LouleeRN

LouleeRN has 36 years experience and specializes in palliative care, medicine, rehab/geri.

Latest Activity

1. You know your nurse brain is still at work when....

   LouleeRN replied to EmpathyInAction's topic in General Nursing

   When I first started working night shifts, I would come home on Sunday mornings, watch my husband sleep, and count his respirations! Also notice strangers veins, and sign RN after my name at the bank Nurses are the only ones I think who can talk abou...

2. Verbal Hand-off Reports - Are they no longer necessary?

   LouleeRN replied to yr.pedsnurse's topic in General Nursing

   At our hospital, the sending unit (or ER) faxes a SHOT (Safe Hand Off Tool) to the receiving unit. The SHOT lists reason for admission/transfer, medical hx, background, VS, pain, IV, neurological, cardiovascular respiratory, GI, GU & skin assess...

3. To flush or not to flush...advice please.

   LouleeRN replied to lovingtheunloved's topic in General Nursing

   In our facility we use an over the needle cannula for subcut locks (ie like an IV cannula where the needle is withdrawn after insertion, leaving only the plastic cannula in situ.) We always flush with at least the volume of the extension tubing, in o...

4. Burnout or what

   LouleeRN replied to sunshines66's topic in General Nursing

   So glad that you're feeling better!

5. "Free" Healthcare in Canada?!?!

   LouleeRN replied to S.T.A.C.E.Y's topic in International

   When we travel in the US, we often get asked about our "free" health care, usually prefixed by the comment "Is it really true that you don't have to pay for your health care? That must be wonderful!" When I explain that we don't pay each time we use ...

6. Burnout or what

   LouleeRN replied to sunshines66's topic in General Nursing

   You asked for suggestions that helped others get through similar experiences. I went through a time of work-related stress and ended up seeking counselling to help deal with what I was feeling. The previous suggestion of walking was a good one. A...

7. Am I Typhoid Tazzi?????

   LouleeRN replied to TazziRN's topic in General Nursing

   oops, sorry! my mistake! it's a compliment to you and your great care that they wanted you back. don't let the other cases get you down! keep on caring!

8. Am I Typhoid Tazzi?????

   LouleeRN replied to TazziRN's topic in General Nursing

   Sorry to hear you've hit a rough patch. I too can identify with what you're going through. I went through a week one time where there was a code blue on our floor every night I worked (half of them my pts). Coworkers were teasingly starting to make t...

9. What is your Nurse to patient ratios?

   LouleeRN replied to kellibellirn's topic in Indiana

   Some of the former posters don't know how lucky they are! I, too, work on a medicine ward. It's a 70-bed ward, divided into 7 ten-bed units. On day shift, a RN and a LPN work each unit, so we each take 5 patients, but of course, help each other o...

10. I want to change jobs, be a Walmart Greeter

    LouleeRN replied to kdot2003's topic in Ob/Gyn

    I'm so sorry about the pain and turmoil you must be feeling after such a tragic event. I agree with many of the previous postings about accessing an employee assistance program if your facility has one available to you, or some other form of counsel...

11. I didn't get all this education to wipe behinds!

    LouleeRN replied to SeekingNur's topic in General Nursing

    I totally agree! By doing basic patient care, a lot of assessments can be done without being obvious, eg. skin condition, mental status, degree of bed mobility, etc, etc. I agree also that by working side by side with the aides, it also fosters a t...

12. DNR Question

    LouleeRN replied to mjscan_07's topic in Safety

    In my region, we have four levels of advance care planning (resuscitation status). Level 4 is all treatment, including full CPR. Levels 1-3 have no CPR, but vary in the amount of treatment provided. eg. Level 1 provides only comfort care--no ICU, ...

13. Lost my first Patient.

    LouleeRN replied to kwagner_51's topic in General Nursing

    I agree with the previous writers. Sometimes patients DO seem to wait to be alone to die. I always wonder if it is their way of "sparing" others the emotional pain of being there at the moment of death. I've seen families sit for days with a loved ...