Never Have I Ever Done That Before

Farawyn · Mar 20, 2016

I've had a weird run of wound VACs lately. We get them pretty rarely but I've had three these past couple of months. One sternal wound that's coming in nicely but slowly, one extremely painful abdomen and one hip situation. I've done the sternal wound so many times I'm down to 24 minutes start to finish. Honestly the dressing change is the easiest part about it, it's the troubleshooting when things go wrong that's the challenge but I'm at a place now where I enjoy the problem-solving!

Come with me next weekend? I have a nasty foot have to contend with. I'll buy you lunch.

Yppah · Mar 20, 2016

I have never taken care of a neonate patient, but it's on my to do list, one day!

whichone'spink, BSN, RN · Mar 20, 2016

-Never have I ever participated in a pediatric emergency. I take care of kids, and thank God I've never had an airway issue. It will happen, but not now.

-Never have I ever pulled sheaths on patients coming out of cath lab after an angiogram or ablation.

-Never have I ever had to give narcan or romazicon, even though in some cases, I should have. All I did was support airway, and vigorously stimulate patients until they woke up enough to support their own airway.

-Never have I ever had to do CPR on someone outside the hospital. I carry a barrier device all the time though.

-Never have I ever seen an open heart surgery. I want to though.

-Never have I ever had more than 6 patients at a time. I've never worked in sub-acute areas, and don't plan to.

eieiyo · Mar 20, 2016

don't they give kayexalate per rectum anymore? Works like a charm. Especially when there are no veins

eieiyo · Mar 20, 2016

don't they give kayexalate per rectum anymore? Works like a charm. Especially when there are no veins

Julius Seizure · Mar 20, 2016

You're not missing anything. We've moved away from them at my facility - I think the biggest problem was getting the families to be compliant with the PPE. Anyone on oscillator had visitors/nurses wearing surgical masks and things that were usually treated with droplet isolation got bumped up to the visitors wearing N95s and it was just awful.

Wait, so they moved away from using oscillators because people wouldn't follow PPE? That seems like an odd reason am I misunderstanding?

Julius Seizure · Mar 20, 2016

Never have I ever successful placed an IV in the antecubital. Blood draws, yes, but not often. Never an IV. Hate that spot.

Oh! Last week I placed my first 18 gauge PIV. Had never place one large than a 20g before!

allnurses Guide · Mar 20, 2016

Never have I ever successful placed an IV in the antecubital. Blood draws, yes, but not often. Never an IV. Hate that spot.
Oh! Last week I placed my first 18 gauge PIV. Had never place one large than a 20g before!

I worked ER for years . . . AC is always where we went in an emergency. Same with the paramedics. Quicker and easier . . . usually.

But to each their own. Elderly folks are my main struggle; paper-thin skin, spidery narrow veins with lots of little bulges (valves?). Scary hard to get in an emergency.

OlivetheRN, ADN, BSN, RN · Mar 20, 2016

I worked ER for years . . . AC is always where we went in an emergency. Same with the paramedics. Quicker and easier . . . usually.
But to each their own. Elderly folks are my main struggle; paper-thin skin, spidery narrow veins with lots of little bulges (valves?). Scary hard to get in an emergency.

When I was in the ER I would go AC in an emergency in a heartbeat but if I had any guess the patient would be admitted I would try my best to look for something other than the AC. Less hassle for the patient and the floor nurse. Stupid pumps. That was for things like abd pain that might be admitted or non-emergent chest pains, etc. In an emergency, hellooooooo AC! Or upper arm, shoulder, ankle, foot, wherever said patient had a good vein that would hopefully take a 20 hahaha

OlivetheRN, ADN, BSN, RN · Mar 20, 2016

Never have I ever had someone code unexpectedly on me. Lots of deaths, lots of codes, but nothing just out of the blue. Nobody awake and talking and then suddenly in a v-fib arrest or anything of that nature.

The first time I had that happen, the guy crapped out on me while I was cleaning up his, well, crap. He had been complaining the entire time he had been in the ER and I was cleaning him up before taking him to the floor and all of a sudden it was verrrrry quiet. I thought he had finally gotten sick of complaining, then realized ah crap! I think I had been out of school maybe 6 months or so at that point.

I'm currently in PACU and I haven't had anyone laryngospasm on me. I've had a handful just quit breathing, but none have spasmed.

emtpbill, ASN, RN, EMT-P · Mar 20, 2016

Never have I done CPR on someone under the age of 18.
.

You're so fortunate. Wish I could've went through my whole career without saying that. Unfortunately I cannot.

Julius Seizure · Mar 20, 2016

I worked ER for years . . . AC is always where we went in an emergency. Same with the paramedics. Quicker and easier . . . usually.
But to each their own. Elderly folks are my main struggle; paper-thin skin, spidery narrow veins with lots of little bulges (valves?). Scary hard to get in an emergency.

I totally understand why you would go for the AC in those cases! It is a good thing that I dont work in those areas because I just suck at doing those IVs...even if I wanted to, I fail! They aren't as visible in the pedi population as in many adults, maybe that can be my excuse.

Oh, and yes, the bulges are valves! I forgot to mention that that 18g I placed was even MORE awesome because it wouldn't thread (I assume because of a valve), so I had to take the needle out and float the catheter into place with a saline flush! And it worked! :laugh: