gradcare LPN

gradcare is a LPN and specializes in gen icu/ neuro icu/ trauma icu/hdu.

Latest Activity

1. Things Patients Have Taught Me NOT To Do

   gradcare replied to Trixxy's topic in Humor

   Super glue is not a good substitute for lube. If you forget this and end up gluing your urethra closed, it is probably best to present to the ED early rather than wait until you have not peed for over 18 hrs..

2. confirming NG placement

   gradcare replied to bennyboy's topic in General Nursing

   Also it must be remembered that many medications used to prevent stomache ulcers including H2 blockers can alter the pH in the stomache so pH testing can be unreliable (false negatives) additionally listenting and pH testing do not give you a reliabl...

3. Am I Crazy? Because I don't think I am!

   gradcare replied to ZooMommyRN's topic in MICU

   No, insantiy is only relative anyway (your familiy drives you crazy.....just kidding) New Rn's in the critical care environment can and has been done well preveously however there needs to be a massive level of both clinical and social support availa...

4. Is there a max dose of Levophed?

   gradcare replied to KevinS's topic in MICU

   Generally we need to remember that noradrenaline (or any other trope) is a poor substitute for adequate fluid reses. That said, in the setting of an adequately fluid loaded patient if you've hit 20 mcg/min with no result then you need to add another...

5. Using Propofol for sedation on vented pts?

   gradcare replied to Scrubz's topic in MICU

   To junebuggy re step downs using the "milk of human kindness". I'm presuming that these pts do not have an artificial airway and are not vented (that's what step down is to me). Thinking about how the stuff actually works, then using a substance wit...

6. Post-op to Critical Care

   gradcare replied to KayceeLeeRN's topic in MICU

   What sort of ICU are you looking for? Medical / Surgical / Mixed? Once you get your stuff together on the ward environment you can make the switch. Both medical and surgical wards will provide experience that can be useful in the ICU. A CCU or tele...

7. RRT nurse

   gradcare replied to wino73's topic in MICU

   Have worked with 2 systems. 1 where the MET (RRN) nurse was included in the count but floating (no allocation). And the other where the Nurse had a case load. Response times didn't really differ what did was that the RRN with no case load could tak...

8. Strange things found on (or in) a pt.

   gradcare replied to squeakykitty's topic in Emergency

   poor gerbal

9. Strange things found on (or in) a pt.

   gradcare replied to squeakykitty's topic in Emergency

10. Funniest thing a new co-worker asked you?

    gradcare replied to fultzymom's topic in Humor

    How do I apply a fecal containment device (bum bag)? please note the instructions have pictures......... Should I call a code on this patient ??? (blue , no pulse no resps..was pink 2 min prior pt for full resus)

11. Share The Weirdest Reasons Patients Push The Call Light

    gradcare replied to RN06-NP09's topic in Humor

    Attended pt who was crashing, me my doc ward staff etc with this pt when the pt opposite (in 4 bed bay) buzzes to tell us his obs wer 2 min late!!! Nice to be needed.:chuckle

12. What is your day like?

    gradcare replied to FuturoEnfermera's topic in MICU

    "I'm feeling very discouraged with nursing after only two weeks of clinical. I'm in my 2nd semester of my BSN program. My clinical instructor thinks that I am way better suited for ICU so I'd love to hear what your day is like (in general) in the ICU...

13. Acute Dialysis - CRRT : Role of Critical Care Nurses or Renal Nurses?

    gradcare replied to bluefabian's topic in MICU

    All units i've been involved in ICU will do CRRT until the patient is stable and able to tollerate IHD (if it is going to be needed post discharge). If the patient is going to need IHD post ICU discharge then the renal people come and do it. So sho...

14. How high have you titrated levophed?

    gradcare replied to racing-mom4's topic in MICU

    38 with ccf. bad karma from the get go. You do what you can with what you've got. what was the ecg like? any chance that this was pure pump failure cardiogenic shock)? Any SVO2/ mixed venous / subclavian gases to differentiate between sepsis/ card...

15. Waiting Rooms

    gradcare replied to lori_alexis's topic in MICU

    Sounds like u need to either ban linnens or have a place for relatives to sleep. My current unit has 2 "slep rooms" for acute ie 1-2 nites only as we are the only unit with all the specialties for about 1200 km north south and west so many of out pt'...