arnwest

arnwest has 2 years experience and specializes in Trauma/Surgery ICU.

Latest Activity

1. ICU Float Nurse

   arnwest replied to Ashley.Hop's topic in Critical

   Most neurosurgeons I've worked with would not let us sedate our patients unless they had ICP issues or were seizing (we might get low-dose dex or prop). Patients can be awake with an EVD and even ambulatory with an EVD. (I had a guy trying to take ca...

2. Syracuse City ED RN Jobs?

   arnwest replied to purdue1014's topic in New York

   I used to work at Upstate in one of the ICUs. They're a level-I trauma and burn center, so it's definitely the best hospital in the area for trauma (in fact, they're the only trauma center between Albany and Rochester, besides level-IIs in Utica and ...

3. Needless Intravenous Connectors

   arnwest replied to rj27's topic in Critical

   We don't use caps/claves on our pressure lines or our continuous low-rate infusions (i.e., dilaudid, vaso). I'm not sure of the brand our caps, but our venous access team has been cracking down on dressing bundle adherence as the biggest source of CL...

4. Experienced CRNA...ask me anything

   arnwest replied to 06crna's topic in CRNA

   I'm the process of researching CRNA programs and have noticed that a lot of schools are switching from masters to DNP programs. Besides the advantages of being well-suited for research and teaching as a DNP, how advisable do you think it is to try fo...

5. Thinking of travel nursing, where to start

   arnwest replied to vzcookie's topic in Travel

   Get an ICU assignment. Most places will just float you to the floor anyway.

6. Use of backup saline infusions for medication infusions in ICU

   arnwest replied to taif1's topic in Critical

   Our CVICU uses an anesthesia stopcock system - kind of. They stopcock all of the compatible drips together (one is always a carrier) and tape the line of stopcocks to the IV pole so it's just one line running to the patient's central line. Fewer tang...

7. Surgical ICU Interview

   arnwest replied to njnewbie's topic in MICU

   I got hired into the SICU right out of nursing school, but as you said, your area sounds like it has a greater abundance of experienced candidates to choose from. I got a call-back on an application recently whose qualifications weren't completely c...

8. Vasopressin vs. Levophed

   arnwest replied to sugarmagnoliaRN's topic in CCU

   My understanding is that it depends on what kind of shock the patient is in. According to Surviving Sepsis, levo is the first line pressor, followed by vaso, to decrease levo requirements. Sometimes I see Neo used if the patient doesn't have a centr...

9. Newly Qualified Adult Nurse

   arnwest replied to ICUNurse141's topic in UK

   First off, congratulations on the job offer. I must say that I'm a little surprised that you were offered a position so far in the future. What does your cadiothoracic and neurology experience consist of? Do you have tech experience? I started as a n...

10. Is it appropriate to apply for jobs before you graduate?

    arnwest replied to cantwaittograduate1's topic in Career Support

    Like everyone else said, it probably depends on the company where you're applying. My experience, however, was this: I applied for, interviewed and secured a job about a month before I graduated from school. The nursing recruitment department was hap...

11. Clinical tidbits I wish someone would've told me.

    arnwest replied to Mully's topic in MICU

    Before traveling to MRI, make sure your patient is small enough to fit in the machine. (If they're on the heavy side, I always call the tech up to measure them beforehand. It's saved us both a lot of trouble). For that matter, before traveling anywhe...

12. Mobilizing While On CRRT

    arnwest replied to yoj1001's topic in Critical

    We've done it with a couple of patients who were on CVVH for weeks, once they were stabilized, but just couldn't tolerate hemo. We didn't get them up to walk, just slid them out of bed to the chair. It's kind of like getting a vented patient out of b...

13. Upstate Jobs

    arnwest replied to Fruit Sucker's topic in New York

    Most of the Upstate hospitals hire ADNs, at least to my knowledge. I had no issues getting a job. Good luck!

14. New grad moving to Seattle - need advice and help

    arnwest replied to guest2512's topic in Career Support

    I would recommend waiting at least a year, especially if you have an ICU position. I applied to several ICU positions throughout Seattle/Tacoma after about a year and a half of ICU experience (in NY) . I only heard back from the University of Washing...

15. first RN paycheck?

    arnwest replied to nauticaburt561's topic in General Nursing

    I finally filled my gas tank to full! I had been working for a full month before I got my paycheck and you better believe both my checking account and car were running on E!