IntoTheUnit

40-50. I do 20 visits a week. Paperwork and charting has sucked up my life!

I left the ICU after two years, got totally burnt out(coding my coworker will do that to you). I've been in HH for about 5 months now, and while I don't love it and don't plan to be here forever, it's nice. No adreniline like the ICU, but also no codes, my patients actually get better, and everyone is happy to see me.

I have had chronic daily migraines for the past 4 years. In the last year, I've been trying to get pregnant, so I'm off all my preventative meds--and I was on 5 of them! I tried my hardest to hold out with just taking meds when I had a headache, rather than doing any long acting narcs or preventative meds, but couldn't do it. I started on a fentanyl patch last friday, along with midrin and MSIR to take when the pain overwhelms me, and I can't tell you how much better I feel. I'm not sedated, I actually have more energy now that I'm not constantly fighting the pain. The way I've interpreted the BON rules, if you aren't impaired, your liscense isn't at risk. I don't consider myself impaired, and my neurospecialist knows that I'm working and driving and doesn't consider me to be a danger to myself or my patients. I hope you find a good pain relief regimen soon.

Skin flakes! Oh god, the grossness. I can handle anything else--trachs, cdiff, anything. But peel of a pair of TED hose that have been on for a week and I'm gagging.

Beta blockers(atenolol, specifically) are showing some promise in "performance anxiety." I guess what they do is decrease the symptoms felt--the heart racing, shaking, sweating, etc.

I use a Wegner(they make swiss army knives!) bag that I got at Staples. I've only been using it for about a week, but so far it seems to be working well. Much better than the backpack for my neck and shoulders. It was a little expensive ($120, I think), but worth it and tax deductible.

Oh, boy, have I learned this trick, too!

The Grey's Anatomy Scrubs have a long size that fit me, at 5'9.

I just got a Garmin Nuvi 260 tonight, so far it seems to be working well!

I need the advice of any home care nurses out there regarding my bag. I feel like I'm missing some important things and that I have too many unimportant things. So, here's my list of what I'm currently carrying. Keep in mind, I'm in palliative care. Cancer, mostly, with wounds, IVs, ostomies, etc First pocket: Laptop Stethoscope BP cuff Thermometer gloves notebookSecond pocket tape measure(paper and plastic) tapex2 kinds lancets (not sure why, maybe these should go in the blood box?) 2×2s, 4×4s cotton balls (again, why?) Alcohol wipes Pill envelopes (I think?) Bandage scissors sharps box Squirty saline Paper towels Reference book: Mosby's HH Nursing Pocket ConsultantThird pocket: Sterile gloves x2 tongue depressors Qtips Aprons syringes c needles suture removal kit masks bottle of saline KYOuter pockets gloves CPR mask pens Purell soap barrierTrunk: Scale blood box cooler with ice pack stethoscope(I tend to forget mine) isolation garbWhat am I missing? What do I have that I don't need?

Hello all, I've just accepted a position with Visiting Nurse Service after leaving the ICU, and I had a few questions: First, does anyone know of good, relevant software for the Palm? I have Epocrates, but I'm wondering if there's any home-health-specific software. Along that same line, what about any books, websites, or journals? I was a member of the AACN and would like to find something similar, but any searches I do come up with out of date things. Second question: who uses GPS to plan their day? What system do you have? I can't read maps for the life of me, and right now I'm relying on Google Maps, but I'd rather have something I can take in the car with me. Thanks!

Coding my coworker. She drove herself to work feeling cruddy, sat down in a chair, and then went down. We worked on her for over two hours. Got her back at first; she was talking and joking with us. We did everything--everything!--we could, but she'd had a massive MI and died that night, surrounded by her friends and coworkers. I developed PTSD, wound up being hospitalized for 3 weeks, and was getting better. Then I was caring for a coworker's father when he coded, I had a flashback and panic attack, and got fired for being "unreliable." I had my first code in my new job last night, and now it's 4am and I can't sleep, thinking about all of this.

4 Weeks? Can I ask why--we generally withdraw care ASAP after a determination of brain death. And FYI, legal brain death must be declared by 2 independant docs anyways, no need to include that. However, I'm not sure if they need to be neurologists by law--my hospital uses neuros for it, but that may just be our policy.

Wait, wait. Just doing some research here... There are multiple types of H visas. H1B visas "...applies to persons in a specialty occupation which requires the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge requiring completion of a specific course of higher education. This classification requires a labor attestation issued by the Secretary of Labor (65,000). This classification also applies to Government-to-Government research and development, or co-production projects administered by the Department of Defense (100)" from here. This site states that " The H1B visa is an option available to a limited group of foreign national registered nurses." This site(the first one linked above) states that "H-2A classification applies to temporary or seasonal agricultural workers" and that "H-2B classification applies to temporary or seasonal nonagricultural workers. This classification requires a temporary labor certification issued by the Secretary of Labor (66,000)" Not sure what the quoted gentleman was talking about, but according to this, he's wrong.

My unit has a policy that only wedding bands can be worn, citing a study that shows ICU pts get 50% more infections if their nurses where more than 1 ring. I wear mine pinned to my shirt and through my bra strap so I can't forget them(when I remember; the policy isn't enforced very often).