harley007

These are all great answers especially that at 18 you are legally able to make your own decision. Don't have the funds to obtain your needed education in the field of your choice? Run not walk to the best US Naval recruitment office you can find. T...

Here's my own two strange deliveries: Had signed birth plan with my OB for my first delivery of identical twin girls! Everything goes great = leave me the hell alone or there's a life-threatening emergency = do what is needed. Walked into L&D @ 8...

Is anyone else experiencing a decrease in the number of cases per day in your Cath Lab? I work in what has always been a super busy interventional lab. With the insurance changes in beginning of this year, our numbers are down 30% for scheduled angio...

I am sincerely sorry to have given such a simple & incomplete explanation of the Medicare reimbursement that severely impacted numerous large hospitals in many states. As I've mentioned, the Medicare crisis hit my hospital when our when our Cath...

Please let me explain, I am not discussing cuts under the new National Health Care. This is Medicare's autocratic rating system that has penalized many large state hospitals as much as 35 million dollars/year. It your read the rating system it makes...

Firstly as far as reimbursement etc., each state is different. Medicare cuts to hospitals in some areas have been huge. Now even some of our very complex angioplasty patients are being discharged as day patients and that causes a decrease in income. ...

I think it might depend on your lab and what your MD's prefer. We frequently do FFR/IVUS in our lab and all four labs have installed bedside equipment. The Pyxis has pre-mixed Adenosine infusion bags ready to go - what a time saver! Less than 10% ...

I was educated as a RN 38 years ago and I completed an AS/Diploma program. I didn't take the NCLEX as a nurse educated that long ago took a 5 part - 2 day long state board of examination to qualify as a Registered Nurse. My clinical rotations invol...

I bit my MD's office RN when I was 3 y/o because needles freaked me out so badly! This was also back in the days of house calls & I would talk the poor busy GP MD's ear off just to delay my shot. Meanwhile, I was reading "Cherry Ames" books lik...

I am a Cath. Lab RN and maybe I am confused in reading some replies but, my hospitals "door to opened artery" goal time is under 90 minutes. (I believe that is the national standard - naturally if there is transport involved that is another issue.) W...

Best advice? Just hang in there until you are comfortable. You work tele so I am sure you are all set with recognizing what a dangerous EKG tracing is and I assume an S-T elevation. Review you basic heart anatomy so you know all of the coronary ar...

In reply to the above post - As I said I just had this test. At my last position the screen was done during a physical and there was an area for you to write down your current meds. For this new job I was sent from HR directly to a lab. What I...

Congratulations on the position! It sounds like you picked the perfect situation to allow you to get a really broad based set of experiences. You seem to be very motivated and I am sure you will due great in this new job. Maybe in a couple of yea...

It is so nice to find a CCL thread as I totally love working in my lab. especially the opportunity to give 100% of my attention and care to just one patient. Sure I will admit I love to have my skills challenged when a patient starts to circle the d...

I just a a screen for a new position two weeks ago and the tech told me they were basically looking for illegal drugs. They did not want a list of any meds. and if anything turned up positive as long as it was prescribed there would be no problem. ...

I hope all is well with your career search by now. But as a CCL RN with 4 years in the lab and 34 total in nursing I hope you work in the recovery area or even better in another general area position before going to the CCL. I have ICU, ER, supervi...

This is my first post and I am sorry it so long. I love my job in the cath. lab.:heartbeat But I am having two issues I need advise on. First I am the person with the least experience - 2+1/2 years in the lab and 37 as a RN. The staff is a mix of...

It has been a long rough road with this situation. Because I myself would not treat another person like they do me, initially I didn't respond. Also to work in my department it takes a while to really know what you are doing. In episodes happening...

My dept. orders scrubs up to 5X as that is what our staff needs to function. Is there anybody you can ask ... friend that works in that area ... nice person that delivers clean laundry? Good Luck and do not let this stop you from working there. Yo...

Thank you for your support. I am trying to ignore the negative comments but it is difficult. I just keep telling myself that my boss says I am doing well and the patients love me. I am not letting others people's insanity and their problems take m...

I consider my physical therapist my body mechanic. Just like my car if I do not go for regular treatment my body does not "run" as well. Going for a treatment on a consistent basis has made my physical issues feel so much better. If you have the i...

This is my first post and I am sorry it so long. I love my job in the cath. lab. But I am having two issues I need advise on. First I am the person with the least experience - 2+1/2 years in the lab and 37 as a RN. The staff is a mix of mostly RN's, ...

Why wouldn't a patient go to the cath. lab in the middle of the night? Every time I am on full weekend call the chances are we will come in at least once in the middle of the night. On average we get called in about 4 times a weekend and once I was...

As they say in Monopoly - Go straight to the cath lab ... do not pass go ... do not collect $200.00 ... Our ER door to first balloon inflation goal time is under 52 minutes. Your Community Chest card will then state "Time = lost heart muscle" an...

It makes me crazy when staff questions giving sedation for a cardiac cath if the patient has a current/past drug problem or chronic pain. These patients usually need the medication adjusted up to their needs not down. It's my job to make sure thei...