NewPICURN

I have not had much success with them. I have been in the PICU a year now and I realize that sometimes, there are complicating factors, dehydrated or fluid overloaded, but I have a hard time just FINDING the veins sometimes. I have started a scalp PIV before, but just learned about finding a vein between bicep and tricep and someone told me that you can kind of blind stick between the knuckles. I know peds patients aren't the only hard sticks out there. What did you do to improve your skills? Any tips? I have tried to observe as many other nurses as I can and somehow they just see/ hit veins that I can't.

I think it's wrong. It's ordered that way for a reason and one of the "Rights" of medication administration I learned was "right route." I don't think that that's ok and I would not do it. As far as the difference between IM and IV administration, I don't know about specifics about IM administration contraindications, but IV antibiotics can be vesicant. Also, IM meds are absorbed over a longer time than IV and so it could be to control the blood level of medication, which could have it's clearance from the body affected by another medication that the patient is on. There are many reasons, but the bottom line is, that it's ordered that way for a reason more than likely. (Of course, it could always come down to cost as well.) Sorry I don't have the answers to some of your other questions, that's just my as your comrade new nurse. Hang in there!

I'm a new nurse as well in my first year and I've been through these same feelings. I want to seem like the "smart new guy", but honestly I don't think they want me to be. I think it's okay to still be the one learning and getting better and the last thing I wanna do is look like I know everything, because then it's harder to get help/advice. In the end, it doesn't matter so much what your coworkers think, but what your patients think and the quality of care that they recieve. I may not be the best nurse on my unit, but I care about my patients and bust my butt for them.

Thanks for the feedback, everyone! I am a new nurse btw. Only off orientation now for a month. I do agree with several of you about it not being my house and my responsibility being to take care of myself and my house first over "their house." I do suppose it will be something that I'll just get over eventually.

I'm really not sure who makes our art line setup (we have a 26 bed PICU), but we use a closed system made up of a two 48 inch pressor tubing and a transducer with two syringe ports, one that we cap during setup and priming and never remove and the other that gets a 10 ml syringe attached during priming and is never removed except to zero. (let me know if I'm wrong in calling this a closed system. Because we use the 48 inch pressor tubing, we can draw the waste back into the tubing up to the transducer and clamp it, then draw the sample from the hub closest to the patient on the tubing, then flush and return all the waste blood.

As a new PICU RN (still in my sixth month), I have totally experienced this already. I started out feeling overwhelmed like everyone does and venting occasionally to friends and family, but they don't have any point of reference and anytime I mentioned anything sad, they were looking for the happy ending. ("but he got better right?") Like the poster said above, it quickly turned to awkward conversations and now when my friends and family ask me about work I don't tell them it was fine if it wasn't. I just tell them it was "long" or "difficult" and don't go into detail. It's good to hear that others experience the same thing.

If you work on a respiratory floor, I recommend a good stethoscope! I work in a mainly respiratory ICU and that is my most treasured piece of equipment!... that and Sharpie Pens Fine point! A good pen makes a big difference. Also, eat a good breakfast. You gotta bring your A-game!

I too am a new grad in an ICU. I go to work anxious everyday over what assignment I might have, but everyday is a new learning opportunity about a new disease process or situation that I might face. It's very mentally and emotionally taxing to start here, but I feel that it will be beneficial in the experience gained in the end. It might help to think of it as an opportunity to gain experience and perspective for future patients. If you are going into hospice, those people might have had stays in the ICU and you can use your experience to know just the kind of things that they DON'T want that they were getting there. I have always known since I started working in my unit as a tech in school that it's where I wanted to be. It scares me all the time, because I know that there will be situations where I'm unprepared and will have to act and think quickly, but it will be one more situation that I'll be prepared for the next time. I also lean heavily on my fellow experienced RNs at work. They are like TREASURES to me and I hope that with enough practice I can reach their level! I hope this has been some encouragement. HANG IN THERE! From a fellow new grad ICU nurse!

I work in a mainly respiratory ICU and can't help but to feel guilty lately when my personal circumstances or preferences prevent me from going in to work extra nights when called. I already worked 36 hours this week and got called this evening because the unit is shorthanded. I had stayed up most of the day after working all last night to do christmas shopping so it was 8 pm and I had only had 4 hours of sleep in the past 24, so I didn't feel safe going in for an 8 hour shift. I knew it was the right thing to do, but I still feel guilty like I'm letting down patients or my coworkers. Anyone else ever have these feelings?

I know the feeling. I'm a new grad in a Pediatric ICU and I occasionally have feelings like this. I know that I feel fine at work and once I get going. I feel like I just never know what's coming. It helps me to remind myself that I have made it through it in the past and I'm not expected to be an expert right now, just to do my best. Just do your best.. that's all you can do. I'm sorry that the people that should be your resource are being so rude. My coworkers are a source of confidence and comfort to me.

Hey Everyone! They finally posted all the books! It looks like the required books are gonna cost somewhere between 300-450 depending on whether I get lucky with used books or not or find a good deal on Ebay! Good luck!

I haven't got anything back.. However, some useful information I do have! 1. Booklist is required by law to be posted on the website by noon April 1st. (check either through the new summer 09 BSN admits page that has a link to a booklist page or check the bookstore webpage.) 2. The Scholarship committee meets one of the last weeks in April and they hope to be sending out award letters on May 1st.

this is so frustrating! So what am I getting my RN for? Pretty ridiculous. If this keeps up, my college degree will be unnecessary. I guess all you need is a High school diploma and the right friends now!

I'll be there too!! congratulations!

you could always turn in and accept to UAMS with a deposit and then drop if and when you get in to UALR. the deposit is what holds your spot.

Hey Everyone, It's been a long time since I posted around here! Hey CAMeadors! Hows it goin? I got my acceptance letter from UAMS on Wednesday and returned it yesterday with my deposit. (They sure are in a hurry to get my money!) and no payment plan! I'm excited though. If anyone is on Facebook, a friend of mine started a facebook group for our class. It's called UAMS - College of Nursing Class of 2011! I'm bummed you're not gonna be with us CA. I thought when I added up all of their estimated costs that it was more like 12,000. Are you sure you didn't add in graduation costs twice or add in the summer masters level classes for honors?

I was just wondering the other day if anyone has any good stories from Halloween? Could be horror stories or crazy/ funny ones. I'm just a sucker for the stories you guys/gals tell.

Thanks so much for the encouragement everyone! You all are a godsend!

so I've decided... I'm gonna go for it. I was told by the DON that if I bring in my driver's license, birth certificate, and TB test and we can go from there. I'm not worried about the job anymore. I'm just gonna do it. Has anyone ever felt intimidated around older nurses or the DON? I'm not really sure why, but maybe it's my respect for them and my feelings of inadequacy, but I just feel intimidated. Can anyone relate?

Thanks so much for the encouragement! :heartbeat I just went to apply at a local LTC facility. I finished my application and got to speak to the DON. She was nice, but stern. I asked if they do anything in the way of orientation and she said that I would be workign with someone for a bit, but then told me that I would be expected to pull my weight and that they get cranky sometimes when they have to teach new people. I expected that I would be expected to do my job, but I'm just worried because I don't know anyone that works there.

ok... so I hope to be starting nursing school this coming summer. Last summer I took a CNA certification course and finished. I haven't taken my certification test yet though. My last day of my CNA course we went into the hospital and had a day of clinicals. It scared me to death!!!! I don't feel like I know what I'm doing! I had this little old lady and she would moan and groan everytime I turned her over which I had to a lot because she was incontinent. She had pneumonia so I had to wear isolation precaution gear. I was teamed up with a girl that I (unfortunately) let do the bed bath, so I missed out on that experience. I'm really worried that I'm not cut out for it, but I know i need experience. I'm working at Wal-mart right now but I'm considering applying to some area nursing homes (because the hospitals won't hire me without 6-12 months of experience) Is this a sign that this isn't what I should do!?:imbar

I'm sorry, but this is just kinda funny. :) Looking for a sane nurse!! I need a sane nurse!! A rarity nowadays. j/k :loveya:

The only ones I've found are Baptist (only for employees); St. Vincent (called 3 times and always got an answering machine); Arkansas Academy of Nursing Assistants (3 wrong numbers found online and no website) and Heartbeat2Heartbeat. I'm going with Heartbeat to Heartbeat. They have a website at heartbeat2heartbeat.com and they actually picked up the phone!! Who knew it was so hard to find a CNA class?! So far as I know the heartbeat 2 heartbeat class starts every 2 weeks and costs somewhere from 600-750 dollars including fees textbook and registration. Hope this helps anyone else that went through the hell of trying to find an education!!

Actually, we did a lab in Microbiology concerning the resilience of bacteria to certain chemicals. We tested pine sol, listerine, peroxide, bleach and some others and nothing killed better than name brand pine sol, but that's beside the point. Of the things that you could gargle with the peroxide beat out the listerine and off brand antiseptic at killing bacteria. ya for learning in lab!

I posted earlier that they accept 45 or so, but I heard recently that they are accepting around 80 or so. I also talked to my advisor the other day and she said that for Fall 08 it looks like there are less applicants than last year, so if you applied you have better chances than the transfer students did last year! Hope this gives you some encouragement!