cpne question

Nursing Students Excelsior

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Specializes in ER, Corrections, Mental Health.

Not to the point of cpne yet but trying to watch a few videos here and there to get some insight.

just watched an IM lab video that required the student to draw up 2 meds in one syringe. Is this normal for the cpne? Do you have to check and make sure that the meds can be mixed? I knew there was an IM station but just assumed it was only going to be one med that I would be giving.

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From what I've read, yeah it's normal. It's mixing two different types of insulin.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

Not just insulin.;) You should expect that you may have to mix meds like Demerol or Morphine and Phenergan in a 3cc syringe or even a 5 or 6cc syringe just for demonstration purposes. We didn't use actual meds, but saline bottles labeled as such. We had to calculate the amount of medication to be given in milligrams as well as the total amount of medication to be given in ml/cc. Then they watched as we selected the correct syringe and needle gauge for the medication, depending on the med's viscosity. Anything over 3ml required the 5cc syringe. Talking to other testers during that weekend, none of us had nothing to equate more than 2cc...less, but not more. My trainer (retired now) told me to always go with the 1 1/2" for IM injections no matter what the gauge was. They watched from handwashing (pretense on lab night), ID'ing the patient, all of the above, and discarding the equipment (FYI: any syringe that has been opened...used or not, goes into the sharps container). All of this tested our ability comprehend, calculate, and administer medications accurately and properly.

Things have aver changed since I did my CPNE 4 years ago (so be sure to read that study guide thoroughly), but I don't think they want you performing invasive things like that outside of the lab station. (However, they don't allow for errors just because you're in a simulated lab). Even with the IV piggybacks that we hung on real patients, we read the MAR, compared it to the label on the medication, and gave the clinical evaluator the infusion rate. If correct, she programmed the IV pump and began the infusion.

Tis better to be prepared!:yes:

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

You do not have to check compatibility for the IM lab station.

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