Desert Rat

Latest Activity

1. Crrn or bachelor's first?

   Desert Rat replied to rnrgoodson's topic in Rehabilitation

   I am an old RN,BSN and have worked in rehab for 10 years. My last job did not acknowledge that rehab was a specialty, so did not encourage or reimburse for CRRN education or certification. 2 years ago I started working for a facility that not only en...

2. Funniest real orders you have seen in a chart?

   Desert Rat replied to nilepoc's topic in Humor

   Frequent flier druggie...OD'd and on vent...was waking up, violent. Called doc but he wouldn't extubate and wouldn't order anything to calm pt because "It might depress his respirations" I asked if I could write an order for pillow therapy, and he ...

3. Should nurses return to wearing uniforms?

   Desert Rat replied to hellerd2003's topic in General Nursing

   BS RN for 25+ years in the southwest in acute care facility. Many of my patients have commented positively on our fun scrubs, and it helps get their minds off their illness. I would find another job if I were forced to return to white and caps. As...

4. "foreign" objects?

   Desert Rat replied to mollyB's topic in General Nursing

   Years ago, as a new grad, we had a great old country doc who would sometimes come in during slow times and say "did I ever tell you about the time?" He told tales of pop bottles, vaccuum hoses, shower curtain rings. The most interesting, I thought...

5. Just Diagnosed With Plantar Fasciitis.

   Desert Rat replied to live4today's topic in General Nursing

   Wow..10 pages of nurses with sore feet. No surprise there. I continued to work until my foot was so swollen, I couldn't get my shoe on. Use to drive home with my left food on an ice bag. Found out I had a stress fracture of the 3rd metatarsal due ...

6. 7/1/03 UPDATE: Calif Nurse Ratios info here

   Desert Rat replied to NRSKarenRN's topic in Activism

   That's great. Too bad I'm in Arizona. We've got a long way to go.

7. 7/1/03 UPDATE: Calif Nurse Ratios info here

   Desert Rat replied to NRSKarenRN's topic in Activism

   Sounds good on paper, but I agree with rebel..so you are covering for LVN/SNT etc, what is your ratio then? Are they really going to cut out other staff to keep the licensed ratio?

8. 7/1/03 UPDATE: Calif Nurse Ratios info here

   Desert Rat replied to NRSKarenRN's topic in Activism

   These ratios specify that the charge RN is not to be counted in the staffing ratio, but what about other ancillary personnel? Our small ICU has a great pt/RN ratio, but we are it. No CNAs, no secretaries...We answer phones, take off orders, do traf...

9. Clinical questions

   Desert Rat replied to Kim62's topic in General Nursing

   25+ years ago in a BS program, I found definite bias from AD and Diploma nurses against us. They would belittle us verbally and push us back to encourage the AD students. I have tried to do my best to encourage any students because of this. Hope i...

10. Help! Looking for information.

    Desert Rat replied to richbtwo's topic in General Nursing

    Go for it! I've worked 25 years in rural Arizona (with an interesting summer 16 years ago in the Waterville, Maine area) One of our greatest resources in the middle of nowhere has been our police and ambulance staff. Starting pay is not great, but...

11. "Nurse Appreciation Week" gifts from employer

    Desert Rat replied to nurs4kids's topic in General Nursing

    We have not been allowed to celebrate Nurse's Week for a few years, so this is a 'treat'. We get to dress up as cowgirls/cowboys one day, wear hats another day, "professional whites" one day. The different nursing departments get to treat the rest ...

12. AA vs. CRNA - Let's Discuss.

    Desert Rat replied to warzone's topic in CRNA

    I am not familiar with AAs. Work in a rural area where we have always used CRNAs and no anesthesiologists. This whole thing reminds me of several decades when docs were promoting nurse practitioners, then found out nurses could practice independant...

13. "Force Feed"

    Desert Rat replied to ceecel.dee's topic in Safety

    We have a surgeon who yells at the nurses if the patients don't eat as much as he thinks they should. One day he decided to show us how to feed a patient. After the patient told him several times he didn't want any more. he spit it in the doc's fac...

14. "Force Feed"

    Desert Rat replied to ceecel.dee's topic in Safety

    We have a surgeon who yells at the nurses if the patients don't eat as much as he thinks they should. One day he decided to show us how to feed a patient. After the patient told him several times he didn't want any more. he spit it in the doc's fac...

15. Question about scrubs...

    Desert Rat replied to ashemson's topic in Uniform/Gear

    I agree peaches have more fun prints. Barco and Crest are roomier in the hips, Landau are slimmer. I make most of my tops because I can find wild prints. It really does give patients something to get their minds off their worries. I love scrub...