JillRN

Argue it. It detects for up to 28 days after last use. Also ask the chain of command and why did you get results at 11p. Also talk to your OCP about what could have caused it. Hand sanitizer, alcohol wipes etc

I'm a 50 year old diploma RN. I received an excellent hands on education at the school of nursing ran by the hospital. We all secured jobs at the hospital in the specialty we desired. I've worked with LPNs that have functioned as a masters degreed nurse would. I've worked with MSNs whom we've scratched our heads at as even the simplest of nursing knowledge seemed to evade them. Will we ever find a happy medium?

Obviously, nursing is always in a state of change in one way or another. Our hospital is one of the largest in the area. Different areas wear different color scrubs/uniforms. On our floor, it happens to be good old plain white. I work on a very busy 27 bed Ortho unit and blood and whites do not go together. With the amount of blood we transfuse, orthopats, drains, dressings, etc. We pressured for colored scrubs. This has been going on for 18 months now to go through all of these "committees" to be approved. We finally got approved for a very professional scrub but at least not white. However, at the same time, they did a public opinion poll and the public would like to see nurses in white....so we are stuck in our whites for now. I would like the public to be more concerned about the type of care they are getting, not that the nurse is in white. Just my input.

We have one male nurse who is a blessing. They just don't seem to want to stay on med surg or specialty floors (Ours is a 27 bed Ortho unit). They prefer the units and then go on to CRNA or PA schooling. We do have several male "techs" which are technically traction techs, but they assist with so much more, turns, ambulation, feeds, etc. I would like to see more male nurses in the field. I am an RN and teach at an LPN school. Out of 54 students, we have one male. :)

I find that you must take each assignment individually. On my floor, I encourage everyone to make their safety checks first and get those into the computer. THEN begin with vitals, meds, etc., IV's, dressing changes, etc. We usually have 10 patients on a busy orthopedic surgical floor, so it takes more than one person to ambulate the patient, pivot them to the BSC, turn them for dressing changes, etc. Always, safety comes first, then you work with the vitals and meds, etc. You always have to take into consideration that you may have one or two patients who require a lot more care or who are going downhill and you need to spend more time in their rooms. I dont think you can do all the treatments on one patient and move onto the next in a realistic clinical setting. I hope this was helpful! Jill

Hello, I am responding to your request for anectdotal information on phenergan IV. Although I do not have current literature to refer you to, I can attest that as a patient last year with a GI bleed, I received many doses of IV phenergan. My IV had to be rotated several times, and it took nearly nine months for a very dark line following my vein where the last IV was to disappear. It remained tender during those 9 months. For several of the doses, I had a new RN who gave the first dose undiluted and very rapidly - almost like a heplock flush. I can assure you I thought I was having an anaphylactic reaction: I became flushed, had shortness of breath, I felt my throat was closing off and the room was spinning and I had palpitations. It was quite frightening. Once I explained it needed to be diluted I did not experience any of those effects again. However, it is very damaging to the veins. Good luck with your thesis, I would be interested in whatever info you find in journals. Jill

Hi Cornelia, Although I do not work in a LTC facility, I can assure you that time management is something all nurses struggle with. I think like anything, it is one of those things that comes with time and experience. However, we all have those nights that start off great and you get hammered half way through. I work on a busy Ortho unit at a large hospital. It is nothing on afternoons to have 10-12 patients plus cover the LPN's IV's, etc. Just keep telling yourself that you are only one person and that your main function is to keep your residents safe, clean and dry. JillRN