CATHYW

TOTALLY inappropriate! Let one of the clerks handle that part. That is in no way, shape or form, a nursing duty! I used to work in an ER that required that we send patients to the registration desk to pick up their scripts and discharge papers after we had gone over them with the pt. The idea was that they'd hold the Rx's "hostage" for co-pays! I didn't like it, a bit!

I always try to think of what I'll be doing when I get off work, even if it is watching TV with my hubby. Anything to get my mind away from work. Like Heather said, I always try to put on my best face for my patient. I am a teaser and a joke cracker so, often, by making others laugh, I get to laugh!

:roll lmao too! i will never forget the time i thought i'd be smart and get my tetorifice shot and flu shot both on the same day-one in each arm. no prob, hey? weellllll, we then traveled 12 hours by car to get up here. when we got here i could not abduct my arms! i could barely move them away from my body! plus, i am in the lucky 10% who has a localized reaction to the dt vax. except, this time it was so bad i nearly developed cellulitis! wound up feverish, and felling crappy, for the whole weekend! it was almost a week before i could raise my arms again! lesson learned: never have 2 vaccines again, at the same time! i feel for poor little babies. and, people wonder why they get so irritable after their shots!

Hey! Don't be too hard on yourself. As long as everyone was still in preconference, and as long as your patient wasn't kept waiting, AND as long as you are usually punctual and your attendance is good, I don't think you have much to worry about.

Was that you I saw tugging on the other side of that toy with my granddaughter? LOL!:roll :rotfl:

Ya'll are too funny! The toddler rules sound just like my little granddaughter, who is 15 mos. old. She is slick as greased lightning going after something that she wants to make "mine," too!:roll

Yup! Simply say, "excuse me," and split! (Preferably to your charge or Manager to let them know what is going on-you can bet your sweet patootie that the Dr. will beat feet to "tattle on you!":rolleyes:

our er did the same thing. two nurses were always on call for endo, so while one cleaned up, the other recovered the patient. recovery is recovery, no matter what your supv. said. if the aren't aaox3 (or easily roused and aaox3) and breathing deeply on their own, they aren't recovered!

I am really proud of you, MollyMo! If more of these egocentric physicians knew that they were going to be written up, they might not be as likely to run their mouths. DO NOT, and I repeat, DO NOT be intimidated when in the presence of this physician. Do not treat him any differently than you ever did. Don't drop your eyes, or be more subservient to him. Fat chance! :-) Stand your ground. Our patients always come first! Our egos usually come in at least second!

Nurse Jimo, I was in Nassau last week! When I was there 2 years ago, our tour guide showed us a hospital for "regular Bahamians" (I can't remember the name) and one for "people with insurance," called the Princess Margaret Hospital. Are the rules for nurses the same at both hospitals, or can you work at the Princess Margaret for better pay and benefits? Good luck!

I always address folks with their proper title when I first get to know them. If I have them for very long, or if I (or someone else) was about to do something uncomfortable to them, I might say, "shug, this is liable to hurt for just a second." I rarely use "honey," but sometimes use "hon." For children, I say whatever will work.

Oh yes-not only have I seen it done, I've done it myself, many, many times! Especially in elderly men with potential urethral strictures or that enlarged prostate, it gives you plenty of lubrication to enable you to get the catheter into the bladder and cause the patient the least amount of pain. As far as I am concerned about it "clogging the catheter," that is a bunch of hooey. It is a water-based gel, so will dissolve upon contact with urine. I have never, and I repeat never, had a problem cathing an elder gentleman using that technique. One caution-as you hold the shaft of the *eni*up near the glans, insert the tip of the 10 cc syringe gently into the urinary meatus with the other hand (always "break" the syringe in by pressing the plunger down beforehand, until some lubricant comes from its tip). GENTLY instill the lubricant. If you feel any resistance, do not continue to press the plunger down-you could easily rupture the urethra!

I'm with everybody else-a suppositry is a med-it must be signed off on the MAR. Don't let those foolish, giggly nurses set you up again! You are wise to question them. Always question what you are not sure of, and if you think the answer you have been given may not be entirely accurate, or truthful, ask someone else. When I was first a LPN, I was the only LPN that worked (or ever had) on our hospital's tele/stepdown unit. The RN's basically put me on ignore, and always acted totally put out if they had to flush my heplocks (couldn't do IV stuff at first). I finally gave up on them, and started stepping through the double doors to ICU, and sking the first nurse I saw (that wasn't busy) what I needed to know. Of course they wanted to know why I was asking them. And, of course, I told them that my RN's weren't interested in my questions, or in helping me. Boy, did they take me under their wings! They told me to come ask them whenever I had a question, and they were all the time coming to get me for special procedures to observe or training to participate in, after hours. I never left our unit to step into ICU until all of my chores were done, and asked one of the RN's to call me if one of my folks needed me. Boy, did my RN's get their noses out of joint! The began asking why I didn't ask them stuff, and what it was about me that was so special that I got invited to participate with the ICU nurses, when they didn't! I laughed to myself, when this started happening, and evenutally began asking my RN's qustions again. I would say that those ICU RN's who weren't too busy for questions or to further my learning, were the most positive aspect of my early nursing career!

Julie, I have never had occasion to call APS. I can only liken it to calling DFACS for suspected abuse in children. Working on my suspicions, I always ran it by the ERP first before I called, just to be sure our hunches were right. In GA it takes 40 forevers to get in touch with someone, because they are SO overloaded with cases. Regarding your question about being in a position to call as a LPN, I would say; be sure that you know the facility's policy, and try to follow it, to the letter. However-never let anyone or anything deter you from doing what you know to be right. If you go through channels and wind up with nothing, warm up that dialing finger! Good luck!