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

    Reusing Catheters in Home Care? No Way!

    VivaLasViejas replied to DutchgirlRN's topic in Home Health

    I remember keeping straight catheters in Rubbermaid containers filled with Betadine in resident rooms back when I started out as an LTC nurse.........and that was less than a decade ago! First you...
  2. VivaLasViejas

    Insulin drips on the floor!

    VivaLasViejas replied to jackieRN03's topic in Cardiac

    You can't trust management to keep the ratios at a decent level once patients with titratable drips start coming to the regular floors. My (ex)hospital did that about a year ago; having worked ICU...
  3. VivaLasViejas

    Anyone finish shift and not return to job?

    VivaLasViejas replied to StatRNNJ97's topic in General Nursing

    What I did when faced with a similar dilemma last year, was to take Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) to cover my last two weeks. Like you, I got to the point where I knew I could not work one more...
  4. VivaLasViejas

    How about the HARDEST job in nursing?

    VivaLasViejas replied to APP's topic in General Nursing

    For my money, Med/Surg was the hardest job I've ever done. My last hospital position was back-breaking physically and heartbreaking emotionally, what with an assistant department manager who thought...
  5. VivaLasViejas

    Why is it? Things nurses do other people can't

    VivaLasViejas replied to MrsWampthang's topic in General Nursing

    Or how about that 'nice
  6. VivaLasViejas

    When do you plan to retire?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Drysolong's topic in General Nursing

    I have been lucky enough to land in a job (director of health services for an assisted living community) that I think I'll be able to handle for quite a number of years yet. It requires a lot of...
  7. VivaLasViejas

    Why is it? Things nurses do other people can't

    VivaLasViejas replied to MrsWampthang's topic in General Nursing

    How about cleaning up a bed literally overflowing with the results of a gallon of GoLytely, and being reminded that your son asked you to pick up some brownie mix from the store on the way
  8. VivaLasViejas

    Gift for Antepartum unit

    VivaLasViejas replied to DeLySh's topic in Ob/Gyn

    Oh, my.........please let me offer my condolences on the loss of your baby girl. There are no words sufficient to express this kind of sorrow; only know that you will be in my thoughts and prayers. I...
  9. VivaLasViejas

    Stress/Health Management Reading Room:

    VivaLasViejas replied to SmilingBluEyes's topic in Health, Stress Management

    I'm re-reading "Overcoming Overeating" (dagnabbit, I can't remember the author's name to save my life right now:angryfire ), which had gotten me started on the road to eating like a 'normal' person....
  10. VivaLasViejas

    Question about enemas...

    VivaLasViejas replied to jnette's topic in General Nursing

    Depends on the patient and the type of enema prescribed. I had to bust loose a nursing-home resident once who was so FOS that the doctor ordered an NG tube, plus tap-water enemas to be alternated with...
  11. VivaLasViejas

    Depressed & anxious from job stress?

    VivaLasViejas replied to wildforest's topic in Nursing Career

    Good news! There are still areas in nursing which are NOT pressure-cookers; for example my job as health services director in a small assisted living facility is a breeze compared with the other...
  12. VivaLasViejas

    Is money everything? What about soul satisfaction?

    VivaLasViejas replied to HarryPotter's topic in General Nursing

    No, money is NOT everything, and nobody knows that better than a nurse who's walked away from a $30-an-hour hospital job nine days before Christmas, without another job lined up and sacrificing the...
  13. VivaLasViejas

    New delegating rules, Whats a RN to do?

    VivaLasViejas replied to vfahnholz's topic in General Nursing

    I live in Oregon, where the delegation rules may be different, but I think your first question can be answered the same way in all states: NO, your employer cannot force an RN to delegate. Ever. They...
  14. VivaLasViejas

    Med/Surg Certification Exam

    VivaLasViejas replied to LaurynRN's topic in Medical-Surgical

    First, a question---are you sitting for the CMSRN exam (AMSN), or the one offered by ANCC? If you're taking the CMSRN exam, fear not..........it's really not difficult, especially if you've been...
  15. VivaLasViejas

    Blood Transfusions: How fast do you go?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Genista's topic in Medical-Surgical

    I usually started transfusions at 75ml/hr for the first 15 minutes, then bumped it up to 100-125 if the patient's vital signs were stable and their lungs remained clear (or didn't worsen if they'd had...
  16. VivaLasViejas

    Atheist or Agnostic?

    VivaLasViejas replied to firstyearstudent's topic in General Nursing

    Once again, it appears that this thread has strayed far from its original topic, e.g. what effect, if any, being an atheist might have on one's nursing career. I would like to see us return to the...
  17. VivaLasViejas

    800lbs plus man

    VivaLasViejas replied to ak47m203's topic in General Nursing

    The reason I asked what the point of this is, was because the link came from an entertainment site of some kind, which immediately raised my hackles because I can't think of anything LESS entertaining...
  18. VivaLasViejas

    For those who have lost loved ones...

    VivaLasViejas replied to cindyjean's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Beautifully written. Thank you for touching my heart
  19. VivaLasViejas

    800lbs plus man

    VivaLasViejas replied to ak47m203's topic in General Nursing

    And the point of this
  20. VivaLasViejas

    Atheist or Agnostic?

    VivaLasViejas replied to firstyearstudent's topic in General Nursing

    I've been reading the last several pages of this thread, and I am just blown away by the incredible array of differences among people who I'm reasonably certain are all good of heart and noble of...
  21. VivaLasViejas

    april 2 is daylight saving time...love or hate

    VivaLasViejas replied to ak47m203's topic in General Nursing

    Well, when my kids were young and school let out, I used to just switch us from being an early-rising family to a late-rising family (which was MY preference anyway since I'm sooooooo not a morning...
  22. VivaLasViejas

    male nurses in OB

    VivaLasViejas replied to newnurse33's topic in General Nursing

    ~sigh~ Sometimes the general public can be so dense........the male OB nurse question makes me wonder what healthcare providers can do to educate people and make them understand that professionals...
  23. VivaLasViejas

    april 2 is daylight saving time...love or hate

    VivaLasViejas replied to ak47m203's topic in General Nursing

    My sister and my eldest son are like you---they hate summer! You are right, not all SAD sufferers experience their symptoms in the cold, dark months; I've read several books on the subject, and they...
  24. VivaLasViejas

    Ativan IVP given undiluted into central line.

    VivaLasViejas replied to Septic Boy's topic in MICU, SICU

    I myself have never given IV Ativan without diluting it in at least an equal amount of NS......the solution is very thick and viscous, and pushing it undiluted---especially with a 2 ml syringe---could...
  25. VivaLasViejas

    april 2 is daylight saving time...love or hate

    VivaLasViejas replied to ak47m203's topic in General Nursing

    As someone with Seasonal Affective Disorder, I love DST simply because there's more daylight.........I wish TPTB would just leave it this way all year round, like they did during the 'energy crisis'...