If you could invent nursing supplies, what would it be?

[Cindy-san]

An infusion pump that knows the difference between a piggyback and the main IV fluids. So that when I forget to unclamp the piggyback, it TELLS me and doesn't pretend like it's running the piggyback when it's really running the main IV fluid.

Actually, these exist. I forgot who made them.... I had an inservice on them at my old job, but management ended up being too cheap to shell out the $$$ to buy them. (But money for unnecessary decorative changes? No problem!)

What I'd like is a better charting system.

And something to zap the docs with when they're being unbearable idiots. ("Mini-thoracotomies don't need pain meds." )

[CNA_Timmy]

And something to zap the docs with when they're being unbearable idiots. ("Mini-thoracotomies don't need pain meds." )

I would like to point out that my lazy nursr zapper will also work on the docs... with a special setting for interns who think nurses are their personal servants :wink2::wink2:

[Dinsey]

Actually, these exist. I forgot who made them.... I had an inservice on them at my old job, but management ended up being too cheap to shell out the $$$ to buy them. (But money for unnecessary decorative changes? No problem!)

What I'd like is a better charting system.

And something to zap the docs with when they're being unbearable idiots. ("Mini-thoracotomies don't need pain meds." )

I've seen them too, at a Children's hospital. The brand I saw had add-ons for each infusion beyond your maintenance bag. Your tubing actually went through the individual pumps and connected on the other end. It even had add-ons for IV push syringes. In fact at this hospital, nurses weren't allowed to push, ALL pushes had to be done by the pump.

[*ac*]

I've seen them too, at a Children's hospital. The brand I saw had add-ons for each infusion beyond your maintenance bag. Your tubing actually went through the individual pumps and connected on the other end. It even had add-ons for IV push syringes. In fact at this hospital, nurses weren't allowed to push, ALL pushes had to be done by the pump.

That's not really what I'm talking about. Ours have extra channels, so you can run multiple fluids at the same time. But what I'd like is to have is a true "smart" piggyback. You'd be able to run just the piggyback, then have it switch back to the main fluid. Of course, we have that now, but if you accidentally leave the piggyback clamped, the main fluid runs instead, even though the channel says it's running the piggyback. It's also dependent on gravity, so if you don't hang the main bag lower than the piggyback, again, the main fluid runs instead of the piggyback, regardless of what the pump says it's doing.

[newohiorn, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

Regarding the conveyor belt bed idea--couldn't the sheets be on a roll like those old public bathroom style towel on a roll thingys? You rarely see them anymore but you just pulled out a clean section to dry your hands and the used part went back into the machine and magically came out clean again.

Amen to the wireless heart and pulse ox monitors--why hasn't this been done already? My facility just bought a zillion complicated IV pumps that have wireless technology so pharmacy can download new med profiles to them automatically--I gotta say I would much rather have wireless monitors than wireless IV pump technology.

I'm sure someone has already made one of these but I would like a stinkin' laundry hamper that has some way to hold the lid open instead of me using the lotion bottle or some other method--how hard can that be? I also wonder why the closet space for the hamper at my facility is designed in such a way that it is nearly impossible to pull the danged thing out on the first try.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

All of these ideas are terrific! Keep 'em coming!!

[teeniebert, LPN]

A third hand, or a glove removing/replacing machine...so that when the client I'm washing up tries to roll back over, I can put a CLEAN HAND on them to steady them while saying "just a minute, you're not quite clean yet!" This morning I was yet again faced with the choice between touching the client's back with my dirty glove or letting them roll their not-quite-clean bottom onto the clean soaker pad. *sigh*

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

Oh yeah, I've SO been there!!

I would want to design something that would keep an infant on the bed in such a way that they're not folded in half or doing the splits when the head of the bed is at the "optimal VAP preventing 45 degrees". The second they start coming around they topple forward cuz of their heavy little heads. Whose idea was this anyway!!!!!

[frankiebaby]

How about gloves that tape won't get stuck to? I can't tell you how many times I've wrestled with sticky, convoluted tape (especially the paper kind) during a dressing change or while taping a leaking foley! Grrrr...

[whipping girl in 07, RN]

Tape doesn't stick to the nitrile gloves nearly as bad as it does to latex or vinyl (the worst!)

Teflon velcro underwear. Nothing sticks to it, so it wipes off, and it keeps the patient up in bed so you don't have to pull them up every 30 minutes out of that hole!

[Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN]

The ability to dispense Ativan (or similar drug) throught the air vents. That way, when the agitated pt is destroying the place, rather than have 3 nurses hold him down while a 4th tries to give somehting IM, we could just gas the room, let him calm down and then enter room!

The ability to lock all hospital door so that a certain MD that you have been trying to get to see certain pt for days will not be able to leave the building until he sees the pt. An alarm could go off and say "Dr X, you may not leave the building until you have seen Pt Z and the nurse has disengaged the alarm.

To the person that wants a bed exit alarm that talks - they do make those! We have them - you can set it to alarm when pt exit bed, or you can record something like "lie back down and wait for nurse" - sometimes, we have family record something in the pts native language Of course, the problem is that pt then starts looking for the person who is talking!

[chicookie, BSN, RN]

The ability to dispense Ativan (or similar drug) throught the air vents. That way, when the agitated pt is destroying the place, rather than have 3 nurses hold him down while a 4th tries to give somehting IM, we could just gas the room, let him calm down and then enter room!

=D The first thought that popped into my head was a nurse turning a dial and saying "You needs to chillllllll." in a cool deep voice. LOL

I would totally say that.