flo136

flo136

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About flo136

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  1. Where to go after the ICU?

    I have friends that hurt their back and were tired of the hard physical labour of adult ICU, and they went in neonatal ICU or paediatric ICU. Also a step 'back' in intensity is Recovery (post anaesthetic), or Anaesthetics instead. Everyone I know who...
  2. When does it stop being scary?

    I started in ICU, did the specialist ICU course after 6 months and 1 year's worth of consolidation afterwards. Crazy times! But after about 8-9 month mark, after getting the course under my belt, it clicked. I got sick patients and I could take care ...
  3. CRRT: My Mistake

    I did something similar years ago learning CRRT but forgot to document the fluid off amounts. I felt like rubbish because they thought I was a 'good' ICU nurse. However, the nurse in charge told me the problem, the solution; they fixed it up on the c...
  4. "Patient Satisfaction" in the ICU

    Certainly there are patients and families that can be 'challenging' with their requests but ICU is still an amazing speciality to work in. Every shift can be so different and exciting professionally. For those sorts of patients and families we have s...
  5. Bouncing back after a bad shift

    We've all had shifts like that. I find as much as I dread returning to work, it really helps to find out what happened to the patient. And talk to a trusted friendly colleague, someone whose opinion and work you admire for a different perspective. I ...
  6. I want to quit during SICU orientation

    What happened?
  7. I wish I had learnt more about managing agitated and confused patients. I always felt so useless managing them, so ineffective. Making time to sit down and talk with a patient and their family. I still really enjoy that after nearly 30 years doing nu...
  8. I'll be honest- the doctors on night duty lack much experience, let alone the guts to make big decisions. We often feel like we are just babysitting the patients until someone in charge with a clue can come in and actually make a definite plan. Its f...
  9. Open visitation in the ICU

    I love it when the visitors sit by the bedside for hours glued to their mobile phone. Or watch the whole unit work, not interested in their loved one in bed. Visitors- they drive you nuts! I've got my hands full enough already thanks.
  10. does anyone regret this career?

    I don't regret it. There is so much variety, every day is different, and what we do is so important. But I am finding it harder, 20 years down the track. I love doing critical care but I find today's nursing not particularly patient-orientated. Some...
  11. Burn ICU Question

    I worked in an Australian city public ICU that had a burns speciality for 3 years. A few random thoughts that entered my head when I read your note: The rooms are really hot, which is hard to work in when you are in scrubs/gowns. The smell is awf...
  12. Why go into trauma/critical care nursing?

    I agree with all the comments of life-threatening situations: fast-paced, exciting, etc. But also I like the nurse:patient ratio and also the support available when things go wrong. I have equipment, manpower and expertise available instantly. It is ...
  13. It will get better...right?

    Give it a good six months. I felt like I made so many errors when I started. The patient deteriorated, and it was all my fault? Of course not, but I could not see why. I was so tired and stressed, the whole anatomy and physiology of intensive care wa...
  14. Titrating multiple drips

    I agree with the other posts about experience guiding inotrope titration. But also, with disease processes such as sepsis,or multi-organ failure, you will get a feel for how far to go up or down. For example, in sepsis, levo really can be moved up ...
  15. Help each other out, without asking. Little things like turning pts, suction- all the two-hourly things we do. It's just done in time for breaks. And done well. Using each other rather than the access/in charge people. Takes the pressure off everyone...