Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
Giving Demerol and Phenergan (together) IM. Glass Procalamine and lipids bottles. Using needles for IV pushes. Metal bedpans. Paper MARS/TARS. Being able to sit down and chart instead of standing at a computer. No wound vacs. Catheters and rectal tubes for incontinent patients. Calculating drip rates. Punching a time clock.
I had a Demerol PCA after a hysterectomy in 2001. Horrible, did nothing for pain but scrambled my brain so I couldn't get the staff to understand. Had horrible dry heaves (adding to the pain) and Inapsine seemed like a godsend.
If my memory serves, when post-op pain control was IM, patients were happy to switch to po Tylenol #3.
When I was in nursing school 12-13 years ago, we were taught how to do that, even though everyone was using electronic pumps. I wonder if that skill is still being taught in nursing school now?
We had to learn how to rate adjust with the roller clamp in school (graduated in 2014). We were told that during Katrina people didn't know how to adjust rates on IVs because the roller clamp method wasn't being taught anymore. I don't know about other schools but ours teaches it.
well real crusty old bats trained me I graduated in 92 so narc key, paper chart, 3 color pens, debridement with betadine spray machine at bedside with MRSA patients, 9 months hospital stays why said patients got several amputation trying to stop rot, patients still could smoke in the rooms but nurses and doctors had to go outside this was in 92. Contact isolation for hiv positive and all patients were tested on admission and if someone refused then they were treated like the were HIV positive (no not kidding) , getting needle stick and having to wait a year to find out if you were infected, the invention of all things trying to prevent needle sticks, 4 point straight jackets (really wish we could use those again) , giving placebo or not giving your frequent flyer drug addict his/her
My favorite thing was I learned from the crusty old old bats how to handle any dang situation there were shift even when I wanted to cry.
SO thanks Lurlene and Peggy ( 2 crusty army Vietnam nurses that did not take any crap from patients or doctors and scared the crap out of me when I first started working. I can absolutely say that they were not eating there young but were making sure I never got in a situation that I couldn't handle
SO for the special snowflakes that cry when we tell them they are all NOT that special - we are really trying to help you become the best you can be - toughen up
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Narcotic count every shift.
One set of narcotic keys for the floor . . . And that search for the person who had them when you needed to give a pain medicine right NOW.
Getting the locks changed on the narcotic drawer after someone went home with the keys.
Burutrols, roller clamps and counting drops -- even for pressors.
White polyester dresses, white hose and white NurseMates. Man, those dresses itched.
A runner in your LAST pair of white hose as you were getting ready for work.
Back rubs every PM -- part of hs care.
Ash trays in the nurse's station for the pulmonologists and cardiologists.
Calculating drips, cardiac outputs, cardiac indices and SVRs by long division on paper towels. If someone came in to "help" you and cleaned up and tossed out all of your paper towels, you were lost. They probably weren't charted because the docs had the ICU flow sheet.
I graduated in 92 so narc key, paper chart, 3 color pens, debridement with betadine spray machine at bedside with MRSA patients, 9 months hospital stays why said patients got several amputation trying to stop rot, patients still could smoke in the rooms but nurses and doctors had to go outside this was in 92. Contact isolation for hiv positive and all patients were tested on admission and if someone refused then they were treated like the were HIV positive (no not kidding) , getting needle stick and having to wait a year to find out if you were infected, the invention of all things trying to prevent needle sticks, 4 point straight jackets (really wish we could use those again) , giving placebo or not giving your frequent flyer drug addict his/her 
how to handle any dang situation there were shift even when I wanted to cry.
StNeotser, ASN, RN
963 Posts
I think she means that they were admitted the night before instead of the day of.