Okiecruffler

Latest Activity

1. Let's talk about death

   Okiecruffler replied to Okiecruffler's topic in PICU

   I love that this thread keeps coming back to life. It shows me that I was not alone in how I felt. It is true that most of your pts live and get better and go about their little lives. But those are harder to remember. It's much easier to remember th...

2. Let's talk about death

   Okiecruffler replied to Okiecruffler's topic in PICU

   Reminds me of my very first patient in the PICU. Here I come to meet my preceptor, me a big bad ass nurse fresh from adult CCU. I find her sitting at the bedside of a beautiful 8 y/o boy. So I ask, "so what's the plan today?" She tells me we're waiti...

3. Let's talk about death

   Okiecruffler replied to Okiecruffler's topic in PICU

   Horribly painful, beautifully touching. I've always said, I've met people at their absolute worst, and been surprised by how wonderful they are. Too many times the immediate family is in such shock that the peripheral family comes into play which can...

4. Let's talk about death

   Okiecruffler replied to Okiecruffler's topic in PICU

   I sometimes think that doctors are our worst enemy. Working for so long with residents I've seen all the false hope I ever want to see. Had a 14 y/o come in one night, ATV accident, C2 internal decap. I took him down to radiology with the bright new ...

5. Let's talk about death

   Okiecruffler replied to Okiecruffler's topic in PICU

   This is what I was hoping to see, an open discussion that boils down to "damn right, this is hard" I remember my first tour of the PICU. I asked the nurse supervisor how she coped with losing children. She answered, "you get used to it." So I asked h...

6. What is the dumbest order you ever read?

   Okiecruffler replied to SherRN's topic in General Nursing

   I've seen this one a few times by the same doc. Bedrest ad lib.

7. Let's talk about death

   Okiecruffler posted a topic in PICU

   Why shouldn't we? We're not afraid. I'll never forget my first code, I think I had been a nurse for all of 32 hours. Wasn't my patient, so I just hit the chest compressions, good physical job where you don't have to think too much. And as I looked ou...

8. Missing the PICU, probably for the wrong reasons

   Okiecruffler replied to Okiecruffler's topic in PICU

   Actually, it was mostly being a dad in general;). No, you know once you've been in the game awhile, become one of the senior nurses, gotten you certs, then you become the go-to when something bad hits. And over my last year in the PICU I lost some c...

9. Missing the PICU, probably for the wrong reasons

   Okiecruffler posted a topic in PICU

   For 10 years I worked the PICU and loved it. Then my son was born. Every coping skill I had failed me. I could no longer remove myself from the patient. Finally last december, after losing 3 pts in 2 weeks, I had to give it up. Now I work in a state ...

10. What is the dumbest order you ever read?

    Okiecruffler replied to SherRN's topic in General Nursing

    IS q2h when awake. Order was on a 6 month old who was intubated. Gotta love those first year residents.

11. Thinking of relocating

    Okiecruffler replied to Okiecruffler's topic in New Hampshire

    I'm originally from Blanchard, now living happily in Norman. Been working for the past few months at MWC regional hospital in the float pool. Had a son born last year and kinda lost my coping skills for the PICU. Starting my new job next week at JD M...

12. Anyone in Burmingham Ala?

    Okiecruffler replied to Okiecruffler's topic in PICU

    In Oklahoma he did some adults. Not sure what he'll be doing there.

13. Anyone in Burmingham Ala?

    Okiecruffler posted a topic in PICU

    One of our Ped heart surgeons, Dr Christopher Knott-Craig, just relocated to run the cardiac program there and I was just wondering if he had gotten settled in yet.

14. Is this standard procedure?

    Okiecruffler replied to Okiecruffler's topic in Oklahoma

    Sorry, I wasn't very clear last night. In the PICU we run 2 to 1, sometimes 1 to 1. Some of us more experienced nurses will take 3 to 1 if we're baby sitting floorbait. This was just an adult med surg floor, mostly homeless and mentally challanged fo...

15. Best hospitals in OKC area to work for?

    Okiecruffler replied to marilynmom's topic in Oklahoma

    I'm not sure why OUHSC has such a high turnover rate. I love the PICU, it's the only place in the hospital I would work. I'm not sure if they hire grad nurses in the ER or not. I know we do in the PICU and it works out pretty well. Pay isn't up to pa...