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

    Needle stick at work, 24 weeks pregnant

    VivaLasViejas replied to csj50's topic in General Nursing

    Why were you trying to recap the needle? This is a big
  2. VivaLasViejas

    Latest on RaDonda Vaught case

    VivaLasViejas replied to Emergent's topic in General Nursing

    I just keep going back in my mind to what that poor patient must have suffered. I can't even imagine how terrifying it must be to suffocate slowly without even being able to cry out. It doesn't seem...
  3. VivaLasViejas

    I accidently took home a zofran in my pocket.

    VivaLasViejas replied to MarqT's topic in General Nursing

    No problem. And Welcome to Allnurses!
  4. VivaLasViejas

    I accidently took home a zofran in my pocket.

    VivaLasViejas replied to MarqT's topic in General Nursing

    Nothing. It's not a narcotic so it won't cause you any trouble. No need to say anything about it at
  5. VivaLasViejas

    Options other than the bedside

    VivaLasViejas replied to Cgritz77's topic in General Nursing

    Nailed it. Thank
  6. VivaLasViejas

    Traveling with medications

    VivaLasViejas replied to Ema's topic in General Nursing

    Hospice nurses also carry meds with them on visits to patients, including narcotics. I don't see any problem with law enforcement if you happen to be pulled over, as long as all the meds are in proper...
  7. VivaLasViejas

    Pre-employment health exam asking for my last menstrual period date

    VivaLasViejas replied to Noodle28's topic in General Nursing

    It's none of their business when your LMP was. You don't have to answer that, it's discriminatory because they're trying to find out if you're pregnant, which is BS. They can't reject you for that...
  8. VivaLasViejas

    Career Crossroads

    VivaLasViejas replied to beeker's topic in General Nursing

    Ordinarily I'd say go for the 5-day-a-week job, but it's only been in recent years that I've learned how much I missed when my kids were growing up because I was always working. They're all long grown...
  9. VivaLasViejas

    Has Anybody Experienced Working at a Facility That Doesn't Have Policies & Procedures?

    VivaLasViejas replied to mayapapaya3's topic in General Nursing

    I worked in an ALF that was relatively new and really didn't have much in the way of policies and procedures, so I wrote them myself. It was ridiculous---there was no guidance on what to do when the...
  10. VivaLasViejas

    Looking for advice; "handling" situations **LONG**

    VivaLasViejas replied to Miss.LeoRN's topic in General Nursing

    I once worked in a toxic hospital setting where I was treated similarly. The assistant department manager took a dislike to me and she was always calling me into her office to discuss some small...
  11. VivaLasViejas

    Can I get Fired?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Minniegirl0604's topic in General Nursing

    Not smart. You could be accused of diverting, and of course wasting hospital supplies is seriously frowned upon in an industry that prides itself on cutting costs. Like others, I wonder what you were...
  12. VivaLasViejas

    Real Talk- "Ideal" Nurse Personality?

    VivaLasViejas replied to BSNbound21's topic in General Nursing

    BWAAHAHAHAHA!!!
  13. VivaLasViejas

    Do you have to work as a CNA before going to nursing school?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Marie_30's topic in General Nursing

    My school didn't require it either. But I highly recommend working as a CNA to get an idea of how you might function as a nurse, even though the roles are very different. If you can handle CNA work,...
  14. VivaLasViejas

    Nurses that “only do it for the money”

    VivaLasViejas replied to AFJ32780's topic in General Nursing

    Nursing provided me with the means to live a solidly middle-class lifestyle and I was grateful for that, as my family and I were very poor before I became a nurse. I also enjoyed taking care of...
  15. VivaLasViejas

    What to Say When Your Patient Dies

    VivaLasViejas replied to Nurse Beth's topic in General Nursing

    I have always felt it a privilege to be at the bedside when someone passes. It's a sacred moment to me, and I say a quick and silent prayer over the patient before the duties which must be done get...
  16. VivaLasViejas

    Say it ain't so...........

    VivaLasViejas replied to AutumnApple's topic in General Nursing

    I've always thought that maybe they feel safe there. A hospital admission takes them away from whatever problems they may be having "on the outside" and gives them a breather. I've met this kind of...
  17. VivaLasViejas

    LGBT Nurses

    VivaLasViejas replied to ShadowNurse's topic in General Nursing

    I'm heterosexual, but I'm also an ally. My son, a new grad RN, is gay and married to a fantastic guy for almost six years. He has experienced little discrimination on the job, although sometimes the...
  18. VivaLasViejas

    Nurses with bipolar or anxiety/depression

    VivaLasViejas replied to freckles23's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    I'm a retired RN who lives with bipolar I disorder and I can really relate. Accepting a diagnosis of bipolar is difficult sometimes, even if on one level it's a relief to know there is a name for what...
  19. VivaLasViejas

    What do you do...

    VivaLasViejas replied to hungup's topic in General Nursing

    When I worked Med/Surg, there was one night when we had only six patients on the floor. Management sent several nurses home except for me and one other nurse. All was well and we were even a little...
  20. VivaLasViejas

    When do you hold clonidine?

    VivaLasViejas replied to dbabz's topic in Psychiatric

    Call the doc and get parameters. They should be included whenever a patient is on clonidine. You may need to train your providers to write parameters in each case so you don't have to call them every...
  21. VivaLasViejas

    How long do I need to stay at my first nursing job?

    VivaLasViejas replied to artmania1990's topic in First Year After Licensure

    12-hour shifts are not necessarily all they're cracked up to be. They tend to turn into 14-hour shifts, and sometimes you have only one day off between your 3-day stretches. It's not like you work 3...
  22. VivaLasViejas

    Moving from LTC to the hospital

    VivaLasViejas replied to Lovejday1's topic in General Nursing

    I've been from LTC/SNF to acute care and back again. Frankly, I think both have good points and bad. I loved Med/Surg for awhile and became certified during my years in the hospital, but the floor was...
  23. VivaLasViejas

    Do I have to disclose mental illness

    VivaLasViejas replied to NurseChaiPls's topic in General Nursing

    You say your mental health conditions are well-controlled. I believe you. No reason to open a can of worms and cause your school to be wary of you, which they may very well be if they learn of your...
  24. VivaLasViejas

    BLS renewal—ouch

    VivaLasViejas replied to T-Bird78's topic in General Nursing

    I remember doing compressions (on real patients) and the next day feeling like I'd been through the ringer. My knees hurt, my shoulders hurt, my abs hurt, even the heels of my hands hurt. I never...
  25. VivaLasViejas

    Interesting case of the spilled pills

    VivaLasViejas replied to KCMnurse's topic in General Nursing

    This is just nuts. I never heard of such a thing being asked of a nurse--shake the pills out of the sharps container? Really?? And they actually did it, which is even more stupid. The BON is...