Can't turn off "nurse mode"...

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I promised myself (and my mother) that I would just visit. My dad was admitted with Afib/RVR and converted on a cardizem drip. So the cardizem was turned off. Cool. Although, I arrive at the hospital 7 hours later and it's running again. Weird. They had it running as the main line and NS for a piggyback. When the saline ran out, the pump defaulted back to cardizem. Apparently this had been going quite awhile because he had about 500 left in the "new" bag of IVF. Grrrr. No wonder they had problems maintaining his bp! Idiots. This could've been prevented a couple of different ways. 1) Run the cardizem as a piggyback. 2) Program the IVAC to stop when the NS runs out. 3) Disconnect the cardizem altogether. Now, here's my final concern- this all happened on a tele floor. Cool. But, his nurse was brand new. We all have to learn, of course, but where was the preceptor? Why didn't anyone double check? I know it's my dad so I'm overly sensitive. But I'm also looking at this from a practice standpoint as well.

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Specializes in Med/Surg,Cardiac.

I'd never run cardizem as a piggyback. It gets its own module every single time. I would be upset as well, if it were running when it werent supposed to. It sounds like the nurse needs some more orientation. Hope your dad is feeling better!

~ No One Can Make You Feel Inferior Without Your Consent -Eleanor Roosevelt ~

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

As per the Term of Service.....we can't offer medical advice. But as a procedural note......Cardizem gets it's own pump and is not "piggy backed" for this very reason. It's tough to be the daughter and the nurse...I would speak to the manager about your concerns. I alwaysThink about what goes on when the family isn't medical......I have no problem bringing practice issues to the fore front.

I hope your Dad feels better!

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