ICURN2004

to me White makes one look bigger.... no help needed with that.... also agree with the comment on white is such thin material and see through, always has been.

an intubated patient is my favorite. they dont talk, you can medicate them to make them comfortable and know that they are going to get air. you can do your total assessment and plan their care and think while you are with them instead of hearing about there cat or having them tell you when they were a kid.... emotionally yes those things are important but i am there to help their bodies get better and i cant think about their cat being lonesome with out them instead of why the heck they cant breath.

i agree totally with this comment.. the patient was sick when the family called. i do agree that health care individuals should listen to the history of a patient and family. i also think the ambulance was the way to go not to make it convenant for the patient but to get quicker care. we as health care providers nurse, parametics and all have to make decisions every day and sometimes they are not the right ones but i can bet you that this parametic did not want to jepordize the patient and used critical thinking to make the decision that they did. maybe it was not a long term plan. you said when they get to the ambulance they would change the o2 to nonrebreather. Also a copd pt is already anxious, can you imaging the anxiety it caused for the health care TEAM to be fussing over him/her. Some times the vent is a blessing to give the patient a rest from working so hard. For sure there where other issues. hope your patient does well... i was wondering what the age of the patient was... (just wondering)

i passed the CPNE after the third time... i felt like such a freak for having to take it 3 times, but the first one i walked out of, 2nd one the nerves just got to me, less than the first time though and the third i had to pass because it was the wall of opportunity that i ran in to. i had to do it.... now that i look back and read others experiences. 1. control your anxiety... you have too. 2. AGREE- watch your CE.... they do give you hints, time and they want to see you succeed. i do believe that they were required every time to ask if you have completed blah blah blah. so dont let that scare ya. laughing i would also suggest BREATH and dont get frustrated enough to walk out... it is too expensive, but if you do... use that as part of your practice it will help next time. RESULTS- i aced the NCLEX (which i thought was easy because of having taken the excelsior test) they are very simuliar. i am now an RN in the medical intensive care, making more money than i thought that i would. and the best thing is it is all over good luck to all. debbie:nurse:

could you teach with a BSN? i think BSNs can teach in the LVN program here. if not nursing what are you interested in? i am just wondering where your fear level is as far as being a new nurse and maybe expecting too much from your self. also what about the education dept in your hosp? good luck with what ever you decide. i agree you do have a lot of options.

good for you.... i would say go for it.... i agree with the fellow posters about the i&o's. in our unit you would not be left alone as an cna or PNT (nursing student) to do baths or take care of critcal patients. but when we are blessed with help, we need the extra help with turning and maybe changing sheets after a pt vomited or stools. a icu nurse will always be watching her pts VS but cant always chart them... that helps... good luck to ya.... debbie

james i thought you HAD to do a couple of years in the adult ICU prior to your entrance into CRNA school. i think that you should do a few months in the med surg just because it would refresh your adult nursing before you have to be introduced into the different world of things such as swans etc. good luck to ya. debbie

icu nurse, monitor and RT if on vent. stabalize pt first.... something to share that is very scary is the other day the med surg floor had a pt that appeared to be extending a CVA. they needed a icu bed but first was going to take him to cat scan... :angryfire the patient showed up to the unit with one xray transport person and not fricken breathing.... how long ... how long was he not breathing????? the answer i got was "i thought he didnt look right":nono: quick intubation and the patient is still critical. damn i hate days like that.... ps always take your chart too if you go with a pt... if a code is called in xray dept.. the doc that shows up is not going to know that pt....

i love the "skin esteem" one. or something like "under your skin" or "in the skin" not sure some people would know what aesthetics is... good luck to you on your business. :balloons:

excellent advice about the "still afraid" things can happen so quickly and so different in each patient, you almost have to keep an open "what if " mind about icu all the time and be ready for anything. then listen to really good music on the way home or as i do (laughing) call back to the unit after my shift ends to check on something or ask questions about someone. you will find days off or not always days off in your mind after you throw yourself into icu. you will one day be that co-worker that helps other new nurses.

Just remember Patient comfort and Patient care. each patient is different. i have learned that nursing could change for any patient before you finish empting the bedpan. debbie