wendyssmile

We have a laser level that actually fits on a tranducer holder. The company is or was Baxter, I think it may be vigilent now. I am not quite sure.

Thank you for your thoughts and encouragement. It is very helpful.

I have recently been oriented to the charge nurse role in an ICU. I am afraid I am not cut out for the job. I lack assertiveness when confronting the more seasoned nurses and ask for too many opinions when I am making decisions. Is the charge nurse role a learned skill or do you need to have some inherent qualities. They felt I could handle the role but I lack the self-confidence in my decisions. I have also seen that no matter what decisions you make you will never please anyone. I want to be proficient at my job and want to accept this new challenge I just have doubts that I can learn this new role. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I have been recently oriented to the charge role and have had my eyes opened. First of all I work in a CCU/CTICU and our travelers are usually well qualified to handle an ICU assignment. We have had a few which we had problems with and subsequently recieved chronic vented patients to care for. As far as being responsible as the charge nurse I had a situatuation with a seasoned nurse not dealing with a patient problem and I felt responsible! But the nurse knew better and was capable of caring for the patient. I learned that as a charge nurse I need to keep an eye out for problems but it is not solely my responsibilty, as a charge nurse I am not there to micromange everyone's patients. being charge is not something I enjoy and being a new grad in an ICU I avoided it for 3 years :)

I work in a combination CCU and CTICU. On our surgical pateints the nurse practitioners d'c the IABP's. If it is a CCU patient the IABP is d/c'd by the cath lab fellow or the CCU fellow. I would not want to be responsible for pulling the IABP. Also it is just another thing added to your day that you do not have time for !