little update

[Indy, LPN, LVN]

Okay, I'm off orientation with my first ICU job, and finally back on nights where I belong. Woot.

And my first two weeks on nights were the busiest and worst they have seen in eight months. I've had my first two vented patients (not at the same time!), I've done my own admission assessments, which wasn't a huge deal, and I've decided I hate the computer and the feeling is mutual.

I've turned into some kind of cleaning freak too... and it takes me an hour to get the sound of tele alarms out of my head after I get home. The unit is small, have to turn 'em off and/or pay attention to them - can't just walk down the hall to get away from the noise.

There has been a flood of new equipment and little doolollymajigger things to get used to handling... needless systems instead of luer lock IV things for one... no prefilled syringes, an omnicell for meds, etc. The doors on an omnicell can just about take your pinky off if you don't pay attention to how you shut them in a hurry. I smashed my first ampule of lopressor right into my hand and made my first IV drug error in one week. I almost feel like a new grad again with all the attempts to organize the chaos into something resembling a shift routine. My only saving grace has been that I can assess and judge hemodynamics in a hurry, and that it doesn't occur to me to sit down too much.

I think the verdict will be, yes! I like this... just got to figure out what "this" is but it's easier to leave it at work, and a little more fun than tele was.

[walk6miles]

Do you mind if I ask you what you meant by "have to turn them off and/or pay attention to them"....

[meandragonbrett]

Uhhh....the alarms should never be turned off in the unit. It's a standard of care. You need to know what ever single tone means.

[Indy, LPN, LVN]

nonono. Let me clarify. You look at it, mash the button to temporarily shut the thing up, then go check the patient. And at least once a shift check what the alarms are set at so that they make sense. I wouldn't let the thing just keep on making noise if I know for certain that everything's fine. On the other hand, I keep settings reasonable so it goes off and makes noise when I need to hear it.