catl8y

Yes, if it was capped those caps have cleaner in them and it's okay. But if the end was just out then they should have cleaned it first!

Something has been bugging me about the last shift I worked and I would just appreciate everyone's two cents. I was helping with another nurse's pt during an emergency situation in which the patient was experiencing brief periods of loss of pulse and consciousness. The episodes were so brief that she would become responsive again before compressions could be started. Pads were attached so we could have paced her if necessary. We had pushed epi and the MD ordered a dobutamine gtt. The patient's primary nurse handed me the end of the Dobutamine tubing to attach the patient as he programmed the pump, and I took a very brief moment to scrub the hub on the femoral CVL before attaching since prep pads were nearby. During this time, by the way, the patient was responsive and with a pulse. Long story short, a nurse who was watching from the doorway was like "just connect it you're stressing me out!" She didn't really mean anything by it, but I couldn't help but to feel a little embarrassed afterwards because there were like 10 people in the room! So what do you think, would you have spared the few seconds to scrub or no?

I have worked cardiac ICU and now emergency at a level 1 trauma center. I prefer ICU because the interesting cases in the ED get transferred to the ICU quickly anyways! ED seems like working in an urgent care, but in ICU I felt like I could specialize and stay more interested with less burn out. In comparison the ED just feels tedious. On the flip side, you get to learn a little about all specialties and it helps to understand how ED's operate for when you move on to floor nursing or another unit.

I have a background in cardiac ICU nursing and had originally started going to NP school for AGACNP. During the first two semesters I subspecialized in advanced forensic nursing, and later got a job at my local crisis center as a sexual assault nurse examiner. I'm hooked! I used to think critical care was the end all be all, but now I find myself buying and studying all the forensic nursing books I can find and losing interest in the ICU. I am able to change my specialty and would not need to retake any classes to do so, but I'm torn between FNP vs PMHNP. I think both would have opportunities to pursue forensics with both, but wanting a little objective advice. What specialty would you suggest and why? Thanks in advance!

Has anyone heard back about acceptance to a subspecialty or the MSN DNP seamless progression option? Thanks!

Nice! Congrats! And IDK about the FB group if someone has started one or not. Would be nice to connect!

I have been checking this thread from time to time and posting to say that I applied to the ACNP and was accepted! I'm in Alabama. Congrats to all who were accepted! So excited and nervous about starting school again. And just wanted to say to the ones that were not accepted- I hope you try again next time. It took me three tries to get into the BSN program, and right when I was ready to give up I was accepted to multiple schools and had my pick! Don't give up if it's what you really want!