SaraO'Hara

Today, I had a patient retaining urine - over 1500cc out with straight cath. An experienced coworker insists that one must either remove or clamp the straight cath after 1000cc output, lest the patient descend into a hypovolemic state. Based on her...

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 th...

That last strip of tape on a complex sterile dressing.

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 he...

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...

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 i...

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 ...

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 d...

Finished LVN school at 19; now 22.

We send packet of recent chart copies and perform a skin check (if pt condition allows) before transfer to ED. Acute sends us patients before any report (even pts on oxygen! no warning!) with undisclosed skin integrity issues. ED returns patients...

Lasix, hydrocodonel, metoprolol, omeprazole, colace.

Black or navy blue bottoms, coordinating print top.

Dry skin from washing, short fingernails for gloves, rather large "Charting tumor" (I like that ) on ® ring finger.

English and a good bit of French - which is almost useless in southern California

I got a lot more back-biting in my clinical / peer group than from my elders.

I wasn't certain how to phrase this. How do you strike that balance between being educated, and speaking in patients in language they understand? How do you consistently do everything well, neatly, not clumsily? How long did it take you to "grow...

I'll offer a seat to anybody (CNA, other nurses, docs, therapy), but they usually decline.