Mickeyii

Was anything done about the malfunctioning B/P devices? Are you keeping your own documentation of what is going on?

I didn't work in the GI Lab but I know there were always two nurses in each procedure, one assisting the doc and one monitoring the pt. Anything less is crazy unsafe and putting your license in jeopardy, not to mention the life of the pt.

That's not been my experience in my area of the country. Just the opposite in fact. How can a one year RN program produce a good nurse? I just don't believe it's possible. Nursing is long overdue to require a four year degree as well as state licensure to be considered a "professional" as teachers and lawyers, etc. Many healthcare disciplines are already requiring masters or doctorate degrees and nursing is resisting even a baccalaureate.

I just read an article about the shortest ADN programs available. Is this really what we want? I think it's scary. I first went to an LPN program that was 18 months long. Then I got a BA in business and graduated with honors. Then I went to a diploma school to get my RN and tested out of the first year. I thought with my experience I would sail through getting my RN. I couldn't believe how hard it was! And I saw an ADN program that was 12 months long! What kind of nurses are they cranking out? What kind of horror are these nurses going to experience once they are thrown out into the real world. What kind of horror are their co-workers going to experience? Yikes! Time to get back to the idea that nurses need to have a BSN to take their boards. That's what I was hearing when I started nursing in 1975 and it still hasn't happened because all hospitals care about is that you're a warm body and you fulfill their staffing guidelines, assuming they have guidelines.

Does anyone remember two products that were used together on decubs? One was a super sticky paste that you had to apply with a tongue blade so it didn't just stick to your gloves and the other product was a heavy cream that went over the sticky paste so the paste wouldn't get all over the linens. I'm not sure the two products weee even made by the same company. We used them about twenty years ago and they worked very well but the hospital stopped buying them because of the cost. Hope someone has a better memory than me! Thanks.

Are you putting the tourniquet on so tight that you're restricting blood flow? You need to allow arterial blood flow into the limb but restrict the venous flow out of the limb so the veins will plump up. Also, if they're too over inflated they might blow when the needle hits it so don't over do. When I started IVs on old ladies with bulging veins I usually didn't even use a tourniquet.

I would document this with the nurse manager and Human Resources. But then, I wouldn't have done it to begin with and let them explain to the state board of nursing why they fired me. Better to lose your job than lose your license!

This is why I love, love, love the Pyxis.

Also, when I was starting I would ask someone else to get it if I missed after 2-3 times. A fellow nurse told me "you're never going to learn unless you keep on sticking them until you get it. You need to see what it feels like to get some successful sticks.” It sounds means but that's how the residents learn to put in lines. And I remember at a different hospital the nurses told me "ask Bill to get it. He's real good.” So 15 sticks later he got it but I could have done that myself in 15 sticks! I became very good but when I had some bariatric patients that vein finder thing didn't do any good. The residents used to get the regular ultrasound machine and they'd get it. I forget the name of the vein finder we had for nurses but it never found anything I couldn't find myself ??‍♀️?‍♀️

I think many nurses are putting on the tourniquet on too tight. You want to cut off the venous blood return but not cut off the arterial flow. Allowing arterial flow will plump up the veins and restricting the venous flow will keep the veins from emptying. Also, on old people (like me), if they have big veins I have sometimes started IVs without using a tourniquet. Over dilating old veins makes the vein blow when the stylet hits it. This won't work if you need to draw tubes of blood. Luckily, I have pretty good veins because when I've been a patient the tourniquets have been so tight they never would have found a vein if they had not already been bulging.

Almost all LPNs end up back at school to get their RN or they wish they could. Do it now and go straight for the BSN. It took me 20 years trying to work and go to school at the same time. Do it now before your life gets too complicated.