azhiker96 BSN, RN

PACU, ED

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All Content by azhiker96

  1. azhiker96

    PACU rn vs Float pool surgical nurse

    azhiker96 replied to brownieyorkie3's topic in PACU

    I agree with Collor but would add a couple of items. First, make sure you have sufficient orientation. It should be several months and preferably with lots of patients. Secondly, make sure the other...
  2. azhiker96

    How do you staff your PACU overnight?

    azhiker96 replied to slutgen's topic in PACU

    We have Night nurses with overlapping shifts during the week. Call covers one shift Thursday, Friday, and Sunday nights with two call shifts Saturday night. I am getting ready to float to nights for a...
  3. azhiker96

    The worst job you had before becoming a Nurse?

    azhiker96 replied to Want2BeeRN's topic in General Nursing

    My worst was taking phone calls in the credit card division of a large bank. Most people called because the bank had hit them with a fee or interest rate bump so they were not in a happy place. I'd...
  4. azhiker96

    New grad PACU

    azhiker96 replied to lvcrn's topic in PACU

    There has already been a lot of good advice given. I can only add one additional resource you might want to explore. Consider joining ASPAN. That is the professional organization for this area of...
  5. azhiker96

    Nursing is the Biggest Mistake of My Life

    azhiker96 replied to almost_nurse's topic in General Nursing

    Underserved doesn't necessarily mean distant and remote depending on where you live. There are family health clinics in my large city that qualify as underserved per the
  6. azhiker96

    A Nurse's Hands

    azhiker96 replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in General Nursing

    Well said
  7. azhiker96

    Working Alone

    azhiker96 replied to Whitesranch's topic in PACU

    I'd avoid any debate about how it's always worked in the past or whether a particular pt is okay with only one RN. The main point is there is a national organization that has published minimum...
  8. azhiker96

    Moderate sedation

    azhiker96 replied to sameasalways's topic in PACU

    The only nurses I've seen doing moderate sedation are CRNAs. In general, you need to be able to rescue a patient from one level above what is planned. Patients will react differently to the same dose...
  9. azhiker96

    How many patients

    azhiker96 replied to sameasalways's topic in PACU

    I'd suggest writing to ASPAN for their advice. The separate area for GI raises a red flag for me. My understanding is that each area would need two nurses at all times. That means a nurse ( could be...
  10. azhiker96

    Medical Assistant as school nurse

    azhiker96 replied to smileitout's topic in School

    The biggest issue to me is parents may mistakenly think there is a registered nurse at their school when instead there is only a trained pill passer. Giving scheduled or even prn home meds doesn't...
  11. azhiker96

    Can you become a PACU nurse w/o experience

    azhiker96 replied to Samt9's topic in PACU

    I like using multimodal for pain control. That includes using a variety of narcotics. Mu receptors vary among patients and perhaps within patients. Genetic variation affects efficacy of morphine....
  12. azhiker96

    Medical Assistant as school nurse

    azhiker96 replied to smileitout's topic in School

    Be aware of your scope of practice and stay within the lines. That said, review ages and stages of child development to get some insight into pressures and motivators for teens and adolescents. If...
  13. azhiker96

    PACU Scheduling Help

    azhiker96 replied to JoeTheRN's topic in PACU

    I've seen it done different ways. At one facility we were cross trained to preop and pacu. In the morning, everyone would start in preop. When the first cases started calling out about 2/3 of the...
  14. azhiker96

    Can you become a PACU nurse w/o experience

    azhiker96 replied to Samt9's topic in PACU

    Thanks Mavrick. That makes sense. I had a pt once who took morphine like I was pushing water (order was 2mg q5min prn x 5 doses). She said 4 mg of Dilaudid usually helped her. In the chart from her...
  15. azhiker96

    Can you become a PACU nurse w/o experience

    azhiker96 replied to Samt9's topic in PACU

    Maverick, what was the hx of the pt that took 63 mg of dilaudid? That's
  16. azhiker96

    Have you met your husband at nursing? Is nursing a good career to meet men?

    azhiker96 replied to Upward_Bound's topic in General Nursing

    I met my wife online, in an old chat area that has long since died. Both of us are nurses but reversed roles. I work PACU and she, until recently, worked hospice. We've joked with friends on...
  17. azhiker96

    Cover for Me! I Need to pump!

    azhiker96 replied to Julie Reyes's topic in General Nursing

    Great article. I think this is not a problem in cohesive units and when it is not abused. I do wonder how this is handled in areas with minimum staffing laws/rules. Does management schedule in an...
  18. azhiker96

    Only PACU nurse at ASC

    azhiker96 replied to jcsa719's topic in PACU

    It sounds like you have a plan. I hope your surgery/recovery goes well. Here is a suggestion for anyone you like who may still be working at that clinic. They could talk with either the PACU manager...
  19. azhiker96

    Depression from nursing, looking for input?

    azhiker96 replied to GuvnerH's topic in Health, Stress Management

    Nursing has many different areas to explore. I agree with your thought that changing to another area may be beneficial. There are several areas in nursing that I know I could not tolerate for long. I...
  20. azhiker96

    Concealed Carry for Caregivers

    azhiker96 replied to ClaraRedheart's topic in General Nursing

    I pay a premium for the ammunition for our home defense. It is special frangible ammunition. The rounds are very effective against soft targets like bodies but will break up when contacting hard...
  21. azhiker96

    Never wanna take students again.

    azhiker96 replied to remotefuse's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    I've precepted dozens of nurses finishing up their RN program. It does take extra energy but I have the opportunity to help guide and shape a nurse who may be taking care of my or my family someday....
  22. azhiker96

    Concealed Carry for Caregivers

    azhiker96 replied to ClaraRedheart's topic in General Nursing

    Nice guesses but wrong. Licensed firearm dealers require background checks whether selling in a store, at a gun show, over the Internet, or at home. The last rifle I purchased was in a home and...
  23. azhiker96

    Concealed Carry for Caregivers

    azhiker96 replied to ClaraRedheart's topic in General Nursing

    I remember police testing out "smart" guns a few decades ago. The theory was if a suspect was able to get the officer's gun it wouldn't fire for him. Unfortunately, the technology is not perfect and...
  24. azhiker96

    A sobering story-------

    azhiker96 replied to NanikRN's topic in General Nursing

    In nursing school some of my classmates complained about having to pass the medication calculation exam with 100%. I asked them what percentage of the time would be acceptable if a nurse was giving a...
  25. azhiker96

    Having No Empathy For Certain Residents

    azhiker96 replied to bluegeegoo2's topic in General Nursing

    I work at a teaching hospital so was thinking about a different type of resident, MD. However, I had a toddler recovering from surgery a week ago. He was giggling, smiling, and eating a Popsicle. I...