old skills that we do not use anymore

Published

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?

Specializes in Telemetry, Case Management.

My first job in 1984 had those stupid little pill cups with the cards for the med pass. I was required to wear my danged cap then too.

In LPN school, in 1983-4, our nursing instructors had a fit if we wanted to wear gloves to clean up bm or a colostomy. She said it would shame the patient and make them feel dirty. HIV/AIDS was still just coming out and not much was known about it, as a matter of fact, we learned about it as "GRID" - Gay Related Immunodeficiency Disease.

It was VERY VERY hard for me to get used to wearing gloves for everything.

In nursing school, they were still using GLASS IV bottles.

They told us LPNs would never put in IVs, draw blood, or insert NG tubes. Within less than six years I was doing all of the above and more.

What did they call call that when an IV needle was inserted subq in the abdomen for hydration? Hypodermoclysis? Is that right? We had an old school doctor who ordered that quite frequently.

Also para - something dialysis, where the solution went in and out through a tube in the abdomen? Had a lot of that then too.

Autoclaving instruments every night, forceps, scissors, etc.

Assuming LTC patients were ALL no codes. It was a big deal when suddenly we had to ask people in LTC their code status preference and start doing codes, but we didn't call the ambulances either???? Odd. Would do the code, usually unsucessfully, and then call the funeral home. Did have one guy who coded, the RT, a little redheaded girl up in the bed astraddle him doing compressions, he came back once, went back out, continued code, came back again, went out, third time he came back , he reached up and grabbed her arms and said NO MORE!!! That little redhead jumped down off the bed and said I'm NOT touching him any more!!! He didn't come back again. I just wonder how many people would do the same thing if they could when they come back????

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Not really a skill, but I laugh when I think that we used to have Resp Therapy in our little LTC. They used to do neb treatments and puffers. When PPS/ Medicare changes went into effect and we had to do these ourselves, many nurses threatened to quit. How could they possibly be able to to treatments on 5 or 6 pts a shift?? Don't get me wrong I loved our RTs, but we were paying them to do this?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Not really a skill, but I laugh when I think that we used to have Resp Therapy in our little LTC. They used to do neb treatments and puffers. When PPS/ Medicare changes went into effect and we had to do these ourselves, many nurses threatened to quit. How could they possibly be able to to treatments on 5 or 6 pts a shift?? Don't get me wrong I loved our RTs, but we were paying them to do this?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Remember back rub rounds on evening shift?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Remember back rub rounds on evening shift?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I hate to sound stupid, but how do you palpitate bp, as one poster mentioned? Can someone explain how to do this?

I am in my final year of nursing school and I often feel as if we are prisoners of technology. If the machine is broken or the special product isn't available, we aren't taught any alternatives. I really hate that I am going to be one of those clueless new grads.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I hate to sound stupid, but how do you palpitate bp, as one poster mentioned? Can someone explain how to do this?

I am in my final year of nursing school and I often feel as if we are prisoners of technology. If the machine is broken or the special product isn't available, we aren't taught any alternatives. I really hate that I am going to be one of those clueless new grads.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
How about L&D and NICU nurses actually having to suck on DeLee catheter to clear the airways of meconium-stained newborns? Yeech! I know more than one nurse who got a mouthful of meconium.

I worked as an LPN in NB Nusery many years ago. I remember the RN's using the DeLee caths and the fear of sucking meconium in their mouths! It was the one time I was glad I was an LPN. What do they use now?

I am really feeling old after reading this thread. :crying2: I can remember most of this stuff. MOM and the heat lamp for decubs was one we used a lot. Did anyone ever use Betadine and sugar to heal a decub? We had one doc who ordered that one alot! You guys are bringing back alot of memories!! :rotfl:

We now use a suction unit that the deelee hooks up to. So much better, never tasted mec and never want to!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I know I am an old RN: I remember alot of things you have all brought back to my memory....using glass thermometers soaked in tincture of benzoin, routinely doing urine specific gravity, testing urine for insulin coverage, using buritrols and mixing our own IV antibiotics and potassium in IVs along with taping and calculating drip rates. Med trays with tiny cards and bottles of pills and all meds given by the med nurse..(we used to check pulses for dig and beta blocker or calcium channel blockers didn't exist. All flat sheets that were mitered at the corners...and the instructors expected the sheets to be tight!! Let's not forget cranks at the foot of the bed to adjust the head and foot. Metal bedpans, emesis basins and enema containers. Metal procedure equipment that was sent back to Central Supply to be autoclaved and reused.

Dressing trays made up with sterile towels, using forceps to place gauze dressings on them.

During my CCU and ICU days Keflex and Bertyllium were new drugs. CVP lines were attached to a manometer and hung on an IV pole and the patient's bed had to be at the right height to assess CHF. How about Lidocaine drips for every pt. with more than a couple of PVCs. MA I ventilators with knobs and the adustable bellows. If a patient needed an emergency pacemaker the doctor threaded the wires into the heart at the bedside, and a box with adjustable settings attached and placed at the bedside. If a pt. was having a MI you gave nitro and morphine and prayed....heart caths were a special procedure. Betadine used liberally for everything. Percussion and drainage for pulmonary pts.

I never wore gloves the 4 years I worked as a Red Cross bloodmobile nurse, or anytime, except for sterile procedures until at least the mid to late 1980s.

Should have taken out stock in the latex glove companies in the 80's, LOL!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Remember adding the meds to the IVs, and those red labels that we had to fill out??

Bicarb every 5 minutes in a code!!!

Calibrating IV drips, unfortunately, many were positional, so IVs were very "iffy".

Smoking at the nurses station. Hallways filled with smoke.

Vest and posey restraints. (pre veil beds)

Picking up all the trash at the end of your shift. dropping the trash bag beside the door to let the others know that room was done.

Back rub list.

Everyone took report together, none of this "it's not my patient"

Letting confused patients fold towels and washcloths. Kept them happy and busy. Now that would be considered "work". Then it was "work therapy"

Team work.

We still do alot of these things in a small rural hospital!!!! :p

Up Vote Up Vote ×
i remember sharpening reusuable needles on a stone floor......

not really, but it sounded good :chuckle

ha he he he ......great one :rotfl:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you ladies and gentlemen for the blast from the past. You are so right about the attitudes being so different in this day and age. We came it seems from a far more gentle time. A time when there was respect, caring and gratitude from pt's and their families. Everything may not have been as advanced. Technology certainly isn't what it is today. With all of the wonderful new equipment and procedures powers grater than we have some how managed to take the human condition out of the equation. Isn't it funny how we all have the common longing for the old days? With all the gratest technology they can not replace the the milk of human kindness and the true spirit of a nurse.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion