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

    When do you hold insulin if no parameters?

    VivaLasViejas replied to mzsuccess's topic in General Nursing

    There should be parameters with all insulin orders. If there are none, be proactive and call the provider for them. There's no reason for a nurse to guess at what to do when things go
  2. VivaLasViejas

    Hot Cheetos are a public health menace

    VivaLasViejas replied to Emergent's topic in General Nursing

    But how would the nurse be privy to that information? I was unaware that nurses in the ED have access to the patients' insurance status. And even if they do---who cares? The nurse is there for their...
  3. VivaLasViejas

    Case Study: Why Is She Having Hallucinations? The Mystery of The Dog in A Fedora

    VivaLasViejas replied to SafetyNurse1968's topic in Critical Care

    Mood disorder? She does have a family
  4. VivaLasViejas

    Dealing with Students in Clinicals: What would you like to see?

    VivaLasViejas replied to bsf312's topic in General Nursing

    I loved precepting students and new nurses. Some were more teachable than others, and my favorites were the ones who were willing to dive in and get their hands dirty. They came prepared for the...
  5. VivaLasViejas

    Do you ever get concerned about certain users on here?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Bakingismylife's topic in General Nursing

    After many years on this site, I've come to see AN as family, and have indeed become friends with number of members with whom I talk almost daily via Facebook or text. But I don't just pay attention...
  6. VivaLasViejas

    Hot Cheetos are a public health menace

    VivaLasViejas replied to Emergent's topic in General Nursing

    I am the last person anyone would consider a SJW. In fact, it's laughable. I support conservative principles and values, which include making people responsible for their own actions. What bothered me...
  7. VivaLasViejas

    What would you do?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Meangirl's topic in Nursing Professionalism

    It's absolutely none of your business, especially if you heard it secondhand. It doesn't make her a very nice person, but again, if she hasn't told you this directly, stay out of it. 'Nuff
  8. VivaLasViejas

    Working as RN for the state vs hospital

    VivaLasViejas replied to NewNurse1997's topic in General Nursing

    I was a state surveyor for a brief time back in 2014. The salary wasn't great, but the benefits---especially health insurance!---were awesome. We got a total of four weeks PTO, plus paid holidays...
  9. VivaLasViejas

    Switching to night shift sleep schedule

    VivaLasViejas replied to eric3148's topic in General Nursing

    A couple of the things that helped me sleep during the day (besides blackout curtains and a fan) were a warm bath and a blanket fresh out of the dryer. I'd send my kids off to school around 0800 and...
  10. VivaLasViejas

    Thinking about quitting after first day

    VivaLasViejas replied to SunflowerCat12's topic in General Nursing

    Regrettably, this is not uncommon in AL. I've been a DNS in several, and one was a complete cluster---we had an entire shift call out, medications weren't being given (one med aide was slow and if the...
  11. VivaLasViejas

    Hot Cheetos are a public health menace

    VivaLasViejas replied to Emergent's topic in General Nursing

    I was wondering the same thing. Seems like there's a bit of stereotyping and judgmentalism going on
  12. VivaLasViejas

    I'm extremely slow at passing medications

    VivaLasViejas replied to Lemon Bars's topic in First Year After Licensure

    You've got to give yourself more than a week to get a routine down. It takes weeks, even months, to learn the residents and their individual needs/quirks/wants when it comes to taking their...
  13. VivaLasViejas

    LTC nurses...

    VivaLasViejas replied to Cora_Ann's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    The OP of this thread threw a turd into the proverbial punchbowl and expected no blowback? I am amazed at the restraint members have shown in responding to it. Congratulations to all who have...
  14. VivaLasViejas

    Where Were You...9/11

    VivaLasViejas replied to Daisy4RN's topic in General Nursing

    It was the second day of my new job as an MDS nurse at a skilled-nursing facility. Needless to say, I was late getting to work that day. My sister who lived with me woke me up yelling "We're under...
  15. VivaLasViejas

    Now that they approved my reinstatement don't know if I want it

    VivaLasViejas replied to 5150RNKAT's topic in Retired Nurses

    It sounds like you're making peace with things as they are, and that's a good thing. It's never an easy thing to admit when we can't do something because there are limits to what we *can* do, but...
  16. VivaLasViejas

    Boomer Nurse no longer able to do bedside nursing

    VivaLasViejas replied to Cwiema's topic in General Nursing

    I had to retire at 55 for much the same reason---couldn't think or move as quickly as I needed to. I have bipolar I and my meds weren't quite figured out back then, plus I was having trouble with...
  17. VivaLasViejas

    Bipolar Nursing Student

    VivaLasViejas replied to Idontkno's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Welcome to Allnurses! We're glad you're here. I remember when I was first diagnosed with bipolar I. I was gobsmacked, even though I'd suspected it for some time, and sometimes I still have trouble...
  18. VivaLasViejas

    How to Support the Next Nursing Generation: The Z's

    VivaLasViejas replied to Melissa Mills's topic in General Nursing

    I don't think short attention spans are limited to young people. I'm 60ish and I have the attention span of a goldfish. (Which is one of the reasons I'm not working anymore.) I think it has a lot to...
  19. VivaLasViejas

    How do you document an axillary temp

    VivaLasViejas replied to debtor11's topic in General Nursing

    Don't chart a guess at the patient's actual temperature. Just note where you took the temp and let the physician figure it
  20. VivaLasViejas

    Dealing with a childish coworker?

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

    This. ^^ Besides, you are too busy to "entertain" him in order to prevent him from acting out. He is obviously attention-seeking and you're just feeding that by letting him run the show. Like someone...
  21. VivaLasViejas

    What do you hate about nursing and why?

    VivaLasViejas replied to ccorreces's topic in General Nursing

    This.^^ Also, I strongly disliked how management would stay in their offices and not help out when we were slammed, then complain when we didn't get out on
  22. VivaLasViejas

    Drug Use and Abuse: Perspectives of A Teen User Part 3

    VivaLasViejas replied to SafetyNurse1968's topic in General Nursing

    I experimented with LSD once. Just once. I had an interesting trip...my green shag carpet turned into a forest complete with little animals running around, and I "saw" music coming out of the stereo....
  23. VivaLasViejas

    Nursing with mental illness

    VivaLasViejas replied to qweez's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    I'm in Oregon. I didn't have to do anything but pay the renewal fee. I wonder if this may be due to the fact that I haven't practiced in a while and am on disability, but I've kept my license active...
  24. VivaLasViejas

    Nursing with mental illness

    VivaLasViejas replied to qweez's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    FWIW, I live with bipolar I and have had no repercussions from disclosing my psychiatric history to the Board of Nursing in my state. I felt it would be best to answer honestly because they do ask....
  25. VivaLasViejas

    Have you ever puked/fainted/etc at work?

    VivaLasViejas replied to 0.adamantite's topic in General Nursing

    No, but I've come close. Once was when I was a new nurse in LTC, and I went in to do a dressing change on a sweet little old man's foot. His toes were gangrenous, and as I unwrapped the bandages two...