can nurses intubate?

LilPeanut, MSN, RN, NP · Apr 1, 2006

Bah. Lost a post. Essentially, I agree with gompers and BBG, it really seems pretty insane and I would think it is very much risking a license and unbelievable that a regional transport center doesn't have a dr. or NNP there at all times.

In my lvl III, even in the middle of the night, we've got at least 2-3 NNPs, 1 resident and 1 attending. There's a sleep room for them on the unit if they need it, but they are only 5 min away if a sudden code happens.

RRTtoRN · Apr 4, 2006

Girl,
In Alabama not only do we intubate, we "read" x-rays....we never have a doctor in house after they are through making their rounds, we draw our own blood gases, interpret them, and make ventilator and cpap changes based on them!!! I just graduated in May, and I can't believe the stuff we are doing sometimes. I don't intubate and I double-check with more senior nurses before I touch the vent, but still!! We have had some travelers that are working with us now who are in disbelief at all the responsiblity we're given. It's too much. Sometimes we have 2 vents and a cpap...or a HFOV and an isolette..... Then, sometimes you'll have 4 grower-feeders who all eat at the same time, have to be weighed, etc etc. I guess the one thing I should be happy about is if I move to another state (which is a certainty with my Air Force honey!) I will have more reasonable assignments and more physician help.
:)

WOW!!! That's some MAJOR responsibility! Do you guys have respiratory therapists that manage the vents at your hospital? In some of the smaller, rural hospitals here in Michigan, it's common for RT's to intubate. We don't in my hospital THANK GOD!