Gail-Anne

Latest Activity

1. Physical limitations - what now?

   Gail-Anne replied to cinnyluvscats's topic in General Nursing

   Are there any nurse advice phone lines where you are? Our province started one a couple of years ago. It's a job where you actually give advice (eg. get to emerg! or suggestions for what they can do themselves) not paper shuffle. How about your state...

2. Pac

   Gail-Anne replied to Jonesy's topic in Infusion

   Yes, you can draw labs from a "port-a-cath", same as any central line. It's also fine to leave a port with an Infusor cap between meds, it doesn't have to be left running (if that was your question). Your facility should have policies for all that st...

3. Accessing/deaccessing ports

   Gail-Anne replied to JustJen's topic in Oncology

   yes, there are safety hubers, my facility is just looking into them so can't give any hints. Just google and you should get company sites up. What I've taught people to do is think "reverse karate"! Hold site firmly and pull up firmly with other hand...

4. Can someone encourage me for once?!?

   Gail-Anne replied to MBrickle's topic in General Nursing

   Have you looked into what will be required to work in Ireland, if that's your goal? I guess I don't see any sense in doing a course if it's not going to give you employment. (or the Irish equivalent of a green cerd)

5. picc line migration

   Gail-Anne replied to mark_49's topic in Infusion

   HOLY *&%$#@* BATMAN! I would never have reinserted this PICC, regardless of what the Dr said. This is totally against any and all that I've ever read. Even doing a change of PICC (wire-reintroducer over-then reinsert new PICC) is an iffy thing t...

6. Informed Consent/ Authorization for PICC Placement

   Gail-Anne replied to IVT-G's topic in Infusion

   We require consents and I can't see that ever changing. Basic consent to be treated in hospital is fine for the basics (like a peripheral IV) not for invasive proceedures. What do the risk management folks at your institution have to say about this?

7. Two IV lines

   Gail-Anne replied to ag2005's topic in Infusion

   I'd probably be querying more if pt had heparin in one and platelets in the other! Remember, the 1/2 life of Heparin is about 5-6 hrs. (I used to know the time for sure...memory isn't what it used to be). I'm wondering if your question had more to do...

8. Questions to ask during interview?

   Gail-Anne replied to kwagner_51's topic in New Nurse

   Totally acceptable to have your questions written down so you remember them and to write BRIEF notes. Just make sure you spend your time making contact with the interviewer not with your paper! If possible, I'd try to do most of my note taking after ...

9. Have you ever had to use CPr on the job or anywhere else?

   Gail-Anne replied to amy3072's topic in General Nursing

   Having called codes (2 as a student nurse), going to many codes and spending many years as a volunteer CPR instructor, I thought I'd put my $.02 in. Do we sometimes flog the perverbial dead horse? Oh Yeah. Do we sometimes revive someone who goes on t...

10. I need HELP!! with IV starts

    Gail-Anne replied to Jasano's topic in Infusion

    There are loads and loads of tips on threads, just do a search. Take home a stretch of IV tubing and a few IV needles and start kits. (Get your boss to okay this, as you don't want to be accused of stealing needles!) Tape the tubing to the counter or...

11. Suggestions For Leading A Group Session?

    Gail-Anne replied to Meerkat's topic in Psychiatric

    Lots of years since I worked psych... what kind of people in the group? We always had a variety of groups. Something as simple as "activities of daily living" for example. It's amazing how many people don't know how to read clothing labels and do la...

12. you guys are scaring me...

    Gail-Anne replied to tailgunn's topic in General Students

    You have to remember that this site is meant for nurses to query things and vent with other nurses. If you look at the thread asking; if you'd still become a nurse if you had to do it over again, you'll see most would. Juggling family and school is ...

13. Starting PICC lines, getting discouraged

    Gail-Anne replied to sparkyRN's topic in NICU

    Are you inserting on babies only, or did you get a chance to do quite a few adults first? And how many insertions did you do with a mentor? Any particular point of insertion that seems to be the failure point? That would help for giving you advice. W...

14. Younger Nurses: Do you find people dont take you seriously? (semi-rant)

    Gail-Anne replied to TexasPediRN's topic in General Nursing

    Now that I'm old it doesn't happen... not to say people take me seriously now, but at least it's not because I look young. Used to happen all the time! I had pts think I was a first year student, loved to scare them, telling them I was in charge! Y...

15. not used to feeling dumb

    Gail-Anne replied to Sandy46's topic in New Nurse

    I agree with the last posts. Whats so wrong with feeling stupid anyway? You are new at this. I'm concerned that you are creating a self-fullfilling-prophecy, you think you'll screw-up, so you do. Try getting someone to help you with a standard daily...