RRTsoontobeRN

RRTsoontobeRN's Latest Activity

1. 

   Assessment of the Critically Ill Patient

   RRTsoontobeRN posted a topic in Nurses

   I am doing a lecture at school on blood gas interp. I wanted to find some images of patients that exemplify the blood gas. Does anyone have a presentation they can share that has classic images of patients who are hypoxic, hypercarbic due to COPD exacerbation, obstructive sleep apnea, pink puffers/blue bloaters, kids tripoding due to epiglotitis, acute cardiogenic shock, shock due to volume loss, etc etc. I would be greatful for any shares you can provide. Ed Collier edward.collier@osumc.edu

   • Sep 25, 2007
   • 2 replies
2. 

   Hospital Staff Charged With Killing Patients After Katrina

   RRTsoontobeRN replied to TechieNurse's topic in News

   what none of these discussions seem to take in to consideration is: there was no power, the back up generators had failed, the batteries on the ventilators, monitor, iv pumps were exhausted. there was no oxygen, the liquid oxygen system had been depleted and the back up tanks were near exhaustion - there was no way to get a delivery of medical gases to the hospitals. there was no medications, the medication resources had been exhausted and after 4-days there appeared to be no chance of replenishment. you have to think this all the way through and not over simplify what was going on in those days. everything from food, water and medication was being rationed. the helicopters flying overhead were not dropping supplies. there was nothing left to live on, much less support life!

   • Aug 9, 2006
   • 508 replies
3. 

   Sleeping on the job..acceptable or not?

   RRTsoontobeRN replied to travelnurse63's topic in Nurses

   Columbus Ohio Repsiratory Care Board recently sanctioned and removed licensure from Respiratory Therapist reported for sleeping on the job. I imagine the RN Board would follow suit. When I worked in San Diego, it was accepted that night shifters could sleep during their lunch break so long as they remained in the break room and could be awakened easily in case of need. We later found that 2 nurses were sleeping because they were impaired (one for drug abuse, one for medical condition). Both were found unfit for duty. God knows how many mistakes were made during their time on the unit. I learned it is better to assume the worst and report things like this to a manager ASAP

   • Jul 22, 2006
   • 141 replies
4. 

   Hospital Staff Charged With Killing Patients After Katrina

   RRTsoontobeRN replied to TechieNurse's topic in News

   I actually worked at Memorial Hospital in the 90's and remember the physician who has been charged. She did an interview not long after being rescued. She described the situation in great detail. There was limited amount of medications left including oxygen. Regardless of the DNR status, there was not sufficient medications to continue providing basic care. After much soul searching the decision was made to give a lethal dose of morphine and/or versed rather than let the patients linger. These individuals did the most humane thing that could be done under the circumstances. I have written a letter of support to the New Orleans District Attorney. I hope that all of you will consider doing the same. Sherriff Foti completed the investigation as he should have done and was obligated to do. Ultimately the decision to prosecute is up to the DA. It is too late to play the blame game. We need to learn from this tragedy and prepare our own communities for the worst case scenerio. This could have been an earthquake in California, a volcano in Washington State or Hawaii or flash floods in the midwest. District Attorney Office (504) 822-2414 619 S White St New Orleans, LA 70119

   • Jul 21, 2006
   • 508 replies