Natural510

Natural510 has 1 years experience and specializes in ICU.

Latest Activity

1. IS MICU/SICU too much for New Grad?

   Natural510 replied to RNewbie0203's topic in MICU

   I started in ICU, but I was also a nursing assistant for 2 years in the same unit beforehand. Other new grads from my class who got hired there included an ED NA, a step-down NA, and someone with no medical experience at all. The latter has taken the...

2. sedation

   Natural510 replied to jacsbein's topic in MICU

   Hospitals & critical care educators are trying to move away from propofol and the heavier sedatives because "research shows" patients undergo withdrawal from it upon extubation. Of course these are the same who will tell you an intubated patient ...

3. Pushing meds through NGT/OGT with the plunger

   Natural510 replied to delphine22's topic in MICU

   I've only seen gravity used with a G-tube, but it's basically the same thing. No reason it can't be done either way.

4. Best transition into ICU?

   Natural510 replied to nmpBSN's topic in MICU

   Many new nurses who can't get into ICU right away will start in an ICU or Cardiac Stepdown unit. It's a step up from med/surg or telemetry in that you'll be dealing with things like chest tubes, sheaths, bi-paps, chronic vents etc to help prepare you...

5. Charge nurse taking patients in ICU

   Natural510 replied to nightengalegoddess's topic in MICU

   I work in a smaller regional hospital in Ohio, and our charge nurses do not take patients, if for no other reason than they have to respond to codes and rapid-responses on other units and could be gone for an hour or more at a time. We're also 1:1 wi...

6. Able to finish all tasks in ICU?

   Natural510 replied to luckynurse_1234's topic in MICU

   Our facility also has a policy allowing us to chart on a patient within 24 hours, so we can come back the next night to add anything we may have forgotten. Not sure if that is an option for you. As a new nurse in a MICU, I can sympathize, and it does...

7. Advice for clinical rotations on ICU/Trauma/Stepdown ICU floors

   Natural510 replied to firefly101's topic in MICU

   A lot of good suggestions here; I will add to not pretend you are in control of a situation when you aren't (don't let your ego overrule the needs of the patients) and don't try to be bossy or think you know more than your experienced preceptor. The ...

8. Preceptorship in the ICU

   Natural510 replied to green34's topic in MICU

   It sounds like you've prepared about well as you can. I am also beginning my ICU orientation as a new grad (I worked there as a CNA during school), and picked up that Kathy Taylor critical care manual to help guide me. ALCS & all that is started ...

9. Young Male CNA discussion!

   Natural510 replied to downsouthlaff's topic in Men

   I've had similar experiences to blackvans, though not quite 1/5. If they want a female CNA for toileting, etc, they just have to wait that much longer to be assited, so it's their loss. It does get irritating, either way. As a nursing student it has ...

10. Frequent flier narc users

    Natural510 replied to corky1272RN's topic in Emergency

    Hospitals will also lose reimbursements for revolving-door visits, so in this case it will probably be addition by subtraction if it cuts down on their overall visits.

11. Sutter of Calif. does it again...

    Natural510 replied to Mindful's topic in Union

    Man, I used to go there as a patient and told myself if I moved back to the Bay Area and couldn't get in at Kaiser, Sutter would be a solid second option. I guess I'd better stay back East where there are more choices and companies to work with.

12. Volunteer to be a union rep or not?

    Natural510 replied to KRODD's topic in Union

    There is good and bad in having union representation; the good is obvious, but one of the downsides is the laziest & complainingest employees are usually those who want to use the the union to take on every single grudge they carry...also as an e...

13. cna caught in the middle

    Natural510 replied to Destiny'skid's topic in Relations

    If you are given instructions by your charge nurse, those are what should be carried out. Explain to the other CNAs that you must do a, b & c before you help them out with their tasks for the evening. Likely what is happening is the other CNAs be...

14. Time Management for the Not So New Grad

    Natural510 replied to stephanie.felder5's topic in CCU

    Yeah, like Brandon the idea of pharmacy hours kinda threw me (as did the old-school concepts of paper charting, smoke breaks, and no hospitalist on site). The advice is great for this (hopefully) future ICU nurse. Keep it coming!

15. Can i have a job during the nursing program?

    Natural510 replied to marisab's topic in General Students

    Yea, this is how I'm doing it too. I worked FT as a CNA up until this final semester while doing the RN program, the second year with a little guy at home. Basically it's time management and mind-over-matter, though you will sacrifice sleep along the...