RiverNurse

The hospital should have a back up plan in the event the nurse is not reachable. I also do not think writing the nurse up is appropriate, given the situation. Reliability is important, however, reliability should not soley rest on the back of one nur...

Yes. I did remove the pt's MIC-Key button for one day. The pt does not have prune belly syndrome, but her abdominal muscles are hypotonic. In addition, she has a history of button displacement which further complicated the issue. At our facility, if ...

Hi all, I am fairly new to pediatrics. I'm a wound care nurse and have been working in pediatrics for a year now. I work primarily with the infant population that have had issues with gastric mucosa visible around low profile buttons (MIC Key button...

First off - hang in there. I think almost every nurse has experienced this sensation and stress related illnesses. Mine was diabetes (II). It is definitely a crucible, trial by fire. It's like eating an elephant... you do that one bite at a time. Bei...

Hi all, Any tips on stoma site marking? RiverNurse

Not yet. In fact, I just finished up the distance learning Ostomy module yesterday (through Emory). I have read about it - now I'm just wondering about the "Oh my Lord" moments that aren't always listed in books. Thanks ~ RiverNurse

Scream? LOL... Rant? Not as much as I used to! Now if I have an off day, I usually refinish a piece of furniture or do something creative to get my mind off of it and to gain perspective.

Hello all, I have a question about wound vacs. Scenario: Ped pt in foster care and is on wound vac. Wound is about 9 x 7 x 2 cm with approx. 75 cc drainage per day. Pt needs a vac for home. Foster family is in process of applying for Medicaid - but...

I did the distance learning option for my CWCN last year. Back then, that module for the didactic portion only was $1200.00 (not including registration fees, books, clinicals, lodging). I attended bridge week there - technically three days for the wo...

Yes. PM me privately and hang in there.

Thanks for this. Apparently I received the wrong info from KCI. I was told by our KCI rep that there were income requirements and that the family "made too much money". I did find out from them that the VIA would be the way to go with this situation...

All I can say is, I wore those "shoes" when I turned 40... If you want it, go get it. Another "word of advice" from the peanut gallery - take care of your back (think Yoga), your feet (always by the best shoes - 2 pair and rotate them), and your down...

Yes, nursing is hard, but has it's rewards in the end - like a bad back and bunions. LOL LOL...

How long have you been a nurse? Now then, onto options: 1. Get out of Med-Surg. Sounds like you're burned to a crisp. 2. Continue your education (i.e. specialize) 3. Consider nursing informatics (downside - then you'll have a different level of "en...

Hello all, I am working with a pediatric patient that has midline prolapsed fistulae complicated by old surgical creases and divets from former surgeries. In addition, due to poor pouch fit, the pt has extensive maceration on the lower R/L abdomen. ...

Update: We had a 3M brand of durable barrier cream. I tested it on my hand/arm before introducing it to the pt. Love, LOVE the stuff! However, the pt refused to try it. Rivernurse

Rock on! YES! Sometimes I just have to get on YouTube and look at excisions, etc... :-0 TMI, TMI... Depends on the "type" of wounds you "enjoy". If it's pressure ulcers, nursing homes have their share as well as MedSurg units. If it's diabetic ulcer...

Thank you! I will try that - and will let you know my experience with it.

Hi all, So, I've been a nurse for 3.5 yrs now. I guess it was bound to happen??? How could I have been so stupid? Synopsis: Working midnight til 8 am... No nursing assistants on the floor so we are doing total care, charting the initial assessments...

I don't often share this story anymore - it's been so long ago - but it has shaped who I am today. When I was 24, I was the mom of two little boys. I needed healthcare for them and couldn't get it. My husband couldn't get insurance at his work due t...

I'd like to live in Canada to have that perspective on healthcare. I'd like to experience it for myself so I could make a side by side comparison. As to rights, the only comment I have is that I'm seeing a lot of entitlement among the younger crowd. ...

I went back to school when I was 40. In fact, I'm still in school... I jokingly say that I spent the last decade with my nose in a book (well, only halfway joking). You can do this. Rivernurse

I worked in an ER setting after working nine months on a med/surg floor. Big city, downtown ER - Me? I was from a little town... I was a very little fish in a huge pond. I could go on and on about the experience - but suffice it to say - I realized ...

That's exactly what I heard at my last place of employment. I was told that I couldn't stay past the end of the shift - and yet - I had to complete my charting, LPNs assessment charting (sometimes as many as five or six additional patients - and do t...

NRSKarenRN - has anyone told you today just how amazing you are? I'm currently doing my wound care clinical rotation (CWCN boards to follow) and all your tips and links are most helpful! Many thanks, RiverNurse