VivaLasViejas ASN, RN

LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych

Once a nurse, always a nurse!

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide

All Content by VivaLasViejas

  1. VivaLasViejas

    Positive experiences in LTC?

    VivaLasViejas replied to joanna73's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Moving this to the Geriatric Nurses/LTC forum. :) I'm glad to see some positive comments about long-term and geriatric care. I've spent the lion's share of my career working with the elderly, and no...
  2. VivaLasViejas

    20 + years left until retirement......

    VivaLasViejas replied to Otessa's topic in General Nursing

    I've never stayed anywhere longer than 3 consecutive years, but I think I've finally landed the job I will retire from in 15 years or so. This is the position I've been looking for all my life: it...
  3. VivaLasViejas

    Drugs Not Given Together...

    VivaLasViejas replied to simprocon's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Generally, for tube feeders I ask the pharmacy to fill as many Rx in liquid form as possible. Many common meds such as Dilantin, K+, lorazepam, APAP and vitamins come in the liquid form, making them...
  4. VivaLasViejas

    Looking for advice from working nurses on adn vs bsn

    VivaLasViejas replied to rene76's topic in Diploma, ADN, BSN

    Moved to Registered Nurses: Diploma, ADN, or BSN? forum. Carry on!
  5. VivaLasViejas

    Ooooh, I love my Ultrascope!

    VivaLasViejas replied to cmonkey's topic in Scrubs, Uniforms, Gear

    I have a holographic one with purple tubing that I bought 10 years ago, and it's still going strong. I love it---I can hear much better with the Ultrascope than I ever could with my (then) $200...
  6. VivaLasViejas

    Just laid off!

    VivaLasViejas replied to ebear's topic in General Nursing

    I'm so sorry, ebear. :hug: I know how it feels---spent five months of this year unemployed or underemployed myself---and there were some days that I got so depressed all I could do was sit in my...
  7. VivaLasViejas

    Foreign object in ear....

    VivaLasViejas replied to bluemorningglory's topic in General Nursing

    Excellent advice, and the only kind we can legally and ethically give. I'm sorry, OP, but we cannot tell you "what to expect" at the ENT's office, because we have no way of knowing what may be inside...
  8. VivaLasViejas

    HHA working as a LPN

    VivaLasViejas replied to hha77's topic in General Nursing

    I don't know what the laws are in the state where the OP lives, but I'm reasonably certain that no state permits unlicensed assistive personnel to "fill in" for an LPN or RN. I'm the DNS for a...
  9. VivaLasViejas

    Meg or Jerry

    VivaLasViejas replied to HeartsOpenWide's topic in California Nursing

    I lived in California during Governor Moonbeam's reign, and believe me, it wasn't pretty. Now he's just a geriatric flower child trying to recapture '70s glory........sure doesn't say much for my home...
  10. VivaLasViejas

    Hating the med pass

    VivaLasViejas replied to NotFlo's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    That's what I was going to say........cholesterol meds, Coumadin etc. need to be given in the evenings to be most effective. And I'm surprised that day shift gets most of the admits where you work; in...
  11. VivaLasViejas

    Current co-workers asking where your new job is.

    VivaLasViejas replied to NurseFrustrated's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    You don't have to disclose this information, and you don't have to make up a story to cover yourself. Just say something like, "I'd really rather not share that information" and go on about your day....
  12. VivaLasViejas

    UPDATE: "I just need to talk about it."

    VivaLasViejas replied to anonymous1919's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Duly noted and thread moved. CONGRATULATIONS on your new
  13. VivaLasViejas

    I was reported by the social worker.........

    VivaLasViejas replied to Vonique's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Yeah, don't you just love it when social workers stick their noses into the nursing department? At my last facility, our SW made up rules for the nursing staff all the time.....usually when she...
  14. VivaLasViejas

    How often do you take a vacation?

    VivaLasViejas replied to PAERRN20's topic in General Nursing

    What's a
  15. VivaLasViejas

    Smart Nurse vs. Dumb Pharmacy, Round One. DING! | Life of a Nurse

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in General Nursing

    If I had a nickel for every time that's happened in my LTC career, I'd have been able to retire at 50. One ALF where I worked had the misfortune to be hooked up with a pharmacy that wasn't too...
  16. VivaLasViejas

    Do you all think med aides are bad idea?

    VivaLasViejas replied to blocp's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Personally, I hate passing meds........I'd rather spend my time actually working with the residents and making sure they're clean, safe, and happy. But then, I've had mostly great med aides who know...
  17. VivaLasViejas

    So what would you do in this situation?

    VivaLasViejas replied to NurseCard's topic in General Nursing

    I'm delighted to say that I'm in a similar situation as the OP, still working at one facility and recently landing my dream job, necessitating the ever-popular two-weeks' notice while my new boss also...
  18. VivaLasViejas

    Scope of Practice Question

    VivaLasViejas replied to Virgo_RN's topic in General Nursing

    Each state has different rules, but I seriously doubt the average RN is allowed to lance a boil or remove an embedded object in any of them. Only an advanced practice nurse can--or should--perform...
  19. VivaLasViejas

    "Hospital Nursing is soooo Easy!!"

    VivaLasViejas replied to Sl1011's topic in General Nursing

    I don't think there are ANY nursing jobs that are 'easy'. It's all stressful in its own way, even the happier specialty areas like LDRP and childrens' clinics. For me, Med/Surg was worse than LTC by...
  20. VivaLasViejas

    Help Me Write My Ethics Paper =) By Giving Me Stories About Your Ethical Conflicts!!

    VivaLasViejas replied to crshield's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    Moving this to Nursing Student Assistance forum with a word to the wise: please do the assignments the way you are requested to do them. Nursing school isn't meant to be easy.....otherwise it wouldn't...
  21. VivaLasViejas

    Smart Nurse vs. Dumb Pharmacy, Round One. DING! | Life of a Nurse

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in General Nursing

    Glad you enjoyed it. Ironically, the single fly in the ointment at the new job I'm starting Monday is the pharmacy......actually, the pharmacy changeover[/i that we're doing in December. I've gone...
  22. VivaLasViejas

    Gotta Wear Shades

    VivaLasViejas posted a topic in General Nursing

    Oh, thank God and the great Fickle Finger of Fate, I've finally landed what I think is THE RIGHT JOB. As anyone who reads my blog knows, I've been struggling with unemployment and underemployment...
  23. VivaLasViejas

    I'm experienced. Why can't I even get an interview?

    VivaLasViejas replied to AnaCatRN's topic in Nursing Career

    FWIW: I have over 15 years' experience, most of it as an RN, and for several months this year I was unable to find a fulltime job after being laid off from an LTC. I've also got a steady work history,...
  24. VivaLasViejas

    Smart Nurse vs. Dumb Pharmacy, Round One. DING! | Life of a Nurse

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in General Nursing

    That scenario sounds great in theory. In practice, however, I have never seen an MD admit a patient to any nursing home I've ever worked in, nor would I know what to do with the extra time and energy...
  25. VivaLasViejas

    Gotta Wear Shades

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in General Nursing

    Thank you, one and all! I'm so excited I can hardly WAIT to get started........and I can tell you, I haven't felt that way about a new job since back in February of '06, when I began my 2 1/2 years...