45alex

I am not assuming that those who want to work in reconstructive or cosmetic surgery don't have the basic skills of assessment. No way. I am only saying that it is a good idea to have that good base of knowledge of all kind of body systems. Why it may not be a good idea to jump from nursing school right into a highly specialized field outside a hospital. I haven't worked in a hospital in years, but I still learned volumes during those hospital years about disease processes that I am continually running up against in the outpatient world.

The problem with the 'I only want to be a nurse in a plastic surgeon's office" attitude is that even those having reconstructive surgery have other health issues. I used to work on an in-patient dermatology unit....and you better be able to recognize sepsis or if a pt is having an MI or PE. Pts rarely have just one condition....many have co-existing conditions, and that means taking care of all conditions. I am a psych nurse now and many psych meds have effects on blood sugars, heart function and kidney functions, not to mention negative neuro effects in some cases. If you don't know the basics of medical-surgery then you will be at a loss when something unexpected happens. I can say that every type of nursing I have done (medical, cardiac, ICU, trauma, derm, occupational and school nursing) has all intertwined and built on the other. I don't know of any nursing that is in a 'vacuum'. That is why some basic experience is so important. JMHO. :)

I don't have a clue....I feel pretty stupid!!

oh, and supernurse65, thanks for the advice about not changing the needle on the Risperdal. Morgan, I'll check into the video.

augig, that is great advice about referring to the policy and procedure manual, but this place does not have one. It is not a hospital and basically I am teaching myself.

thanks so much for your information...it really helps. I guess I am also going to be giving Risperdol...Do you know anything about administration of that? Maybe it isn't any different than giving any other IM. Thanks...

I have recently started work with MR/MH patients and will be giving Prolixin and Haldol injections. Any special things I should know about giving these injections? Any tips? I can't find any good websites for administration of these meds...thanks.