 minutes and tried everything i...

2. Nursing Uniform Policy

   dewp_63 replied to rustysflygirl's topic in General Nursing

   I work in an emergency department that recently went to a department specific uniform policy. Our team members wear navy blue scrubs - you may wear a white shirt under a navy lab jacket or a navy top under a white jacket. We can wear hospital t-shi...

3. IV Phenergan and Toradol "Push"

   dewp_63 replied to CrohnieToo's topic in Emergency

   It's amazing when you start looking at the pH of many of the drugs we routinely give. Morphine has a pH of around 4.0, if I remember right. I have had several patients c/o pain with Toradol IV - I now routinely dilute EVERYTHING in at least 10 cc N...

4. Triage protocols. what does your ER use?

   dewp_63 replied to lifsavER67's topic in Emergency

   I work in a 26 bed ER - 11 ER beds, 10 fast-track/clinic beds and 5 hold beds. We use Canadian Triage Assessment system (5 levels) for determining urgency and frequency of re-evaluation. We have really nice posters in triage with common complaints ...

5. EMTALA and pt registration

   dewp_63 replied to MrsWampthang's topic in Emergency

   Our hospital uses a "short form" registration, allowing labels and face sheets to be quickly generated and available before pt is triaged. This does not include financial info unless the patient has been to hospital before and the info is already in...

6. Techs Triaging

   dewp_63 replied to tracelane's topic in Emergency

   techs are invaluable in our triage in assisting with vital signs, getting ekg's on chest pain patients (all get an ekg in triage - regardless of the bed status in the department) and in taking patients back to rooms. they do not elicit information ...

7. TV in the ED

   dewp_63 replied to RNCENCCRNNREMTP's topic in Emergency

   We have had TV's at most of our bedsides for about a year now - when we move into our new ED, all the beds will have TV's (including the 10 fast-track beds). Noise has rarely been a problem, and visitors at the bedside has really not been an issue (...

8. anyone using tPA for acute ischemic stroke in the ED?

   dewp_63 replied to dewp_63's topic in Emergency

   Thanks for all your wonderful information. :) The prevailing thought seems to be that it is the neuro docs who are initiating (and thereby taking on the legal liability). Like I said, we can't get neuro here to do burr holes on young ICH patients,...

9. anyone using tPA for acute ischemic stroke in the ED?

   dewp_63 replied to dewp_63's topic in Emergency

   Thanks for all your feedback. I don't doubt that the therapy can be advantageous for some patient groups, but we don't have a neurology floor in our hospital, and neuro coverage can be scanty. We have problems getting neuro docs to come to the ER t...

10. anyone using tPA for acute ischemic stroke in the ED?

    dewp_63 posted a topic in Emergency

    We've been discussing the use of tPA in the ED for acute non-hemorrhagic stroke patients. I know that ACLS teaches this algorithm, but our MD's are hesitant to institute. Some of their hesitancy in the fact that the local neuro docs don't like it. ...

11. triage reassessment

    dewp_63 posted a topic in Emergency

    I work in a suburban hospital ER - we have 10 beds, 3 fast track beds and 2 hallway beds (just don't tell jchao!). We see 70-90 patients a day. Our nurse manager wants us to retriage/touch base with all patients in the waiting room every hour. We ...

12. ER Care or lack of

    dewp_63 replied to Kayzee's topic in Emergency

    Sorry to hear about your tough night. I work in a small (10-15 bed, depending on who you ask) ER, and understand your frustration. A lot of what goes on after you get to a bed is dependent on how the MD works. We have some that will order all kind...

13. Nightshifters: What wakes you up while you are trying to sleep in this 9 to 5 world?

    dewp_63 replied to fedupnurse's topic in General Nursing

    I've worked nights most of my nursing career - always by choice! I love the people who work nights, and my body just won't function at 6:45 in the morning unless I've been up all night! I've rarely had problems sleeping - can pretty much lay my hea...

14. False Nails (Does it promote infection?)

    dewp_63 replied to bjweiland's topic in Safety

    It was explained to me that clear polish is allowed, because it allows everyone to see what your nails look like. With colored nail polish, you could have fungal infections, crud under your nails, etc. and no one would be the wiser... My gripe abou...

15. Co-pays in the ER

    dewp_63 replied to kaycee's topic in Emergency

    Our hospital also wants the nurse to escort the patient to the registration/cashier's area for "financial" checkout after the discharge paperwork is signed. We have increased our collection of debt - which may not directly impact my paycheck - but w...