Are these procedures so bad?

[shelikesmorningglori]

I am not a nurse yet(I am hoping to be in nursing school by '09) Anyway,I have this fear of watching/helping a patient during a spinal tap or bone marrow biopsy.Are they really that bad?What is the nurse's role?Help:no:

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

justme. . .here's a nice list of weblinks to use in finding information that isn't in your textbooks:

• https://allnurses.com/forums/f205/medical-disease-information-treatment-procedures-test-reference-websites-258109.html - medical disease information/treatment/procedures/test reference websites
  

[danh3190]

I never saw a bone marrow aspiration in nursing school. In L&D they were putting in a lot of spinal catheters for anesthetic, but because I was busy keeping the patient positioned properly I couldn't actually see that much of the actual insertion. So I wouldn't worry much about it.

[MisterSimba, BSN]

"I'll be starting nursing school in '09 too....if all goes well! I've found that Wikipedia and WebMD are good sites to get information on drugs. I'm kind of scared about having to take Pharmacology, so I'm trying to learn as much as I can ahead of time :specs:"

Just an FYI for you students: Wikipedia is not an accepted resource for most colleges. Stick with WebMD, manufacturers' websites, or a good nursing drug book and you won't go wrong with citing your resource.

Just my:twocents: from a clinical instructor.

I don't use it for school, I just use it to look things up that I'm curious about after volunteering a shift at the hospital, ex. wanting to find out more about a G-tube vs a J-tube vs NG tube, etc.... I just want to get lots of exposure to different procedures, etc. before I start nursing school.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

i don't use it for school, i just use it to look things up that i'm curious about after volunteering a shift at the hospital, ex. wanting to find out more about a g-tube vs a j-tube vs ng tube, etc.... i just want to get lots of exposure to different procedures, etc. before i start nursing school.

let me save you some searching. some of that kind of information can be found on this website:

• http://www.icufaqs.org/

[shelikesmorningglori]

Thank you for your posts!!!All of you. I am feeling a little less weird about it now

[lpnstudentin2010, LPN]

I had one when I was 5. I had just had surgery, and was very lethargic on day 6 post op (3 days after going home, by which time I was usually fine). My parents took me to the ER. They were afraid that I might have meningitis, so they did one.

I remember that the nurse had me sitting on the edge of the hospital bed curled up (in a semi fetal position but sitting up) and she was talking to me through the whole procedure about things that I like to do. She made me keep talking even when I was crying (which I feel is a good idea).

I remember it being pretty painful, but remember this is a 5 year olds preception. I was however able to stay relitivly still.

[gal220RN, BSN, RN]

Oh yes, tapping babies and toddlers are all about the hold, having the exact curvature exposing the vertebrae, not too lateral. This is when all the sedation and analgesia I was referring to come in handy, as you are turning your little patient into a small screaming doughnut.

I have had the crap beat out of me trying to hold for LP's. You will feel like you just went a round with the WWF- good times!

[shelikesmorningglori]

JustAPatient-I just want to give your 5 year old self a hug:( Yeah,I think I'll stay away from the ER and PICU,thank you very much....

[lpnstudentin2010, LPN]

JustAPatient-I just want to give your 5 year old self a hug:( Yeah,I think I'll stay away from the ER and PICU,thank you very much....

It probably was not as bad as I remember it or persieved it to be at the time, 5 year olds tend to make a big deal out of very small things.

[shelikesmorningglori]

One thing that I have always wondered-and please forgive my ignorance-is why aren't kids put under for these tests?

[lpnstudentin2010, LPN]

One thing that I have always wondered-and please forgive my ignorance-is why aren't kids put under for these tests?

Not totally sure not a medical professional, just a professional patient :chuckle. I would think it is due to the fact that there is always a risk when it comes to anesthisia and sedation.

Other people feel free to correct me if I am wrong. I am by no means an expert on this.

[greenrubyjean]

I am having a bone marrow biopsy done soon and I have spoken to my hemo. about pain meds prior to the procedure. He is adament about not giving any, only offering Ativan 1 mg. Is this going to be enough to calm me and possibly make things less miserable for me? Or is my hemo. a sadist and being a jerk?? Let me know your thoughts.