What things have changed in nursing since 1997???

Nurses General Nursing

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Okay, I'm headed back into nursing after a five year sabbatical, and would like to hear from my allnurses siblings the changes that have taken place in nursing over the past five years?

Thanks nurses!

Much love,

Renee :nurse:

3rdShiftGuy got the top 2 things that I was going to contribute. Pain assessment and documentation was way up there on the last JACHO visit, as well as documentation of restraints.

Computerized charting, and just about everything else is on computer. We check pulse oximetry readings much more routinely than we did in '97.

Staffing is certainly tighter than it ever was.

More drips (low dose) and epidurals for pain control than we used to have.

Although inpts. are sicker than ever, they are released sooner. (Get 'em in, get 'em out.)

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

Soooooo...technology has hit the hospitals in massive doses, patient loads are heavier, patients are sicker and discharged sooner than in the past, administration possibly has or still hasn't seen the "light of day", and pain asssessment and documentation of that pain and restraints used is utmost on "the visiting police's minds" each annual visit they make. Sounds like NOT much has really changed from what I remember five years ago while working in California where a few hospitals were already doing the aforementioned "changes".

l.rae......does SH have a website? I will check on it, and see if they have an online jobsite, etc. I loved working at both facilities back in the day.

jemb...the area of nursing I am looking for is either med/surg, mother/baby, pediatrics, or newborn nursery. As for the med/surg area, so far it seems that is the area of nursing with the greatest need right now when I'm checking jobs online at various hospitals.

sleepyeyes...thanks for the drug tips! I do need an up to date Nursing Drugbook.

I should find out tomorrow (hopefully) when I start the refresher program. I'm NOT taking "no" for an answer! :D

Thanks for the information siblings! :nurse:

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Renee...try ketthealth.com....navigate around...you can get job postings for KH, SH, GoodSam, and Southview. GS and SV came under the kettering system about 2 yrs ago......LR

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I ENTERED NURSING AS A NEW GRAD IN 1997...that's all i can say. That and welcome back, Renee, so glad to have you.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Pyxis use is new to me. I remember little boxes with slide vinyl cover when I first started in 1977 and 1000 count tylenol bottle sat in bottom drawer!

Edited for date and typos!

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

l.rae...I found the Kettering website, and was so surprised to learn that they had taken over Grandview and Southview (both of which I worked at before). Sycamore didn't really have much in the way of what I am looking for except Inhome Care or Medical Telemetry...both of which I've worked before. The Medical Telemetry position is full time 7A-7P.

However, Grandview had oodles of job openings, especially in Psych where I did my Psych rotation while in college. There is also a job opening on the short stay unit. I printed applications from the site to fill out and mail in just in case the Valley doesn't work out, but I somehow think it will. :D

Deb...Thanks for the inspiration in welcoming me back into the field of nursing! I've missed it tremendously, too! :kiss

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.
Originally posted by NRSKarenRN

Pyxis use is new to me. I remember little boes with slide vinyal cover when I first started and 1000 count tylenol bottle sat in bottom drawer!

I've worked in plenty of hospitals out in California that used the Pyxis machine! I loved it versus the old methods in use. The only bad part was waiting your turn at the Pyxis. :rolleyes: :chuckle

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Specializes in Med-Surg Nursing.

At my hospital, we use something similar to Pyxis called AccuDose. Good Luck Renee with your job search and I recommend that you purchase Springhouse's Nursing Drug Handbook 2003, I buy a new one each year. Welcome back to the crazy world of Nursing!

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I was already hanging Zophan on Chemo patients 12 years ago. It supprises me that some would call it new. It was really an improvement over previous drugs when it came to chemo related nausea.

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Specializes in ER.

I remember multidosing antibiotics IV, po pills from a large bottle, everything. The only thing that came unit dose was chemo. We mixed our own additives to IV bags and also remember trying to calculate how to make D10 from D5 with a bottle of D50. Sometimes I think all the protective mechanisms make people trust them too much and not look at labels, or not be able to calculate their own doses. Everything changes.

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The only thing that I can add to all the above is that we used to mix our own KCL IVs in ED, and now we aren't allowed to do that .Any IV with KCL must be mixed by the pharmacy.

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Originally posted by l.rae

Why separate...haven't heard that...sometimes l mix both in a 50 ml bag and mini drip it in......so what's up with this separate deal...they are compatible.....spill the beans sleepy, this is new to me....thanks......LR

Our hospital policy is to separate the two for IVP. Our Pyxis doesn't let us take minibags; it will only let us take what's pharmacy-allowed per drug.

Besides, if I give Phenergan 25 mg, it must be diluted with 9 cc NS, and the demerol + its NS dilute just plain won't fit in the syringe.

Plus, if I'm giving Demerol 50 mg IVP, I also have to dilute that. Drug book I have recommends "5 ml or more sterile H2O or NS; give directly over 4-5 min."

If there's an easier way to do this, please advise. Thanks! :)

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