MellyOne

An odd combination of questions, but what the heck... 1. Who is typically responsible for providing PPE for agency nurses doing extended (8-12 hour) shifts with clients in the clients' homes? 2. On that note, does the provider of said supplies change on a case by case basis? For example, do I bring my own PPE if I am sick, but expect it to be in the home if the child is sick? 3. The sewing question-anyone have any ideas/patterns/resources they could refer me to so that I may fashion something useful to hold O2 tanks, vent and tubing, oximeter, etc. in an organized fashion onto a stroller? The kids I'm caring for now all have strollers with a handle that goes all the way across the back and down the sides. I know I could make some standard bags, but am wondering if there might be a better way...I just brought out my sewing machine after a good many years and feel compelled to make some useful stuff. :) Thanks in advance for your replies!

Thanks for your input everybody! I have been seriously considering acupuncture, and my chiropractor even does it in his office. I've used a pro-tens and electric acupuncture before, but I'm sure it's not quite like the real thing. I am a homecare nurse who works peds, but unfortunately for me, there are few children that have lifts in the home and my primary client is a growing adolescent with spastic cp and is quadrapalegic... I have an opportunity to work with the "littler folk", but I'd like to stay with my primary client too. I get as much help from her family as they are able to give, which I am forever thankful. I will be starting my final clinical rotation in the fall (in the hospital), but I do not believe I will be able to work peds. By golly, I'll try though!! I'll have to try to convince one of the instructors that they need to precept in one of the children's hospitals around here :) . I had a patient on my last rotation that required assistance urgently; it was me and another gal who had to lift this 300lb para, wonderful person, just really really heavy and couldn't help much. I dread that scenario in the future... How do you use magnetic therapy? I am learning more about alternative therapies as time progresses, and I am also under the care of an herbalist (who does mind-body skills therapy as well). I've heard of it of course, but I've never really looked into the specifics... Again, thanks for the advice!

Ok, I'm at a loss. I have intense upper back/neck pain. MRI shows vertebral abnormalities and degenerative changes, and I'm not sure what to do to get through the day with work-lifting and turning and doing all the other things we do as nurses (I do extended shift home care) without tearing up or having episodes where I briefly get woozy and the world goes dark. I go to PT, have more meds than I'd like to admit, use TENS, ice, heat, see a chiropractor, massage therapist, and several other practitioners to try to get through this. It's now officially chronic. I know this is not a place to give medical advice or referrals or whatnot, I have all of that. I want to know what you, as nurses, have tried, and what has worked for you personally. I know how to lift properly, and I do medically supervised weight training. I have used a rib belt and a low back brace, which has rigid support. The kicker here, theoretically I'll be graduating with my RN (eligible to take the boards anyway) in December, but that is contingent on getting through one more semester of clinical. However, if I'm having trouble lifting a little over 50lbs, what's going to happen when I work with the big people (ie. adults :) )? I'm getting so frustrated, and a little depressed. I love my job. The sad thing is that I've only been a nurse for a little over a year. I don't want it to end like this. Please help if you can-my brainstorming on this topic has been reduced to a minor spring shower.

I had a patient have an anaphylatic reaction to a med yesterday, went to ER (I'm in home care), they gave her prednisone, albuterol and epi and I had given her 2 doses of Benedryl prior to transport. Shortly after the epi, she had a 2.5 minute generalized seizure. She had not had one that lasted that long before according to her parents, and she hadn't had one at all in several years. Anyone experience this before? Is there any link between Epi and seizure activity in mildly susceptible individuals? Or could it have been a continuing reaction to the inital med? She is an adolescent child with extensive medical history (Trach, GTube, VP shunt). I'm confused and concerned...

Does that mean then that, if I only have one client/patient per day (8-12 hours shifts SN) that I cannot deduct if I leave from home? I'm so confused! I've been reading on the IRS website, but I guess I may have to talk to a CPA or something... What I've gotten out of it is that if you are going to a regular location as your regular job, such as an office or hospital, you cannot deduct mileage. However, if you go to multiple sites to assignments that likely won't continue for a year or more, then mileage is deductable...HELP! I'm so tired of getting soaked every year by taxes...last year we (dh and I) had to pay an extra $7000, so for the majority of the year we ate a lot of ramen...

As for mileage, do we deduct from our starting location or from our agency office location? I just started doing HH, and boy has it been a learning experience! BTW, I leave from home and go back to home...I very rarely go to and from the office.

I just looked at the Pearson website, and both the education (the one that botched the SAT scores) and vue (the NCLEX testing) components were listed as being part of their services. Ouch.

I agree...just because you're Bipolar or if you have DM or Lupus as a nurse-you're still a nurse and if your disease/disorder is controlled, it should pose no problems. Be aware of your ups and downs, enlist the help of those who know you well, and call in sick if you're dangerously manic. Good luck!

Just curious, would it be of any benefit to get my ACLS, PALS, IV Cert. and so on as a new grad LPN? I'm still in school for RN and graduate in December, but I'm working as an LPN now, searching for a new/additional job and wonder if the expense of the classes are really worth it. Thanks!

Don't stress too much...you know what you need to fix. We have dosage calc tests before every clinical rotation, and I'd say that as many as 40% fail them the first time around. Second time, they usually pass. Not a huge deal. You can do it! PS Stress can make missing those little points a little easier...just another reason to relax and just do the best you can :)

Amitriptyline...just personal experience-helped me with PTSD...probably better for you long term than either Benadryl or Ambien You've really got to talk to your provider or a psychiatrist about this...I understand some anxiety, but sounds like this is wearing on you...hard to get your head in the "right place" if you're lacking on sleep, which may only make things worse Once again, no medical advice-only personal experience

Right...well, thanks anyway...I suppose this isn't one of those "opinion questions" Added: Thanks flasandy42, sounds like it's do-able in theory...Wish I knew what was going on...so far I'm labeling this as idiopathic...

This is probably the most stupid question I've ever asked, but is it a good idea to work in a hospital when WBC is low-beneath the "acceptable range," with neutrophils low and lymphocyte % high? No dx yet by the way.

Thanks everyone for the help. I think I'll just suck it up and give it a shot-I guess I could always take it again with accomodations if the first time w/o doesn't go well. Could be worse, and likely I'll feel even better if I pass it without assistance.

When I started to register for the exam, I came to a page that asked if I needed accomodations. If I check 'yes' then I have to supply a dr.'s note detailing my diagnosis, the tests that were administered to come to that diagnosis and their results, the things I did in school that were related to this diagnosis and their effectiveness and so on. It seems like too much information to be giving out, and then I have to wonder if I should have checked yes to 'having a physical or mental disability that could potentially endanger the lives of patients or the individual.' This is all so very confusing. What constitutes a disability that could endanger patients or myself anyway? It was on the automatic disqualification page, which really makes me nervous!