nurse_drumm

They are awesome! I have a pair, and they're like wearing little pillows on your feet. Unfortunately, our facility has deemed them "unsafe" due to the holes in the shoe, and the soft soles.... so we are not allowed to wear them any longer. If your facility has no policy against them, I highly recommend them!! Alicia

Hmmmm..... guess what I play? Yep.... for 26 years now. I've written, played, directed, you name it... and you know what? I've got the best hand/eye coordination there is... and it comes in pretty darned handy in nursing. I love them both, and there's time for both. Stress in nursing = stress relief through music. It's the perfect balance.

I work nights, and a typical load for us is 8 or 9. However, I can remember one summer we dealt with really short staffing, and I had 14 patients on more than one occasion...... and yes, this is med/surg. Good thing I love my job.

Hay there fellow night-shifter!! I'm not sure if anyone does orientation on the night shift, I can only speak for my own facility, and we do not. The actual orientation is done during the day, and the new staff member, if they are a new grad, will actually work the day shift under a preceptor in our new Internship Program for around 6-8 weeks, then go to their perspective shifts for another few weeks. If you're a "seasoned" nurse, you'd do the day shift orientation stuff, then go to night shift and work with a preceptor for a few weeks until you're comfortable. At that point you'd get your own assignment of patients, but a lighter "load" from the other staff, until you're comfortable in taking a full assignment. I hope you can find what you're looking for.... there really is NOT enough of this stuff targeted toward the night shift worker..... it's an ongoing problem with our facility to be honest. *Sighhhhh*

Kate, You're not from Vermont by chance, are you? I know someone in a very similar situation, and her name is Kate as well..... Just being nosey.... LOL

pedi.... now that's what nursing is all about! you're an inspiration, and though you don't know me, i'm proud to be called a nurse along side nurses like you. keep up the good work, and never let anyone bring that special gift of yours down. much thanks to you, sweet pedi.... nurse_drumm

A simple pat on the back and a thank you from my boss would be nice.....

okay, i guess there's no better time than now for my honesty to flow here.... i have to admit, i've come across a couple accidents since i've been a nurse (two maybe, i live in a really small town), and to be honest.... i froze right up, got scared out of my wits as to what i might find being the first on the scene, and just kept going. they weren't major mva's or anything, but still, twice i was the first one that came up on the accident and didn't stop because of my own fears. now, i work on a med/surg floor, and am completely confident in my abilities as a nurse there, and trust my instincts and judgements completely..... so, could someone tell me why i get so terrified when something happens outside of work that causes me to panic and keep on going?? it's very bothersome to me, this fear....

hi there, [color=#a0522d] [color=#a0522d]for a saline lock (or whenever administering meds through a peripheral line) that is just that, a peripheral saline lock ( 3" or less), i always use 5ml syringes both for the flush, and for the med ( i always dilute my meds in saline, unless contraindicated). [color=#a0522d] [color=#a0522d]for saline locks with a catheter > 3" (in which it becomes a midline or central line), we always use 10ml syringes just like binkey (above) does. [color=#a0522d] [color=#a0522d]

our facility places a 4x4 gauze over the site (but not completely covering it to keep the insertion site visible), then dresses it according to procedure.... the initial dressing stays for 24 hours, and then it's removed and redressed without the gauze with a new dressing. seems to work well for us, we do them frequently.

hi there! [color=#a0522d] [color=#a0522d]i too work in a small facility and care for many ortho patients. i work on a med/surg floor that also specializes in ortho and oncology. we do many total joints, mainly knees and hips. i live in vermont, so we also see a lot of fractures in the winter from skiing accidents. i've been a rn for 4 years now, and just love it! [color=#a0522d] [color=#a0522d]as far as blood loss, yes, we do see it frequently, especially in the knees. our facility also uses the suretrans system. but i've gotta say, our ortho docs don't seem to sweat the blood loss too much, and i've seen hgb's as low as 8 and the docs don't order transfusions. we keep them well hydrated, and monitor the bleeding. most of the time, it scares me a bit to have h+h's so low, but by god, those numbers start to rise after a few days all by themselves. i really think they push it too much on occasion, but... the numbers rise. once in a blue moon, we have to transfuse, but i must admit, it's not very often with the orthos. [color=#a0522d] [color=#a0522d]as far as the temps go? absolutely count on it. i'm not sure i've ever had a post-op ortho that didn't get a temp at some point. from my experience, any time there is trauma to a bone, be it via fracture or operatively, there's going to be a temp. i've gone so far now as to warn my patients that they will at some point have a fever, but assure them that it's par for the course. you know what? sometimes, i won't even medicate for the temp the first time i see they have one, but will wait 4 hours and recheck it then. if, after 4 hours the temp is still elevated, i'll medicate, but more often than not, the temp resolves itself pretty quickly. i don't know, call me crazy, but my methods seem to work.... lol. [color=#a0522d] [color=#a0522d]hope this puts you a little more at ease..... took me a long time to realize these things are pretty much "normal". [color=#a0522d] [color=#a0522d]ahhhhh.... gotta love nursing.

hey there, i would highly recommend you work during school, especially if it's only for 1 or 2 shifts per month, and i'll tell you why... it gives you the extra money you may need to make life a little easier, and it will enable you to put what you're learning in school, into perspective. kind of like hands-on experience. i worked a minimum of 20 hours per week during school, and i must admit that it was too much. but, if you like what you already do, and it's only a couple of shifts per month, i say stay with it. if it gets to be too much, you'll still have the option to leave. give it a try... good luck!! ~alicia

ruby, i could kiss you (and hire you to speak at my facility) lol lol !!! marie..... i gotta tell ya, your picture of the cow makes me giggle every time i see it....lol peace and harmony :melody: ~alicia

hay guys, i currently work in a magnet hospital, and we have just obtained magnet status for a second time. a hospital cannot be built and just have magnet status, it's a huge long process in which the hospital actually has to apply, they send representatives that come to your facility and go through all of the nursing processes (shadowing nurses, going through charts, and all documentation, etc...), and read through press gainey reports. basically it's like a "test" and you get a pass or fail... in other words, based on thier findings through their very detailed observations and interviews, you are then designated magnet, or not. in my experience, it was like a jcaho survey. it's that detailed, or at least it was in our facility two times over. it's a prestigious designation, and knowing what the whole thing entailed, i'm proud to be employed at our hospital and under magnet recognition.

hi you guys... i hope this spreads some light and relaxes you some... i was a b student in school, graduated, and took my boards and passed them after 45 minutes and 75 questions. our class valdictorian was there taking the test when i arrived, and was still taking it when i left... she shut off at 265 and passed.... good luck to you all, and please be sure to keep us posted!!! don't fret!