SaraO'Hara

We eat them, all right. We eat them with fava beans and a nice Chianti.

I do short-term rehab, which has the fewest patients and most autonomy of an LVN position in my area. My patients are (mostly) alert, oriented, and go home after a few weeks having improved. I would like to do critical care because I am drawn to the idea of knowing every function of 1-2 patients, working with advanced medical equipment. I'm a very left-brained individual. I would much rather not do OB. I have a great aversion to childbirth, placentas... ack.

That last strip of tape on a complex sterile dressing.

Oh, don't worry, this is with a maxillofacial surgeon (I was referred by my regular dentist). They took a panoramic x-ray of my teeth, and the top wisdom teeth are vertical. The bottom ones are somewhat tilted but not 90 degrees off (thank goodness). Thanks, everybody, for all the replies. :)

Not seeking medical advice, honestly I have to have my wisdom teeth removed in a couple of weeks, which requires IV sedation (at least at this dental practice). This is really not something I have any personal experience with and I'm nervous as hell! Any words of comfort or reassurance are welcome.

Advice from a SNF nurse, to my fellow SNF-ers: Name, admitting DX, history. Why you are transferring today. Any care (first aid, meds, oxygen, etc) given prior to transfer. Current VS and blood glucose (if diabetic). Any really outstanding skin issues. Your call-back number. Send copies of: History/Physical, recent progress and nurses' notes, labs, MARS. This is what I've gleaned over many SNF to ER transfers (in my whole 3yrs experience, I know ). An example of what NOT to do was furnished nicely by a nurse at a LTC (not my usual facility - I filled in for one shift there). The pt was there for rehab, post bilateral tibial fractures. History of A-fib, HTN, mild COPD. Complaining of nausea, SOB, denies chest pain. Vitals yada yada. 02 running at 3L. Duoneb already given. Persistent wheezes, BUL. Co-nurse called report while I copied records. "Hi, this is Bubbles at Dreamland Care Center... we're sending you a lady... she's a little nauseated... something going on in her upper lobes, not sure about that... anyway she's coming by ambulance..." The poor ER nurse's ire was audible from my seat. Lo siento, guys

You can't have a code pulmonale? :)

triple antibiotic ointment, most likely.

Even if it may not be necessary, swabbing is certainly not harmful. Think of it as an added precaution.

I had very frequent "sore throats" for a while. It was better than saying "I'm too depressed to move and won't be coming in."

In a small sub-acute rehab - we have 23 beds. Day shift is 2 nurses (RN or LVN), 2 CNAs plus a unit clerk (who is a nurse and can help out if necessary), and managers. Night shift is one nurse, 2 CNAs.

I thought ST elevations - but again, stupid tired, and not encountering telemetry all that often. Thanks!

Certified in IV therapy, blood withdrawal (both optional for LVNs in my state). I'm the go-to nurse at my facility for IV starts, and I will draw labs if we have a stat order and the nearest hospital can't send a phlebotomist. Mind, this is perhaps once a week on average, so I'm certainly no guru.

AWESOME! I know, I'm quazy. I am stupid tired right now - I don't think I see P-waves... I'm really not sure what rhythm that is. Throw me a bone?

"Breathing treatments" can cause paradoxical bronchospasm, tachycardia, elevated blood pressure... Honestly, if a patient were fragile enough, a breathing treatment could be imagined to kill them. Unless you've been trained to assess a patient and decide whether the treatment may be more harm than good, you have NO PLACE administering it.