andi2634

Latest Activity

1. Help me please!!!!

   andi2634 replied to jessica47201's topic in General Nursing

   Jessica- I went back to school to get my RN when I was 29- I already had a degree and chose the 2 year route- I had absolutely no problem getting a job after I graduated with a 2 year degree. I'm now working in a large teaching hospital that really ...

2. New Grad about to be interviewed at ICU...Needs advise!

   andi2634 replied to mye614's topic in General Nursing

   I would be sure to ask questions about staffing- does this unit have a large turnover- or do nurses stay. What is the orientation like- will you have one preceptor or be put with someone different all the time. At my first job I had over a dozen dif...

3. Icu Nurse To Nicu Nurse

   andi2634 replied to ANGIEICU's topic in NICU

   I worked adult cardiac surgery ICU for about 2 years and recently made the change to a level 3 NICU- and absolutely love it! It was a really difficult transition for me- I felt like a new grad all over again- you really do have to relearn a lot of wh...

4. Calculator

   andi2634 replied to Princess74's topic in General Students

   I wouldn't spend a lot of money on a calculator- I work in both an adult ICU and the NICU- and have never needed anything more than the most basic calculator. I always try to find the smallest one I can because in the NICU I use it so often that I k...

5. Fundamentals pocket guide??

   andi2634 replied to ashemson's topic in General Students

   When I was in school I always carried RNotes by Ehrin Meyers. I also kept it with me all the time when I started my first job- it has tons of info: adult and pediatric VS, meds, ACLS protocols, lab values, and clinical skills, with pages you can wri...

6. Assessments & IV meds

   andi2634 replied to malaga00's topic in General Nursing

   There are lots of threads on assessment if you do a search you'll find tons of great info- this is how I chart. We have a flow sheet that we can check of most of our assessment such as lung sounds, IV's, chest tubes, bowel sounds, cap refill, etc, ...

7. Game: Name that smelly drug

   andi2634 replied to Rhoresmith's topic in General Nursing

   I've been floating to our CCU lately and it's part of standard pre cardiac cath orders- I think with a bicarb gtt. to help protect the kidneys form taking a hit with the dye during the cath. Our pharmacy prints on the MAR to mix it with Coke to help...

8. Blake tube removal post CABG

   andi2634 replied to cabgrn2's topic in CCU

   We pull all chest tubes unless there has been a specific order for one of the SA's to pull them. When I was orienting on days I had a chance to pull many chest tubes but now I'm on nights and we pull the Swan but usually chest tubes aren't ordered ...

9. Essential Skills~Input from ALL Nurses!!!

   andi2634 replied to msnursealot's topic in General Nursing

   Assessment skills are so important. When I was in school I precepted in labor and delivery. It was a great experience but I didn't really work with sick people. When I started working in a surgical ICU I knew I really needed to work on assessment. ...

10. drug calculation help!

    andi2634 replied to janetrette's topic in General Students

    We run alot of our drips mcg/kg/min and this is the easiest way for me to figure it out. If the order says to start Dopamine at 5 mcg and the pt. weighs 70 kgs: To find the rate if you know the dose (amt. desired). Amt drug (mg/units) ---------------...

11. HESI exam has anyone taken it??

    andi2634 replied to crb613's topic in General Students

    We had to take the HESI at the end of our first year and again before graduation- if we didn't do well our school made us show proof that we were signed up for an NCLEX review course before we could graduate. It's really not that bad. It should be ...

12. staffing ratio CTICU

    andi2634 replied to byfaithbrampton's topic in CCU

    In Ohio-- patients just out of open heart are 1:1 for 1st 4 hours, if they have a balloon pump or are on CVVH are 1:1, once out of surgery stable patients and ICU overflow are usually 1:2, and if we're short staffed those with tele orders, very stabl...

13. Open heart ICU

    andi2634 replied to Kiwi's topic in CCU

    I started in an open heart unit directly after graduating from nursing school. My orientation was about 13 weeks and I started working nights as soon as my orientation ended. we also get a lot of ICU overflow patients and thoracotomies so I have ha...

14. Need Advise

    andi2634 replied to pmanrnbflo's topic in General Nursing

    I thought the same thing about the patient/nurse ratio. I just graduated in May and am in a cardiac surgical ICU. We normally have 2 patients but we are 1:1 for balloon pumps or fresh open hearts. We may have to triple patients but they are usually...

15. First night shift

    andi2634 replied to Ortho_RN's topic in New Nurse

    I started on nights around the beginning of November, after working days for my first 3 months of orientation. I'm definitely more of a night person- but it was a hard transition after having to up during the day. There are some days that I have no ...