an oldie but goodie

Nurses General Nursing

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For all us ancient ones, how about remembering an oldie - aramine IV drip!

Was watching an oldie TV channel and Dragnet, Squad 51 (can't remember the real name, but it was with firemen/paramedics Gage & Desoto) and then Emergency came on. Some snakebite pt had bottomed out and was in the ER. All nurse Dixie McCall was doing was taking a manual blood pressure, handing the docs meds (that docs administered) and making phone calls.

No specific directions; just "an aramine drip".

I got the biggest kick watching the nurses walking around in their white uniform dresses and their white heeled shoes (beige pantyhose) and wearing their caps. (I am an antique nurse who loves nursing caps!).

So for you all you nurses out there, what are some of the obscure and oft forgotten meds that we all used to use at some time can you name???

Aramine precipitated this thread, but I also offer that oldie, aldomet. Any others???

Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.
Glass mercury thermometers. Phisohex cleanser...

Remember these well!

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I was just thinking of something... How did they monitor O2 sats before pulse ox came about? I mean obviously there was blood gases but you aren't doing them around the clock, especially with neonates. Just curious if anyone knows...
not much. Babies are good for cap refill.... pallor. Every body else we got ABG's. Sometimes a mixed venous gas or SVO2 swan on adults. You depended A LOT on your assessment and patient behavior.
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Specializes in Vascular Access.

Esme... I guess I am older than you as I had a 1959 Patty Play Pal.. Till my Dad's German Shepard ate it!

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I was just thinking of something... How did they monitor O2 sats before pulse ox came about? I mean obviously there was blood gases but you aren't doing them around the clock, especially with neonates. Just curious if anyone knows...

I was around in the olden days before O2 sats. We went by the patient's color, work of breathing, lung sounds and the occaisional blood gases.

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Specializes in ICU.

To check 02 sats in the olden days, we just used litmus paper. Place it on patient's forehead; it turned pink, red, or blue, depending on their sat level. OK, I'm just kidding!

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Specializes in retired LTC.
To check 02 sats in the olden days, we just used litmus paper. Place it on patient's forehead; it turned pink, red, or blue, depending on their sat level. OK, I'm just kidding!
This reminded me of when we used to do dipsticks for glucose urine checks. Like almost nobody had a complete 'before meals & bedtime' complement of urine checks. Seemed like everybody had just peed or just couldn't pee 'on demand'.

Hooray for glucometers! NOT!

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
This reminded me of when we used to do dipsticks for glucose urine checks. Like almost nobody had a complete 'before meals & bedtime' complement of urine checks. Seemed like everybody had just peed or just couldn't pee 'on demand'.

Hooray for glucometers! NOT!

I remember before the dipsticks, when we had to dissolve tablets in the urine and then try to match the color to the little boxes on the sides of the bottle.

Glucometers and glucose checks are a pain in the patoot, but we achieve far better glucose control than we used to, and patients have far fewer complications of diabetes. (The compliant patients, anyway.)

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Critical Care Nursing.
not much. Babies are good for cap refill.... pallor. Every body else we got ABG's. Sometimes a mixed venous gas or SVO2 swan on adults. You depended A LOT on your assessment and patient behavior.

I guess I kinda figured that but was thinking maybe there was some older monstrous looking contraption that monitored sats lol. Thanks for the info!

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oh, how I loved my Chatty Cathy!!! (sniff, sniff too!) I also had a Mary Poppins doll. She came with her blue overcoat, hat and a carpetbag. She also had the white fancy frilly dress and parasol from when she went to the park with Bert... (triple sniff and a tear!) Did anyone else have one??

mc3 :nurse:

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
I was just thinking of something... How did they monitor O2 sats before pulse ox came about? I mean obviously there was blood gases but you aren't doing them around the clock, especially with neonates. Just curious if anyone knows...

I think that's why nail polish had to be removed before anyone went to surgery. Pulse oximeters hadn't been invented yet, and the anesthesiologist had to be able to see the nail beds.

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Critical Care Nursing.
I think that's why nail polish had to be removed before anyone went to surgery. Pulse oximeters hadn't been invented yet, and the anesthesiologist had to be able to see the nail beds.

I vaguely remember hearing about no nail polish for surgery but assumed it was more infection control. However I like your theory more!

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Specializes in family practice and school nursing.
Me too! I loved my spyro-graph! Does anyone remember Chrissy and Velvet, the dolls that had a button on the navel which, when pressed, released a fabulous long ponytail of hair? (The hair came out of the top of the doll's head, not the navel, just to clarify, haha !)

I used to cut Chrisssy's hair thinking she could always grow more!

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