happybunny1970

happybunny1970

Acute Hemodialysis, Cardiac, ICU, OR

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All Content by happybunny1970

  1. Fresenius as an employer?

    happybunny1970 replied to bill4745's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    Wow. Totally NOT my experience -- I've worked for Fresenius for about 2 years -- Acute, not Outpatient -- and LOVE the company. I have a great team of nurses and techs, very VERY little turnover. A...

  2. Acute dialysis nurse/patient ratio

    happybunny1970 replied to Chisca's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    I work in a hospital with a 16-bed unit which is divided into 3 bays -- each bay has 2 RNs and one tech, plus we have an additional float tech and an extra nurse who is assigned to ICU (ICU is 1:1 at...

  3. Dialysis RNs?

    happybunny1970 replied to uscstu4lfe's topic in General Nursing

    For the most part I agree with Natkat, but each unit is different, and each company is different. For instance, I work 7 days on/7 days off (actually Thur/Fri/Sat, Sun off unless on call,...

  4. what is it like for other acute nurse

    happybunny1970 replied to tracl's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    Wow, that is a far cry from my Acute unit... We are contracted by the hospital (I work for Fresenius), but they expanded our physical unit some years back... we have a 16 station unit (including one...

  5. I Hate Dialysis

    happybunny1970 replied to MizzDo~LPN's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    Dialysis is known as one of those "Love it or Hate it" specialties. But you took the job, so what drew you in? What did you expect to find compared to what you found? It's also important to remember...

  6. Fresenius or Da Vita new grad

    happybunny1970 replied to NewbiesRN's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    I haven't worked for DaVita, but they have sort of a bad name here in Texas after the whole Lufkin incident... I have amazing benefits with Fresenius, and find it hard to imagine that another company...

  7. Epogen SC administration

    happybunny1970 replied to Lacie's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    I work in Acute, and we have always given Epo SQ -- the doseage is less, and the absorption and results are supposed to be superior to IV. We always give the patients a choice: Upper arm or abdomen,...

  8. Moving to Tyler- Have a Few Questions

    happybunny1970 replied to emtstudentnurse's topic in Texas Nursing

    The problem with the pay here in East Texas is that we have TJC, UT Tyler, and Kilgore College all churning out new nurses twice a year -- the employers don't care whether you get fed up and leave,...

  9. Tyler Junior College RN students

    happybunny1970 replied to nursebettybntex's topic in Texas Nursing

    Hello, all... I graduated from TJC in 2002, before anyone was really using PDAs... my friend and I bought ourselves Palms as graduation presents back when they were still just black and white! I'm...

  10. How to handle inappropriate pt behavior in Home Hemo?

    happybunny1970 replied to starbin's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    Wow. I work Acute, so I don't know what they do in outpatient... Have you talked to anyone in an outpatient clinic about what they do when a patient consistently comes in late? Seems like his...

  11. Accessing chest catheter

    happybunny1970 replied to CoolhandHutch's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    The only people aside from HD staff allowed to access the ports in our hospital are ICU nurses. The heparin lock issue is very important -- if that line clots because someone doesn't know what...

  12. Question/Concern about pt and Dilaudid IVP

    happybunny1970 replied to Christy1019's topic in Emergency

    I had a patient once who had standing orders for 10mg Dilaudid TID... The doc was trying to get her to take it IM, thinking it would hang with her longer, but she almost always managed to get it IV......

  13. Is DNR (do not resuscitate) a good idea?

    happybunny1970 replied to tam-tam's topic in General Nursing

    I see many patients in renal failure, leading to multi-system failure, both in and out of ICU (if they're not already there, they're heading there...). Our Nephrology docs do a FABULOUS job of...

  14. Very special case, Nursing as a second job, doable?

    happybunny1970 replied to NYC_NJ_RN's topic in General Nursing

    Once you earn your license, the only thing you have to do to keep it active is renew on time and complete the required CEUs -- it has nothing to do with actually working as a nurse. HOWEVER, I don't...

  15. Is MSN worth it?

    happybunny1970 replied to iamaca2000's topic in General Nursing

    I think when adults go back to school for advanced degrees it's more about personal pride than anything else. But maybe that's me. I also want to obtain MSN so that in 20 years or so I can teach...

  16. Hospital "gift" for mom?

    happybunny1970 replied to Obnurseamber06's topic in Ob/Gyn

    Dang, I delivered in the wrong hospital! My daughter was delivered in a military hospital... we got a "baby seabag" -- a tiny duffel made by volunteers. I still have the bag (it IS cute), but don't...

  17. considering dialysis nursing, input?

    happybunny1970 replied to RNwondering's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    Too funny! and so true! There are several 'frequent flyers' who are known to be very noncompliant as outpatients who do this. Like they think we and the docs can't tell by looking at their weights...

  18. What do you lack dialysis catheters with?

    happybunny1970 replied to chatty-rn's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    We used to use 5,000 units/cc but something happened with our supply right about the time of that 'tainted heparin' fiasco (all of our supply comes through the Pyxis from the hospital pharmacy). Now...

  19. considering dialysis nursing, input?

    happybunny1970 replied to RNwondering's topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    Not necessarily true. I work in an acute setting, and we have a 16-bed unit staffed with a minimum 5 RNs and 6 techs 7a-7p Mon-Sat. We do one-on-one bedsides in the ICUs (there are 4), but other...

  20. Did anyone try L&D and hate it?

    happybunny1970 replied to RNStudent123's topic in Ob/Gyn

    Thank You, Captain Obvious! I can't believe the number of fellow nurses I run into each and every day who so clearly HATE the positions they are in... and yet there is so much opportunity! I say, if...

  21. jobs in hospital for pre-nursing student?

    happybunny1970 replied to myrose's topic in Texas Nursing

    I didn't know anything about EKG when I was hired for the job... There was an opening and I applied, and the manager knew I was in Nursing school (early in the program, so she knew I'd be there for...

  22. jobs in hospital for pre-nursing student?

    happybunny1970 replied to myrose's topic in Texas Nursing

    I agree... just working on a unit as Ward Clerk/Unit Secretary can teach you so much. Also, as a student, I worked as an EKG tech -- simple, on-the-job training, it got me into every unit in the...

  23. Moving to East Texas from Northern Nevada

    happybunny1970 replied to RN_Pursuit2b's topic in Texas Nursing

    One important thing to consider before you move anywhere: It looks like you don't currently hold an LVN or RN license, which means you need to ensure there are programs for this wherever you choose...

  24. Did anyone try L&D and hate it?

    happybunny1970 replied to RNStudent123's topic in Ob/Gyn

    I wouldn't say "hated it"..... I originally decided to enter nursing because of L&D -- I think many women do because that is the main reason why many women in their 20s and 30s go to see a doctor:...

  25. "A BP of 70/30 is normal"

    happybunny1970 replied to TigerGalLE's topic in General Nursing

    Yes, I agree. I work in Acute Hemo, and we neither access patients below 80 systolic nor return them below that... very rare to return one below 90. However, there are a handful of patients who are...