Orca ADN, ASN, RN

Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC

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All Content by Orca

  1. Orca

    Accepted a position in a state prison....

    Orca replied to AnnaleaRN's topic in Correctional

    I have the advantage of having been a correctional officer in the past. I know how inmates live and how they act when they don't believe that anyone is watching them. It has also helped me in...
  2. Orca

    Can foot care nurses paint nails?

    Orca replied to ImRNJen's topic in Nurse Entrepreneurs, Innovators

    My guess is that your nursing board will punt on this, since it isn't a practice issue. Since you just plan to apply polish and not give full pedicures or offer similar services, my guess is that it...
  3. Orca

    Changing catheter drainage bag...Infection risk?

    Orca replied to smoddra's topic in Infectious Disease

    I don't see an issue. Urine is traveling in one direction - from the bladder into the collection device. With any kind of reasonable technique at all, it would be nearly impossible to introduce any...
  4. Orca

    End result efficacy P.O. vs I.M. PRNs like Haldol / Ativan

    Orca replied to adnrnstudent's topic in Psychiatric

    It depends upon the context. If you are dealing with a severe acute issue, IM is the choice. If there is no immediate crisis, PO. I haven't run into any situations when I had to choose between the...
  5. Orca

    Monster Created by Previous Manager...

    Orca replied to mommy2boysaz's topic in Nurse Management

    You need to get over this kind of thinking, and fast. As a manager you will make a number of unpopular decisions. If you allow fear of conflict to dissuade you from taking needed actions, you will be...
  6. Orca

    Bad Boys, Bad Boys... How do you handle them?

    Orca replied to valzRN's topic in Correctional

    An inmate who masturbates in plain view, especially of female
  7. Orca

    Drug use and drug testing and Klonopin

    Orca replied to amesly15's topic in Correctional

    We had a psychiatrist who was in love with Klonopin. He was using it for behavioral and psychiatric issues. At our facility it was a controlled medication, meaning that we had to manually sign out...
  8. Orca

    EKG in the Jail

    Orca replied to OfficerRNBSN's topic in Correctional

    I work in a prison setting, but I'm sure we were looking for a lot of the same things. I was on a committee that selected EKG equipment and services for the entire Department of Corrections. We wanted...
  9. Orca

    Swing shift

    Orca replied to algebra_demystified's topic in Psychiatric

    Swing shift is pretty much my nirvana. I hate getting up early in the morning, and I'm not crazy about trying to sleep just as the rest of the world is waking up. I liked it because we saw a lot of...
  10. Orca

    New grad psych nurse... need some advice

    Orca replied to GenDaRN's topic in Psychiatric

    I went straight from school into a mental health job. About five years down the road, when the facility I was working in abruptly closed, I became almost unemployable. I couldn't get interviews...
  11. Orca

    a pseudo job offer?

    Orca replied to hopefulSN's topic in Nurse Management

    I would first follow up with the unit manager, and remind him/her of what you were told. Explain that you are trying to plan your semester and you need to know whether to figure work into it. I doubt...
  12. Orca

    Stick it out or get out?

    Orca replied to BluePotion's topic in Correctional

    There is nothing wring with venting. I could tell by the tone of your reply that you were struggling with a lot of things. That may be true or not, depending upon the mix of coworkers. I have worked...
  13. Orca

    IM Ativan

    Orca replied to dc529's topic in Psychiatric

    We used it in Carpuject cartridges, never
  14. Orca

    Losing my religion

    Orca replied to jadelpn's topic in Spirituality, Religion

    Offering unsolicited religious advice is pretty much the same as forcing your views on the patient. I fail to see the distinction if you are offering information that wasn't requested and isn't...
  15. Orca

    I'm current high school student in dire need of some advice/ tips...

    Orca replied to flojo11's topic in Psychiatric

    Selecting a school is a personal choice, and it depends in large part upon where you are able to get in. One does not specialize in nursing school. That comes later, once you enter the workplace....
  16. Orca

    Accepted a position in a state prison....

    Orca replied to AnnaleaRN's topic in Correctional

    You started out with sound advice and then strayed well off the path. Don't assume that every correctional work environment is like yours. I am a DON in a state prison, and I am anything but a...
  17. Orca

    Tactical Nudity and Other Fun Aspects of Deployed Army Nursing

    Orca replied to Lunah's topic in Government, Military

    Tactical nudity. Very clever! The Army should make that an official policy, no doubt. Would like to see some kind of contribution effort made for WiFi for you guys. No way you should have to pay for...
  18. Orca

    Accepted a position in a state prison....

    Orca replied to AnnaleaRN's topic in Correctional

    Stick to policies and procedures. Deviation from them is the path to compromise. Don't bring in or take out anything for an inmate, or offer to pass along messages to or from them. Know that the...
  19. Orca

    Changing state license

    Orca replied to mustang42's topic in Men in Nursing

    Make sure that going to Washington is what you are going to do before you pursue this. It would be a waste of time and money to get a Washington license and then decide you are going to work in...
  20. Orca

    Can foot care nurses paint nails?

    Orca replied to ImRNJen's topic in Nurse Entrepreneurs, Innovators

    I don't see a scope of practice issue. However, I have to wonder about the wisdom of having someone who is providing medical services also offer cosmetic ones. If you are working for an agency and you...
  21. Orca

    Advice needed: handling employee complaints

    Orca replied to lostNneuro's topic in Nurse Management

    IMO this is useless advice. Line employees cannot be held responsible for the production of other line employees. While the point about everyone pulling their weight is well taken, it isn't up to...
  22. Orca

    Hospital Marketing FAIL

    Orca replied to tom's topic in Emergency

    That is brilliant. A 30 minute "promise", and a billboard that shows that they don't meet
  23. Orca

    Will I be stuck as a Psych Nurse forever?

    Orca replied to Peppermint_RN's topic in Psychiatric

    I went straight from nursing school into mental health. While I enjoyed the job, I came to regret the decision later. I was working for a free standing mental health facility that was closed by the...
  24. Orca

    Bad Boys, Bad Boys... How do you handle them?

    Orca replied to valzRN's topic in Correctional

    They had better be careful about this one. The Florida Department of Corrections lost a major lawsuit over this, and they wound up paying nurses thousands of dollars for not only ignoring the problem,...
  25. Orca

    What should I wear to a jail interview?

    Orca replied to OrganizedChaos's topic in Correctional

    We have no issue with people showing up in scrubs. We understand that people may be going to or coming from work when they interview with us. The ones who have shown up dressed like they were going on...