UMichSCN07

Honestly, I’ve never found an acceptable solution short of advocating for a diverting colostomy and/or lots of prone positioning. FMS’s leak and can cause pressure/shearing. Same for “butt bags,” which can also sometimes make a bigger mess than not u...

First off, congratulations! I too started out as a new grad in a burn ICU. Burn care is as much an art as it is a science, so most of what you are inquiring about will be learned on the job and will probably be somewhat specific to the unit you hire...

Over my 4+ years as a burn nurse, the orders I've seen generally allow doses every 5 minutes. In your case, I'd start with 1 mg Dilaudid about 30 mins before starting the dressing change, then 50 mcg Fentanyl alternated with 0.5-1 mg of Versed every ...

I agree. Could have saved myself $80K in student loans for a master's degree that I'm not using. I also think that at a younger age, I would have had more energy and tolerance for the BS that I'm having trouble dealing with @ 31. Mike in Michigan

The vast majority of the time, I don't notice, especially since in my ICU, I'm rarely the only guy on between RNs, techs, RT, and clerks. That being said, there are days that I say to myself (and usually when venting to my wife) "why the **** did I ...

I'd say you got a great deal. Me personally, I used to use the Littman Classic II SE, since I also spend time as a road medic and cardio scopes just hear too much when you're bumping down the road in the back of a 'bolance. But indoors, yeah, a car...

Time commitments are not uncommon. Mine was 15 or 18 months, I forget which. It's mostly due to the amount of money the unit has to pay to get you trained. I had to do a week of "central nursing orientation" plus a week of "critical care orientati...

I think the major sticking point is the fact that you're 5 going on 6 years away from the bedside. Most of the openings I have seen for ICUs at my facility want experience in the past 2 years minimum. I know that on my unit, there have been several...

Just celebrated my 2nd year in a major regional burn center. The ONLY time I've ever seen docs do a dressing is in the OR, after having done a debridement/graft. Otherwise, it's all nurses and techs, with the docs popping in to see the wounds after...

We've done some post-arrest hypothermia at my facility, but I believe only certain units can perform it (Med ICU, Surg ICU, and Cardio ICU, IIRC), requiring transfers from any other units. Mike in Michigan

I have classmates who went straight to Mott out of school (BSN, not ADN, but shouldn't make a difference), including the PICU. L&D and the general floors, shouldn't be an issue. Holden NICU and the PCTU (Peds Cardio ICU), probably should have s...

1. We graduated 47, and there were 6 guys (including me). About 12%. 2. 50/50? Probably not. Although, interesting to note, many medical schools are reporting 50/50 male/female entrance ratios and some even a majority of female students. However, I...

ABLS (Advanced Burn Life Support, sponsored by the American Burn Association, required training for all in my unit) states that any burns over 20% TBSA are to go into DRY DRESSINGS. Heat loss is not "just a fact of life" with burn patients, hypother...

About $200 is probably the cheapest you're going to get, unless you can find classes sponsored by your employer. Mike in Michigan

Megan- If this helps, be aware that all NP/CNS/CRNAs will be transitioning to a DNP (Doctorate of Nursing Practice) within the next 5 years or less. Having looked into this, UM-Flint is one of only a few programs in the state with a Family NP DNP pr...

Check out the Longtail T from Duluth Trading Co. I haven't tried them myself yet, but I hear good things about the coverage in your specific trouble region. www.duluthtrading.com Mike in Michigan

I suppose I'm a bit of a hypocrite when it comes to the term. I refer to myself as a "murse" on occasion, but mostly only around other "murses" or people who remember the episode of Scrubs when J.D. used the term to describe Elliot's boyfriend. How...

I had no issues with any of my friends, although all of them knew my intent to go into some medical field and all of them knew me as I went through my EMS training. I hate to bring up the age thing, but I suspect that all your friends are of an age ...

I graduated from University of Michigan's Second Career program, and I found that most (not all) nurses don't really have an issue with second career/accelerated program nurses. For starters, since (at least for the second career programs) we alread...

Yes, there are hiring freezes at several hospitals in SE lower MI, but also keep in mind that we are currently in the "slow" season, when pt. censuses are down, so staffing has to follow to remain within budget. Providence Novi still has openings and...

[quote=RNREMT-P;3357969 The best thing that seems to be coming from this process is the potential for uniformity nationwide in the provision of emergency medical care. A person in Wyoming deserves the same care as someone in Florida, and even more i...

If you can wait until spring or summer, try that. There's ALWAYS a slowdown in patient flow between Thanksgiving and New Years, which makes things doubly hard in the current economic climate. FWIW, look specifically at hospitals connected to univer...

In 2006, I had heard by Christmas. Strange that it's taking so long, but when I graduated, they had cut the position that was the Second Career program liason and I also heard that they were establishing a waitlist, in addition to supposedly startin...

I know you're looking for guys who are applying... I graduated from the program in 2007, one of 5 guys in a class of about 45. I loved every second, although there are parts of the third semester, when you're doing Community Health Nursing and Menta...

The 'typical' burn dressing is silvadene (aka SSD), wrapped in Kerlex, then covered in burn net (elastic/cotton netting). Depending on any infections present, they may add Nystatin powder, or use sulfamylon in place of the SSD. Faces are usually done...