msnicola27

I am currently an FNP student at South University and have one more class before my first practicum. I did the BSN completion program at South. The format for theory worked around my work schedule which was M-F 8-430. A few months ago I was able to change shifts to weekends so now have more availability for clinical hours which for me was necessary since the majority of primary care clinics in my area are only open during the week. Can someone please pm me the link to the Facebook page? Thanks!

Hi, I'm in my second semester at South University's online RN-BSN program. I'm only attending one class at a time but enough of my credits transferred so I should be done sometime next year. Nicola

We use the CADD legacy pumps. Ours has a screen that says "demand" where you can set the prn dosing, then after that screen it lets you set the lockout. This is in addition to the scheduled dosing. I think the CADD pumps are great, especially in home settings where you have other family members "stealing" pt pain meds. We use the Grasby also, and while I find that easier to work with since i've used it more, it does not have a lockout as far as the prn doses go since its just a syringe driver. Also, i'm surprised your pt still has his duragesic. Our doc transfers all the doses of pain meds into whatever is going to be in the pump and d/cs the other pain meds. Of course most of the time we don't put our pts on pumps until they are unable to swallow. Plus if he's wincing its obvious he needs somewhat of an increase....which leads me to another reason I like the CADD pumps...the fact it tells you how many prn doses they've recieved and how many were attempted. Anyhow good luck with that. Nicola

I love using the scop patches, they work pretty good. I find them better when we can get the 72h ones. When our pharmacy runs out, we are having to deliver scopolamine gel out in a syringe with patches for families to "make their own" but those ones have to be changed out q12h. Nicola

Hi, check out your scope of practice for CA. I was an LPN there while I was going through RN school. As an LPN I was allowed to care for pts with vents, but as far as IVs go we were only allowed to d/c them and hang fluids (but no abx and definitely not PCA pumps). Of course Lpns out in CA can insert IVs if you get your certification. We were taught to do f/c, ngt insertions/feedings and the like. I worked Hospice out there and at the time (should be the same unless the scope of practice has changed) I was allowed to do assessments and pronounce. Basically I worked as a float nurse under the RN. She gave me a list of patients to see and I went and saw them. Some nights I took primary call for 2 counties with an RN back up but I was the one making the visits at night, pronouncing and calling the coronor. I went back to nursing school to get my RN only because it seemed like where I lived in CA they weren't hiring LPNs much in hospitals. You could go far as an LPN in LTC but I didn't really feel that was my area. My niche must be hospice because i'm back in it as an RN (in TN). Out here where I work, the LPN's are used primarily as continuous care nurses (although they do not have to call to check on giving prn doses), however sometimes they are using them to do some home visits when we are busy. Anyway, hope that helps :-) Nicola