kdunurse

Latest Activity

1. For Dialysis Nurses

   kdunurse replied to Stepherslynn's topic in Urology

   How are you more likely to give the patient air with a med during rinse back than at any other time? My concern about giving a med during rinse back is that the patient wouldn't receive the full dose. Some of it will be left in the saline unless you ...

2. Concerns about WGU

   kdunurse replied to BJB6's topic in Western Governors

   What the others have said. Often ADN or diploma nurses aren't eligible for non-acute nursing roles. The BSN is designed to prepare you for those. I'm surprised your counselor wasn't able to explain this to you clearly.

3. What is the standard orientation time for HD?

   kdunurse replied to kdunurse's topic in Urology

   I'm not with Davita or Fresenius; our dialysis clinic is hospital basis (our hospital is part of CHI). I think the orientation is 6 weeks because that's the standard orientation time in our hospital. And most of the first week is taken up by general ...

4. What is the standard orientation time for HD?

   kdunurse replied to kdunurse's topic in Urology

   So I talked to my clinical coordinator about this, and she's not bending on the idea that new staff (we have 3 new hires with no dialysis experience) need to be practicing independently (no preceptor) after 6 weeks. Are there any regulations or stand...

5. What is the standard orientation time for HD?

   kdunurse posted a topic in Urology

   I've been a dialysis nurse for 3 years and am starting the educator role for my HD unit (hospital-based, mostly chronics). We have just had a large turnover so I will be working on new staff orientation for several LPNs and RNs. Our unit does 6 week ...

6. RN scope of practice for inserting central lines

   kdunurse posted a topic in Infusion

   I'm working on an evidence-based practice paper for my BSN, and the subject I've chosen is CLABSI prevention with IHI's central line insertion bundle. I'm trying to show that this is a nurse-driven topic, and I'm trying to find statistics on RN scope...

7. HD catheters - dressing or no?

   kdunurse posted a topic in Urology

   Our facility uses the standard CDC policy for central line dressing changes (q48h for gauze, q7 days and prn for occlusive), but our clinical coordinator has said there is research indicating that infections are lower when no dressing is used. I can'...

8. 6 weeks orientation then left alone? What to do..

   kdunurse replied to LoveMyJob2's topic in Urology

   How many other RNs are there? If there are none, and you've only received 6 weeks of orientation, then it is very unsafe (I'm assuming you've never done HD before). You are well within your rights to refuse to do this. If something happens, you will ...

9. doctors order in hemodialysis

   kdunurse replied to ICUdialysisRN's topic in Urology

   If I understand you question correctly, you're asking who should write the dialysis orders, the intensivist or the nephrologist? It should always be the nephrologist who writes the dialysis orders, although it gets confusing when the intensivist is a...

10. Wester Governors U -Statistics and Microbiology

    kdunurse replied to DEE S.'s topic in Western Governors

    I just finished my microbiology class in a week. Statistics took me two weeks. I have not yet done my micro lab, but don't expect it to be difficult. WGU is a good program but you have to be very self-motivated to be successful, as you are setting yo...

11. Emergency meds through IJ

    kdunurse replied to Kaysmom8's topic in Urology

    Your facility should have a policy regarding use of a dialysis catheter for non-dialysis reasons. (I'm assuming you work in an acute care facility). In my facility, we do have a policy allowing non-dialysis nurses to use the dialysis cath for blood d...

12. Shortened TXs, elevated HRs and Hypertension - what to do?

    kdunurse replied to PomPomRN's topic in Urology

    In our unit, dialysis pts who want to end their tx early must sign a release of responsibility. They are basically agreeing to leave AMA.

13. Nurses Being Made to Tech?

    kdunurse replied to westieluv's topic in Urology

    We currently have only one tech for our 19 chair unit, so, yes, our nurses do tech shifts. It's a bit weird, actually, because the nurses have pods assigned to them, while the tech doesn't; he floats during turnover, mixes baths, and does a lot of th...

14. Advice about going into hemodialysis

    kdunurse replied to Mrsjonesgilbert's topic in Urology

    I've been working in a hospital-based dialysis unit for a couple of years. We're different from other units in that we don't do acutes (inpatients) and chronics (outpatients) separately, which has its advantages and disadvantages. Most hospital based...

15. Nursing judgement in dealing with difficult patients.

    kdunurse replied to FransBevy's topic in Urology

    Absolutely. However, it is completely appropriate for the dialysis unit to have a policy of not allowing pts to get off dialysis for a smoke break. In that case, the pt can decide to do dialysis OR smoke, not both. I have several dialysis pts who fre...