Crusty Old Bats

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Share your ancient memories. One of mine is Kardexes.  We used them in report.  Updated them with pencil and eraser ! 

Specializes in Emergency Department.

Off topic but...

Happy Christmas, Happy Festivus, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hannukah, Happy Seasons Greetings to all the crusty old bats. (If I've missed anyone out, my apologies).

Hope to hear more from you all next year.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
GrumpyRN said:

Off topic but...

Happy Christmas, Happy Festivus, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hannukah, Happy Seasons Greetings to all the crusty old bats. (If I've missed anyone out, my apologies).

Hope to hear more from you all next year.

We're crusty old bats, we all hope to still be here next year too!

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

Good afternoon all from the UK. I want to wish you all a Happy and prosperous New Year when it comes.

As we say in Scotland; "Lang may yer lum reek."

You can find the translation (and a few other Scottish sayings) here

 https://www.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/heritage/16-forgotten-phrases-youll-only-know-if-youre-from-scotland-543803

 

I know you guys will have noticed this but remember the rest of the world does dates differently; Today, according to Americans, is 123123 the rest of us would write 311223. ??

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Specializes in Dialysis.
GrumpyRN said:

Good afternoon all from the UK. I want to wish you all a Happy and prosperous New Year when it comes.

As we say in Scotland; "Lang may yer lum reek."

You can find the translation (and a few other Scottish sayings) here

 https://www.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/heritage/16-forgotten-phrases-youll-only-know-if-youre-from-scotland-543803

 

I know you guys will have noticed this but remember the rest of the world does dates differently; Today, according to Americans, is 123123 the rest of us would write 311223. ??

Happy New Year Grumpy! I'm one of those Americans who served overseas, so 311223 is the number that fits for me

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Bliadhna Mhath "u.r"!

 

The algorithm won't let me type the word "new" in Gaelic.  ?

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Specializes in Emergency Department.
Wuzzie said:

Bliadhna Mhath "u.r"!

?????

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
subee said:

A surgeon threw a spleen onto a friend's white, white Clinic shoes during a case 

So the Doc was venting somebody else's spleen? Hahahaha!

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

I have really enjoyed reading this thread. I know there was a similar thread a number of years ago, which I added to, and will do so here, as well. 

But first I'd like to say that as I was clicking on thumbs up reactions, suddenly half way through page 6, I got a screen-blurb that said I would not be able to use 'reactions' for the rest of the day, today! I didn't know there was a limit to reacting! Phooey. Anyway, most of the posts after page six have none of my reactions noted, but it was not my intention to slight anyone!

So, Yes, I remember dropping (empty) metal bedpans on the concrete floors...it would make a person jump sky high when it happened to anyone else! 

We didn't have any disposable anythings! There were thick pads for incontinence, washcloths for cleaning up BM's or vomit, etc. They all went to the main laundry, and I used to feel sorry for the folks who had to sort them and put them in the washer. We were not allowed to use gloves (yes, all latex) unless doing a sterile procedure, and we were scandalized every time a doc or surgeon would come to patient bedside and remove a dressing and pat it back into place with no gloves on at all. ?

All IV solutions (the basics) were in glass bottles. Once in an exam room used for storage of IV bottles in glass-fronted wall cabinets, like 35 seconds after we (nurses taking a brief break) cleared out of the room, one entire wall's casements of shelves holding the IV bottles, just FELL off the wall; it had apparently reached a critical point in the support of the shelves, I guess. We were so startled, and felt extremely lucky that we weren't in there when it happened. And also very lucky that the Maintenance Dept were the ones who had to clean up the mess...a flood of fluids and broken glass!

Indwelling Foley caths used ALL the time! Emptying the urine bag at the end of each shift and doing"Cath-care". And at bedtime, all patient's rooms had to have the trash/wastebaskets emptied, overbed tables and the bed linens straightened out, and water pitchers emptied, replacing the ice and the water for each patient. Then  EVERYONE got a backrub and 'stimulation of the bony prominences to prevent skin breakdowns. Pericare, mouth care were done routinely each morning and evening.

Before fitted sheets were used, when we made a bed it was standard practice to use the top sheet as the 'fresh/new' bottom sheet, and put a fresh sheet on top. There were rubber half-sheets for under incontinent patients, over which you'd fold a full sheet, and place one of the heavy pads on top of all that, under their butts.

The very first time I had to feed someone some broth, and I very stupidly tried to do it a spoonful at a time. Fortunately a nice CoB walked by and said, "For heaven's sake, use a straw!"

And yes to the kardexes, pill trays, little cardboard squares with Pt name, Rm #, Med, Dose, Time to be given. We had blue pens for dayshift, green for evenings, red for nights, and only docs were allowed to use black ink in the charts. Smoking allowed everywhere and anywhere, EXCEPT IN THE ELEVATORS!  The hospitals had cigt machines in the lobby, gift shop, and dining areas. Only adjusted IV's by counting drops. Used the Pharmaceutical abbreviations for ounce, dram, and all the rest....had to really KNOW all those Latin abbreviations, and squiggles with a line and/or a dot over them. Misreading a squiggle, or someone not putting the right squiggle for what they thought they had written, those sometimes led to med errors. YIKES!

Yeah, probably have a lot more memories, but right now I've hit a dry spot in my brain.

Everybody, keep 'em coming!

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

Remembered another thing: At Mass General Hospital in 1971, all med bottles were on top of an open, unlocked med-cart (six 'stair-stepped' levels from bottom/front to top/back) that sat just inside the area of the nurses station. None of the oral narcs or benzos were locked up; they were also on the open med cart. I remember a nurse who used to have really excruciating pains from her period, and she would help herself to a Percodan now and then for that, and nobody said a word about it. The only meds that were in the locked med-room were narcotic injections. And remember the little glass vials you had to snap the top off and stick your needle down into the bottle to draw it up? I don't recall having to have anyone witness a wasted liquid narcotic until the mid  1970's.

 

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toomuchbaloney said:

We taped glass chest tube bottles to the floor so we didn't kick them over.  

winner....

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Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.
KathyDay said:

If hospitals can't afford to pay for the people to provide the basics of daily care, then they shouldn't be in the "business" of "caring".   It was horrifying to me to see my husband's needs ignored the way they were, and to have staff say that he "refused" help with bathing...he never refused because he was never was offered help with bathing, unless I offered it.  I helped him with hygiene.   Yes, I am angry, and so very disappointed in the lack of basic care my husband received.  I'm sure any nurse in this group worth their title would have felt the same way if it was their loved one. 

You are so right. This is where the moral injury happens for nurses: being unable to do more than simply keeping your patient safe.

On the other hand, it was horrifying to see your husband needing the help and not getting it. My heart goes out to you. 

I'm glad that you were able to help him.

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Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.

Someone mentioned Maalox and heat lamp for decubes. How about pouring a packet of sugar into the dressing over a decube? It worked.

Ventilators (Baby Byrd, LP-6, HP-50)

Nitro Paste, Lidocaine, Quinidine, Nitro 1/150 grain and 1/200 grain. And ASA grain 10 to dissolve under the tongue.

My mom – also a nurse – talked about working as a student in Central Processing. They would blow into the gloves to make sure there were no holes, then carefully fold them, wrap them, and sterilize them in the autoclave.

 

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