awheat

awheat has 2 years experience and specializes in Med-Surg.

Latest Activity

1. Abdominal Binder or Back Brace?

   awheat replied to awheat's topic in Orthopaedic

   I go on Monday, the 6th, for a 0730 surgery. They said I would be going home Tuesday afternoon. No one said anything about a brace or measured me yet, it is all happening so fast. From my time working the floor it took day(s) for fitted equipment to ...

2. how to locate reputable agencies as a new LPN?

   awheat replied to notyetnurse's topic in Home Health

   I was told by a nursing instructor in school that "No reputable Home Health Agency would hire a nurse who did not have at least one year's nursing experience". The reason is, you do not know what normal is. You do not know how to recognize when a s/s...

3. Abdominal Binder or Back Brace?

   awheat posted a topic in Orthopaedic

   Which is more appropriate for at home post-surgical recovery from an L-5 S-1 Laminectomy: an abdominal binder or a back brace? I am supposed to do no "bending, twisting, or lifting" for 2 weeks post surgery. I can comply with the lifting part, it is ...

4. Advice: Profile or Not?

   awheat posted a topic in Urology

   I have a question for you experienced HD nurses. I have been working in an HD clinic for 3 months (newbie!) and need some advice. Here Goes: New HD patient, did not know he was ESRD until visit to ER = catheter placement and dialysis, w/ graft put...

5. Am I crazy?

   awheat replied to LOjesjdatVE's topic in General Students

   An adult can put off immediate gratification. If you can buckle down for a couple of years and instead of "doing other things" get a great education that will allow you to be a role model for your child and provide a stable environment then the best ...

6. Job hopper? advice?

   awheat replied to nycnurse18's topic in Med-Surg

   Start looking for something else & keep your job until you find something else. People in the industry know why nurses are leaving the Med-surg environment in droves, you just need to say, if asked, that it is not for you and you need a different...

7. physical demands?

   awheat replied to bonquilt's topic in Urology

   Keep in mind the chairs are positioned for patient safety, so any sticking/adjustment/hands on the access is done by YOU bending over - my back is killing me today due to 3 catheter patients all needing cath care/dressing/on & off/etc in the same...

8. going rate of pay for dialysis nurses

   awheat replied to aellisrn's topic in Urology

   How is this: RN, no HD experience, chronic clinic setting, rural TX $26.00/hr.

9. Landed My Dream Job "SICU"

   awheat replied to nurseaig's topic in MICU

   Oh man, you are living my dream! Best of luck in SICU - people (especially family) always remeber how they/loved ones were treated while in ICU - keep up the great tradition of excellent care.

10. Developing Steady Hands

    awheat replied to zorabanks's topic in Urology

    I am entering my 3rd month at an outpatient clinic. I still tense up at the thought of the stick, but now when I get it, I think "yep, got it!" instead of "oh, thank goodness I got it". This is not to say I do not pray before starting each day that ...

11. New Grad, New Job, New Role - Advice?

    awheat replied to 86711lh's topic in Med-Surg

    An issue I found with change from PCA-to-RN status is that the nurse is too hard on herself. You say "so I have hospital experience", and you do, and it is valuable. But, it is completely different when you are the one the PCA is coming to, report...

12. Drawing up meds

    awheat replied to mg2312's topic in Private Duty

    If I did not draw it up, I do not give it. If the client wants it drawn up for the next day, and is going to self-administer, then I will draw it up, and label it, then chart exactly what was done.

13. Clave not Cap on HD Catheter

    awheat posted a topic in Urology

    Call the hospital or not? Patient came in with a subclavian catheter to use while a new graft was healing in her arm. On the end of the 2 ports were claves, not caps. I used to work at the hospital she had her day surgery at (for the graft) and know ...

14. can anyone explain how this works?

    awheat replied to BXmetro's topic in CNA/MA

    Legitimate staffing agencies get their money from the employer side, not the applicant. They get paid by finding a good fit, not by looking in the first place. Find somewhere else. Good luck.

15. Should I even pursue the bachelors degree now?

    awheat replied to Scarlettz's topic in General Students

    I planned on going for my BSN right away, but the lights of the big hospital caught my attention. After working for 2 years I have NO desire to go back to school and I am a great student who loves school and does well. I say if you can manage it - ke...