old skills that we do not use anymore

Salty1 · Sep 17, 2004

hello,
I was wondering if you guys were doing anything different now than we did before? Like before when we would suction trach patients we would squirt NS down the trach but now after clinical study they say we don't have to that anymore because it does't work. So have you guys had any changes?

I recall using a rotating tourniquet machine as part of the protocol in the treatment of pulmonary edema. Of course, that was accompanied by IV Lasix. Apparently studies revealed that rotating tourniquets were totally ineffective in the management of CHF/Pulmonary Edema.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Sep 17, 2004

Maalox and Methiolate for decubitis care, then apply heat lamp to area....just dried out the wound bed.

bam_bam · Sep 17, 2004

I remember as a CNA in LTC a way long time ago, using Barbasol, as our skin care protocol. From what I hear, skin care protocols have come a looonnnnggg way! I work L&D now so I have no clue about that stuff.

LuvMyFireman · Sep 17, 2004

Not so long ago, children were still being routinely bathed with alcohol when they had fevers. AND not being medicated for pain - even postoperatively or during circumsion. Pediatrics has come a long way.

RN92 · Sep 17, 2004

Actually having to figure out drip rate. There were no IV pumps

In home health - we were to teach families trach care using sterile technique.

Now, we teach them using aseptic tech. Studies showed that family members couldnt always learn sterile tech - and they were more likely to give up.

jax · Sep 17, 2004

I used to be a mean hand at scrubbing bed pans, changing water for the flowers, damp dusting surfaces prior to starting my shift, methoing the surfaces in the treatment, and pan rooms and not to forget changing the curtain ties..........

Maybe, not quite what you meant, but they were all nursing duties when I started nursing. Things have changed. Back then I actually had time to do this, I can't imagine having the time to do the 'extra duties' now.

zenman · Sep 17, 2004

We used to use something called "common sense." Now, I wonder where it went. :chuckle

allnurses Guide · Sep 17, 2004

How about the little roll around incentive spirometry, looked like a clown, they had to breathe deeply and make the lights go up and down his stomach. Adult floor, at least everyone got his or her own mouthpiece

Jamesdotter · Sep 17, 2004

Resterilizing urinary catheters (the head of central supply kept trying to culture something out of them but never succeeded. They finally went to disposable when it became more expensive to redo them than to replace them)

Clinitest (urine testing for glucose in diabetics), tricky because you were never sure if they emptied their bladder on the previous void, which was supposed to be 30 min I think before the test, and also because some people spill sugar when their blood glucose is normal and some don't when their BG is high.

lever5 · Sep 17, 2004

Saline down the trach is still effective if you have a muc. plug, they stopped doing it because they felt whatever germs there were got pushed furter down into the lungs when saline was used.

uk_nurse · Sep 17, 2004

Not so long ago, children were still being routinely bathed with alcohol when they had fevers. AND not being medicated for pain - even postoperatively or during circumsion. Pediatrics has come a long way.

paeds has definitely come along way since then. On our paeds ward long ago, before my time, parents had visiting times to adhere to only a couple of hrs a day. Now parents have open access 24/7. much better i think as children are not so stressed as parents there.