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

    Nursing diagnosis "altered energy field"

    VivaLasViejas replied to paphgrl's topic in General Nursing

    It is not necessary to talk down to people.:stone Heck, I consider myself well-informed and intelligent, but these long-winded treatises on statistics are not only boring, they are waaaaay over a lot...
  2. VivaLasViejas

    NPO-student question:)

    VivaLasViejas replied to sweetieann's topic in General Nursing

    In every hospital where I've worked, "NPO except for meds" means scheduled meds are to be given (w/ sips of water, of course) at their appointed times, even if the pt. is going for surgery or other...
  3. VivaLasViejas

    Kicked out of CNA because of RX

    VivaLasViejas replied to Shannon RN 2be's topic in General Nursing

    It has come to my attention that this thread has wandered off track and become quite negative. Please remember to debate the issues and not one another; the thread will have to be closed if the...
  4. VivaLasViejas

    Why is it ok to euthanize animals but not humans

    VivaLasViejas replied to admorn03's topic in General Nursing

    We are kinder to our animals than we are to our fellow human beings when it comes to pain and suffering issues. However.........my personal belief is that there is a difference, because humans are...
  5. VivaLasViejas

    Nursing diagnosis "altered energy field"

    VivaLasViejas replied to paphgrl's topic in General Nursing

    This wasn't a nursing diagnosis when I was in school..........in fact, I never even heard of it until now. "Altered energy field"---it sounds about as far away from anything even resembling real...
  6. VivaLasViejas

    Do Any Of You Rn's Have Diabetes And Or High B/p??

    VivaLasViejas replied to rafael80's topic in Diabetes, Endocrine Nursing

    I've had high blood pressure since my mid-20s, been on medications since my mid-30s, and I never had a problem getting into or through nursing school. I also have asthma, and one of my classmates was...
  7. VivaLasViejas

    My son tried to kill himself tonight

    VivaLasViejas replied to Haunted's topic in Psychiatric

    My first thought when I clicked on this thread was, "OMG, this could have been my son". My oldest boy is 17 as well, and he's had "issues" his whole life---depression, ADD, impulse and anger...
  8. VivaLasViejas

    How useful would a Spanish major be?

    VivaLasViejas replied to hap2828's topic in General Nursing

    There are very few---if any---locations in the U.S. anymore where Spanish wouldn't be an asset. Eighteen years ago, when my family and I moved to Oregon from the San Diego area, I was the only one in...
  9. VivaLasViejas

    Something To Brighten Your Day.

    VivaLasViejas replied to blueyesue's topic in Nursing Humor

    :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: Here's an old Mark Twain quote that never fails to make me smile: "Man is the only animal that blushes. Or needs to."
  10. VivaLasViejas

    Motivational quotes

    VivaLasViejas replied to moonischasingme1's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    "The fox knows many tricks; the hedgehog only one. One good one."---author unknown (I like this one because not everybody is born a genius, but almost everybody can become smart.) "Faith is the...
  11. VivaLasViejas

    Does your floor have an RN to patient ratio?

    VivaLasViejas replied to DutchgirlRN's topic in Medical-Surgical

    Six patients, on day shift, are too many, unless they are all 'walkie-talkies' who can perform most of their own ADLs and have few meds........and how often do you see THAT on med/surg?? For me,...
  12. VivaLasViejas

    GN on Same Floor Where I Was a Tech

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

    I've always said---only half-jokingly BTW---that the average worker can forgive anything but another worker who's risen from the ranks!!:chuckle I faced a similar situation years ago when I took a...
  13. VivaLasViejas

    Patient Care--Can it get better

    VivaLasViejas replied to shomelggs's topic in General Nursing

    Folks, let's keep this from becoming the sort of techs-vs-nurses debate we've had here in the past. Be polite, consider each other's point of view, and please avoid generalizations such as "nurses...
  14. VivaLasViejas

    TB skin test, no bleb

    VivaLasViejas replied to perfectbluebuildings's topic in General Nursing

    Now, now.....You are NOT stupid, you just didn't know. You did the right thing, you asked the questions, and now you know. You'll never make this mistake again, so take it easy on yourself,
  15. VivaLasViejas

    TB skin test, no bleb

    VivaLasViejas replied to perfectbluebuildings's topic in General Nursing

    I hate to tell you this, but you need to have that TB test done again. I've done literally hundreds of these, and I learned early on that the test had to be repeated if I accidentally injected too...
  16. VivaLasViejas

    FIRED!!! OMG what do I do now?

    VivaLasViejas replied to mtnmom's topic in General Nursing

    Agree w/ the above. Definitely file for unemployment.......it will buy you precious time, which is just what you need so you can sort things out and figure out where to go next, rather than taking...
  17. VivaLasViejas

    Male Nursing Shoes?

    VivaLasViejas replied to pdpeanut's topic in Men in Nursing

    You also might want to try Crocs.........they make them in men's sizes too, and they are THE most comfortable shoe I've ever worn, bar none. I even gave up my old favorites (New Balance) for these. I...
  18. VivaLasViejas

    Kidney Stones.......AGAIN!!

    VivaLasViejas posted a topic in General Nursing

    Got the baaaaaad news this afternoon: I have a 1.75cm stone stuck in the mid-pole of my left kidney, which will have to be extracted ASAP. This will be my second laser lithotripsy in less than a...
  19. VivaLasViejas

    New Job before 1year of experience??

    VivaLasViejas replied to Kate0140's topic in First Year After Licensure

    Well, it would be better if you could hang in there for a while longer......have you tried moving to another unit in your same hospital? (I'm assuming you're working medical/surgical, which is hard on...
  20. VivaLasViejas

    Is 'E.R' the tv show accurate?

    VivaLasViejas replied to AussieJack's topic in Emergency

    And when was the last time you saw an MD start an IV?? Actually, I can remember the last time I saw such a thing: it was when my now 14-year-old son was a baby, admitted for RSV, and every nurse on...
  21. VivaLasViejas

    The Dangers of Baby Oil......

    VivaLasViejas replied to live4today's topic in Pediatric

    Thank you so much for sharing this, Renee............I'll be sure to let my dd know!! Good lord, who'd have thought baby oil could actually kill a baby?? I used the stuff all the time on my kids when...
  22. VivaLasViejas

    Share what helps you get through gross situations!

    VivaLasViejas replied to Rockstar's topic in General Nursing

    Dammit, you guys, now you've made me go and spew a half-chewed Oreo all over the computer!!!!! How am I ever gonna get this junk out of the freakin' keyboard???!!! :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:...
  23. VivaLasViejas

    Kidney Stones.......AGAIN!!

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in General Nursing

    :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: Too funny!!!!! I've told people the same thing.........at least with labor, you know it WILL end, and you get something good out of it.
  24. VivaLasViejas

    any other nurses feel workload is too much?!

    VivaLasViejas replied to LPN2RNmommy's topic in First Year After Licensure

    Well, I've never been a soldier so I don't know much about what it's like on the front lines, but I do know that med/surg was becoming more of an endurance contest than a job, and THAT'S when it's...
  25. VivaLasViejas

    Is 'E.R' the tv show accurate?

    VivaLasViejas replied to AussieJack's topic in Emergency

    'ER' is much more medically realistic than it used to be.......in the first season, they were actually performing CPR on a pt. who was conscious and talking!!!:rotfl: They have some MD and RN...