natsfanrn

Latest Activity

1. Job Market Loundon County/Fairfax

   natsfanrn replied to Nurse2B2005's topic in Virginia

   I'm at Fair Oaks...ratios for nights are now 1:6, with a 7th patient on a really bad night; days are 1:5

2. Favorite cargo pants/scrub tops/carrier??

   natsfanrn replied to Agnes Anne's topic in Uniform/Gear

   I LOVE SmartScrubs cargos...they're all I wear now. Yeah they're pricey, but they are so soft and comfortable, long-lasting and they come in tall sizes (I'm only 5'6", but a lot of the other cargos only come to my ankles). You can even wear them to t...

3. Learning Thread: Med/Surg

   natsfanrn replied to RN28MD's topic in Med-Surg

   On a similar note, I spent the better half of one morning a few weeks ago trying to convince a post-op patient to let me administer SSI. She takes metformin at home, and couldn't understand, no matter how much I tried to explain, that we hold metform...

4. Pt identifiers

   natsfanrn replied to jamst149's topic in Medications

   I do this each and every time I give a med or do a procedure...it's mandatory at our hospital and grounds for immediate firing if you don't do it (managers do rounds on our patients and ask if the staff have been properly using identifiers). Everyone...

5. Ideas for Nursing Grad Party

   natsfanrn replied to leesespieces's topic in General Students

   I made a cranberry vodka drink and put it in an empty 1L NS IV bag (it was a "practice" bag that came with our lab kit), then used the IV tubing to deliver individual shots into medicine cups (hubby built a make-shift IV pole). Also put raisinets in ...

6. Question re: admin of PRN Narcotics

   natsfanrn replied to kasi's topic in Medications

   We had a debate about this where I work. I have no problem giving one Vicodin 2 hours later if the patient rec'd one and the order was for 1-2 Q4...sometimes the one just didn't help and others just seem to have their pain controlled better if they r...

7. What would you have said to this??

   natsfanrn replied to DebRN06's topic in General Nursing

   Okay doc...just to clarify the order so we don't disturb you unnecessarily... Is that when Hell freezes over solid, when there's just patches of ice, or if it's just sleeting? Can you leave a number so Satan can page you directly if that occurs?

8. Flamed during report.

   natsfanrn replied to gentle_ben_RN's topic in PACU

   Because to be honest it doesn't matter much once he gets to the floor, especially when time is of the essence. When you call and say you're bringing a patient up and I have less than a minute b/w my other patients' demands to listen to report so that...

9. Flamed during report.

   natsfanrn replied to gentle_ben_RN's topic in PACU

   As a surg floor nurse, I truly try to understand the pressures the PACU nurses are under and be ready for PACU admits. but please, a few thoughts from our side... 1. If you call and say you're bringing a patient up in 10 minutes, please bring that pa...

10. Catheterization Assessment, am I forgetting something?

    natsfanrn replied to srg4784's topic in General Students

    Don't forget the all-important checking of the patient's nameband before doing anything!

11. Newbie Questions

    natsfanrn replied to hopefornursing's topic in Career Support

    The tuition reimbursement is fairly common (at hospitals in my area, at least) and can be worthwhile IF it's a facility you're willing to commit to after graduation. Before signing, find out what the penalty is if you decide not to work there upon gr...

12. Labs H&H

    natsfanrn replied to RN2B07's topic in Med-Surg

    And remember, a person with critical H/H values can have O2 sats of 100 percent yet still be hypoxic...

13. What would make you happy?...employee satisfaction

    natsfanrn posted a topic in General Nursing

    I've been asked to sit on the employee satisfaction committee at the hospital where I work, and I'd just like to get an idea of some of the measures taken by other facilities around the country re: ways of improving employee morale. Not the obvious (...

14. Nurse-Writers

    natsfanrn replied to Elizabeth Hanes's topic in General Nursing

    In my "past life" I wrote (on staff, then freelance) about veterinary issues for horse owners as well as human health for the layperson, and did editing work for nursing journals. Now, as an RN, I've occasionally thought about doing freelance work fo...

15. Career Choices....

    natsfanrn replied to slu_rn's topic in Career Support

    Reality shock is setting in. Give yourself time to feel more comfortable with what you're doing and see if you can get over this "hump." As a new grad, I was miserable with my job until the 5th or 6th month mark, then I finally started enjoying what ...