Meriwhen ASN, BSN, MSN, RN

Psych ICU, addictions

Member

All Content by Meriwhen

  1. Meriwhen

    Student Nurses opinion in online chat VS. being reported to Board of Re

    Meriwhen replied to buddha619's topic in General Nursing

    You have no license, so what can the BON do? Also, unless you gave this person your real name, address, etc...how can they prove this is you? I'm not going to judge what you said or why you said...
  2. Meriwhen

    Advice needed for RN with probationary license!

    Meriwhen replied to AlabamRN's topic in Nurses Recovery

    Agreed. I work in detox a lot, and you'd be surprised at the number of ex-users that are working there in all sorts of roles including nursing. They do require that you are clean/sober for a certain...
  3. Meriwhen

    Can taking prescribed medications bite you in the butt?

    Meriwhen replied to DirtyBlackSocks's topic in General Nursing

    If a. you have a valid script for these medications and b. aren't coming to work impaired by them, then I don't see why there would be a problem. However...my facility is another place that does a UDS...
  4. Meriwhen

    So why did you want to be a psych nurse?

    Meriwhen replied to traceness's topic in Psychiatric

    Landed here by chance...ok, it was a choice, but it had never been one of my first choices all through school, and not particularly afterwards either. Still, when the decision came down to between...
  5. Meriwhen

    Has anyone ever med errored with geodon

    Meriwhen replied to newtress's topic in Psychiatric

    Usually if a doctor's ordered an stat increased dose for a PT and I've already given the scheduled/PRN dose, I'll let the dcotor know about it and he/she will usually tell me to give just the...
  6. Meriwhen

    I'm a traitor.. from LTC to MD office

    Meriwhen replied to Cmariehart's topic in General Nursing

    Good for you! Just ignore the critics--you need to decide what is best for
  7. Meriwhen

    Nurse Distractions and Med Errors please share input

    Meriwhen replied to CNOR1988's topic in General Nursing

    I made a med error due to distraction. I had noticed that a medication was d/c for a patient and so I didn't pull it...but the unit was crazy that day (no pun intended) and we were overwhelmed with...
  8. Meriwhen

    Should I call?

    Meriwhen replied to SweetNothings's topic in General Nursing

    If you don't ask, you don't get...so why not call? If she's open and receptive when you call, take the chance to sell yourself! Also, if she's not interested in you now, she may pass you onto someone...
  9. Meriwhen

    Are most shifts usually 12 hours?

    Meriwhen replied to michelle_d's topic in General Nursing

    Like everyone says, it depends on the facilitiy. I work 8s. I could work 12s at my facility if I wanted to...but I don't want to right now. When my little one is older, I'll probably go back to 3...
  10. Meriwhen

    Suboxone side effects

    Meriwhen replied to iluvivt's topic in Addictions

    Sweating is listed in my drug guide as one of the common side effects. Also, I've had a patient on suboxone who kept running hot flashes and sweats while they were with us...though we were never able...
  11. Meriwhen

    Rights of Psych Patients?

    Meriwhen replied to sewingkelli's topic in General Nursing

    I think your facility needs to have a better system for handling psych patients because as it stands right now, it's not very good. I hope your facility realizes that they can't legally detain a psych...
  12. Meriwhen

    My Favorite Pen Has Been Banned! Help!!!!

    Meriwhen replied to OldMareLPN's topic in General Nursing

    I use only the Pilot G-2, either extra fine or very fine. They're a pain to find in most stores, so whenever I hit OfficeMax I stock up--mostly blacks and a couple of reds. I always have several...
  13. Meriwhen

    Rights of Psych Patients?

    Meriwhen replied to sewingkelli's topic in General Nursing

    Well, if the patient is unconscious (sleeping does not count), in most states that implies consent for treatment unless there is a advanced directive/living will on file for the patient stating...
  14. Meriwhen

    How long is the ATT taking?

    Meriwhen replied to EvanTheNeonate's topic in Virginia Nursing

    It varies. I got my ATT about a week after graduation, most of my classmates got theirs within 2 weeks; a few didn't get theirs until more than a month later. There's no way to tell how long you will...
  15. Meriwhen

    Rights of Psych Patients?

    Meriwhen replied to sewingkelli's topic in General Nursing

    I agree--unless you have an in-house psych unit, why not get them transferred to a psych facility? A lot of psych places offer telephone/mobile assessment services, so the patient need not show up at...
  16. Meriwhen

    errors

    Meriwhen replied to jennie kissinger's topic in General Nursing

    Take responsibility for your role in the mistake, and learn from it so you can avoid making it again. And yes, it's normal to feel incompetent for a little while afterwards...ask me how I know
  17. Meriwhen

    Rights of Psych Patients?

    Meriwhen replied to sewingkelli's topic in General Nursing

    If there's no court order mandating otherwise, the patient can refuse treatment (i.e., to give the urine). If she refuses the cath but you cath her anyway, then that's battery, and (again, if there's...
  18. Meriwhen

    Rights of Psych Patients?

    Meriwhen replied to sewingkelli's topic in General Nursing

    Their verbalizing SI/HI is not automatic grounds for keeping them. To keep them, you would have to get a temporary detaining order--you'd have to prove to the magistrate that this person is an...
  19. Meriwhen

    Rights of Psych Patients?

    Meriwhen replied to sewingkelli's topic in General Nursing

    For the most part, Psych patients have the same rights as any other patient. They can refuse treatment and medications (unless they are court ordered), and unless they are being temporarily detained...
  20. Meriwhen

    Can a no-job RN work as a CNA??

    Meriwhen replied to jpt's topic in First Year After Licensure

    Another vote for "check with your BON" to see if you are able to do it and what your scope of practice would be. Also, keep in mind that a lot of hospitals/facilities won't hire RNs as CNAs because...
  21. Meriwhen

    Do You Remember Your Patient's Name?

    Meriwhen replied to CaLLaCoDe's topic in General Nursing

    My secret is the q 15 minute safety rounds we have to do on every patient: within an hour or so, I've got most of their names pegged...oh never mind, I thought you were talking about patient names :)...
  22. Meriwhen

    How frequently do you do physical assessments in psych?

    Meriwhen replied to beachgirl17's topic in Psychiatric

    They are physically assesseed on admission, then daily. If a patient's medical status is fragile, we assess them more frequently...but every single patient gets at least one assessment a day. I should...
  23. Meriwhen

    Psch Nursing Question from Newbie

    Meriwhen replied to kgh3's topic in Psychiatric

    It definitely doesn't happen at my facility. I would think there'd be too many liability issues to allow visitors without cause (and unless this shadowing is a sanctioned part of your clinical, you're...
  24. Meriwhen

    During interview for Psych RN, would it help or hurt to bring up . . .

    Meriwhen replied to On The Way's topic in Psychiatric

    Like everyone said above me, Keep your psych history to yourself. Yes, it will probably be helpful to you in your role of psych nurse. However, disclosing such things could also be used against you...
  25. Meriwhen

    Tips for New Graduate Nurse Starting a job

    Meriwhen replied to debragail105's topic in General Nursing

    Remember that you can learn something from everybody, be they the CEO of the company or a maintenance person, the DON or a CNA. So don't close off learning opportunities because of where/who the...