Darknights

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1. Blood transfusion and heart failure

   Darknights replied to Darknights's topic in Infusion

   This is for every patient, including those with heart failure. The rationale is that there is no reason not to administer the packed cells over one hour. However, when the pt has been admitted with heart failure and were overloaded we are reluctant t...

2. Blood transfusion and heart failure

   Darknights posted a topic in Infusion

   Hi, We frequently have extremely elderly patients with heart failure and multiple co-morbidities who require blood transfusions. The physician wants the 350ml Packed Cells administered over an hour and doesn't provide an order for frusemide. Is this ...

3. Bedside med locker vs drug trolley

   Darknights replied to Darknights's topic in General Nursing

   She said it was to decrease errors. As most safety experts talk about having less steps in a process, to lessen the risk of errors....I can't see how administering from a trolley out in the corridor will decrease errors. And it would be less producti...

4. I hate what's happening to nursing...

   Darknights replied to nyteshade's topic in Relations

   My worst scripting experience was dealing with a telecommunications company lately. The call centre personnel were totally unable to deviate from their script and actually stumbled if I tried to divert them straight to my issue. It took me 5 1/2 hour...

5. Bedside med locker vs drug trolley

   Darknights posted a topic in General Nursing

   We have med lockers on the wall next to each patient's bed. Nurses are responsible for restocking them or initially stocking them from meds stocked in cupboards in the treatment room. Our DON has suddenly dictated that we must now purchase a medicati...

6. I'm afraid that I'm a bad nurse.

   Darknights replied to dankimal's topic in General Nursing

   You care. From what you said I don't think you sound like a bad nurse. Try to remember that New Grads aren't considered able to work confidently and independently until they have at least 12 months experience. You have a lot of knowledge to connect w...

7. I don't like floor nursing...

   Darknights replied to KalipsoRed's topic in General Nursing

   "Keep your chin up matey and at least you know ur not alone :)" ..................................... I can tell you're an Aussie. :)

8. How to support New Grads....?

   Darknights replied to Darknights's topic in General Nursing

   What programs are in place for New Grads in the U.S? Are they just given a couple of days supernumerary like here, or are there extended programs? When staff are run off their feet it is ridiculous to expect them to hold a New Grads hand. Last week ...

9. What to do when.....?

   Darknights replied to Darknights's topic in General Nursing

   Thanks for all your responses. I think I can let this incident go now.

10. What to do when.....?

    Darknights replied to Darknights's topic in General Nursing

    When a patient died a couple of months ago I had an audience of new nurses who all wanted to see a dead body and learn what to do before taking the body to the morgue. When I showed them how to get the body into the body bag one of them said, 'This i...

11. What to do when.....?

    Darknights replied to Darknights's topic in General Nursing

    We don't. I have some friends who work as nurses in the U.S so I know what our equivalents are. The minimum qualification for RN's here as been the equivalent to your BSN, and has been like that for many years. LPN's here are called EN's, Enrolled Nu...

12. What are the top 5 medications YOU administer daily?

    Darknights replied to northmississippi's topic in Medications

    Paracetamol, Coloxyl and Senna, pantoprazole, frusemide, clarithromycin, ceftriaxone, metformin, coated aspirin, perindopril, atenolol.

13. Do Nurses Still Make *Real* Beds?

    Darknights replied to DoGoodThenGo's topic in General Nursing

    And I always thought the pillow cases faced away from the door so all the departing spirits didn't get trapped in the pillowcases on their way out the windows. :-) I read some of the original nursing texts last year and I am sure that old Flo didn't ...

14. What to do when.....?

    Darknights replied to Darknights's topic in General Nursing

    Thanks everyone. I expected feedback on what I'd done wrong. I hadn't anticipated your positive comments. I really thought there was some answer on what I should do in such a situation and I just couldn't see what it was.

15. How to support New Grads....?

    Darknights replied to Darknights's topic in General Nursing

    I am working in a very remote hospital in outback Australia. It is a 5 1/2 hour drive to the next town. We have to fly critically ill patients interstate for care as we are too far from city hospitals in our state. My ward is general Medical/Rehab. O...