Maine Critical Care

Here is an OB story. I just moved from ICU to OB 2 months ago and this happened in my hospital. A new mom was sitting on an icepack when the AM nurse went to check her bottom. We use diapers stuffed with crushed ice. The nurse pulled back the covers,...

Next time call the doctor and say 'titrate for WHAT??' This was really unclear and not fair to you. Dobut is great to get people out of heart failure but 10 mcg is a hefty dose. I'd want to know just what that MD was thinkin.

When people are diabetic, sometimes they lose sensation, so can infarct without having any chest pain. This, can be deadly. I am so sorry for what you are going through. Take this as easy as you can. It sounds like you did everything 'right'.

Here is my plug for Northern California and the Bay Area. Many nurses live in surrounding areas and commute 30-45 minutes for the better wages near San Francisco. New grad day shift pay is near $40/ hour in a benefited job where I work. Nights is 20%...

RIGHT ON- Dead is the right answer!!!

We are starting it and will have it rolled out for the whole hospital within a year. I love it. The patients really like to be said goodbye to on my last rounds. They also like to know who is following me- expecially if I tell them a little about the...

TED hose every day! I wear a short sock over that and it covers those pesky holes in the toes. I like knee high and swear by them for over 22 years. I also have to buy new shoes (padded athletic type) fairly frequently- like every 4 months or so. If ...

Gabby, You can interview me. I've been a nurse since 1982 and wanted to be a vet, architect, doctor and nurse since I was little. Nursing won out because 1. I could have flexible hours and still have a family (unlike doctors)2. Animals wouldn't under...

When I am in scrubs, I feel like everyone knows I am a nurse. Aside from the infection control issues, well covered here, I think what ever I do in scrubs reflects back on nursing in general. Therefore, I try never to wear scrubs if I am stopping for...

I'm an EMFJ too and work in ICU- is that right? Should I go into teaching?

My ICU does have 24 hour visiting and I think it is a great thing. Most nursing care I do can be done with family in the room. I am comfortable doing anything with family there, but usually I tell them ahead of time and give them a choice. They ususa...

Brilliant!!! Who can argue with clerical advise. Another one could be "My therapist tells me I'm overworked and need to recharge.I'm on my way to yoga class right now":wink2:

1. Use caller ID and don't pick up 2. You have plans (for the couch and remote control) 3. You have an appointment (with the pillow) 4. Just say no. Not today, I'm too tired to give safe care. Remember If we don't take good care of ourselves, we cant...

Yes, if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and walks like a duck, its a duck! YES, that is overwork!!! GET OUT OF TEXAS! Where is your labor board? You could kill folks working like that. Is your administration crazy?! I would not put my licens...

I had mine last May by laparoscopic approach. They left my ovaries, tubes and cervix. I feel like a million bucks except for the fatigue. I had adenomyosis and was in pain 3 out of 4 weeks per month for about 15 years. Norco every three hours, vomiti...

You are the kind of nurse who can actually start in ICU. You have support. You have gradually layered experiences there. You know enough to actually be frightened. This is crucial, because it will keep you humble and safe. You won't go off half cock...

When this job STOPS being able to break my heart, I will quit. If I can't let people in for painful stuff, then they can't get in for good stuff either. Being able to have your heart broken and acting on someone elses behalf anyway is the magic in nu...

OMG some of these are wickedly funny!! I actually like to sit down and say "How are you" then wait for the answer. Asking about basic stuff first is good, like "how did you sleep" "Are you having any pain" "are you hungry" etc. Then the touchy stuff...

1. Basic need: A good neurosurgeon 2.Basic hope: the bleed isn't in the frontal lobes causing permanant personality change. 3. Basic need: Restraints for the post coma wake up wacky time 4. Basic need: nutrition via NGT as the person usually can't sw...

If you work with weasels, don't be chicken, don't put all your eggs in one basket and don't leave the hen house unguarded! Don't worry, what goes around comes around.:monkeydance:

I loved the old book "Who Dies?" by Steven Levine. That book made me realize that we have very little to do with the outcomes of what we do. We do everything we can and have to let go of the consequenses. I also think we need to advocate for the dyin...

Your manager is out of touch with reality. Try a conference with the Risk Manager about leaving that patient without a nurse in the room!! Can you say LIABILITY??

The all time worstdays I have had have been as charge of the ICU. Bar none. Any medsurg day was hectic and tiring, but in the ICU, multiple codes, near codes, staffing and revising staffing 5 times for multiple admits of unstable patients, going to ...

Dear Jen, I spent 8 years on the medical floor straight out of school just so I could learn to put on the gowns straight, hang the IV meds and get the most rudimentary understanding of practical applied pathophysiology. THEN I was ready to layer on ...

First off, is the patient allowed to circle the drain? Would that patient really want the whole 9 yards treatment? SHOULD the patient die now? Has the code status been adressed realistically? If its NOT OK for the patient to die now an it is really a...