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

    Why would they release such as sick person to a Long Term Care Facility?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Roland's topic in General Nursing

    Thanks, Les.........where I live, NONE of that happens. Portland, Eugene etc. probably has facilities like that, but no SNF within 40 miles will take vent patients, and they sure don't have in-house...
  2. VivaLasViejas

    Why would they release such as sick person to a Long Term Care Facility?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Roland's topic in General Nursing

    Roland, my remark was partially tongue-in-cheek........the woman's survival is of course the most important thing, which is why I personally would NOT want her to be sent to the average nursing home....
  3. VivaLasViejas

    What non-clinical nursing skill do you whish you would have learned in nursing school

    VivaLasViejas replied to CharliezAngie's topic in General Nursing

    What they said.
  4. VivaLasViejas

    Lap Choley This Thursday

    VivaLasViejas replied to SthRNBelle's topic in General Nursing

    You have my sympathies.........I too am having a procedure (called a laser lithotripsy) to get rid of my enormous kidney stones on the 27th, and having been through it before, I know I'm in for about...
  5. VivaLasViejas

    Why would they release such as sick person to a Long Term Care Facility?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Roland's topic in General Nursing

    Yanno, Renee, I think they ought to call it what it really is---subacute care---and pay nurses appropriately for the skill level that's required to care for these very sick
  6. VivaLasViejas

    decreased aeration and infection?

    VivaLasViejas replied to nu570's topic in Pulmonary

    Here's a very simple explanation: pain often keeps post-op patients from breathing deeply, but if they don't, the alveoli in the lungs tend to collapse (atelectasis), which causes the mucus produced...
  7. VivaLasViejas

    Why would they release such as sick person to a Long Term Care Facility?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Roland's topic in General Nursing

    Because that's where people who need extended care and complicated dressing changes go........almost nobody stays in the hospital for very long anymore. Of course, they then get sick at the nursing...
  8. VivaLasViejas

    DON of LTC: What's needed/Worth It?

    VivaLasViejas replied to ColdFusion's topic in Nurse Management

    I worked 60-70 hour weeks and got paid for 40. I was on-call 24/7. I took work home with me and went in on weekends to do other work because it was quieter. I worked the floor when we were short,...
  9. VivaLasViejas

    Anyone receive a sign on bonus?

    VivaLasViejas replied to HisTreasure's topic in LPN, LVN Corner

    I wouldn't ordinarily post here, as I'm not an LPN, but I wanted to share one wee bit of wisdom gleaned from my experiences with sign-on bonuses: If a facility is offering such enticements, it's...
  10. VivaLasViejas

    Yeast infection gone way too far!!!

    VivaLasViejas replied to Antikigirl's topic in Wound, Ostomy, Continence

    For years I preached about keeping skin folds clean in LTC, to no avail.......nobody would take the time to do this one simple thing, and that's washing under heavy breasts and abdominal folds,...
  11. VivaLasViejas

    Ever quit night shift b/c you couldn't "deal"?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Nursesuzi's topic in General Nursing

    Day shift IS insane. Not only do you have to deal with more 'suits', more families, more orders, more docs, more admissions, more post-ops, more general busy-ness.......you do it for LESS money!...
  12. VivaLasViejas

    Osteosclerosis??

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in General Nursing

    Thanks, Sara........very informative! I'll have to follow up on this, as it sure sounds a lot like what I'm dealing
  13. VivaLasViejas

    G-tube medication question

    VivaLasViejas replied to dcoffee's topic in General Students

    Well, you learn something new every day......... When I worked in LTC, there was absolutely NO time for giving G/tube meds one......at......a.......time.......we always had at least three or four tube...
  14. VivaLasViejas

    Osteosclerosis??

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in General Nursing

    That's what I was kinda afraid of.........but where does the hyperparathyroidism come in? How do you get it, and what's more important, how do you get RID of it?? Funny how I've acquired this wealth...
  15. VivaLasViejas

    Need ideas: Ideal Nursing Home

    VivaLasViejas replied to Fun2's topic in General Nursing

    Private rooms with big picture windows, facility pets, resident-to-CNA ratios of 5:1. Individual freedom to eat when the residents want, sleep when they want, get up when they want. A schedule that...
  16. VivaLasViejas

    Teamwork At Its Best

    VivaLasViejas posted a topic in General Nursing

    And now for something completely POSITIVE (for once).......... You ever have one of those days when everything goes right for a change? A day when every IV just slides right in.......every patient's...
  17. VivaLasViejas

    Teamwork At Its Best

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in General Nursing

    Thank you all..........this was one of those moments when I come out of the room thinking "Yep, THAT'S why I do this!" Moments that remind me that I'm a member of the greatest profession on...
  18. VivaLasViejas

    Suprapubic Catheter

    VivaLasViejas replied to nvnurse's topic in Nevada Nursing

    As always........it's best to check with your state board of nursing to find out whether certain tasks fall within your scope of practice. It's different from state to state, even facility to...
  19. VivaLasViejas

    Bipolar and nursing?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Sputnik's topic in General Nursing

    Oh boy, if bipolar people aren't allowed to become nurses, then what am I doing with a license?? It's like any other disease: as long as it's controlled, it shouldn't even be an issue. Bipolar people...
  20. VivaLasViejas

    Being called a nurse is offensive??????

    VivaLasViejas replied to ErinRNBSN's topic in General Nursing

    Please don't generalize........attitudes like this don't help anyone work together better.
  21. VivaLasViejas

    What is task-oriented nursing, and why is it bad?

    VivaLasViejas replied to lilshorty's topic in General Nursing

    Sounds like the clinic job would be your best choice........the money isn't as good as it would be in the ICU, but peace of mind and good hours are worth a lot more than high wages. (Believe me, I...
  22. VivaLasViejas

    People/Patients you don't like

    VivaLasViejas replied to Aellyssa's topic in General Nursing

    I haven't yet met the patient I couldn't care for at all, but I've had a few I didn't have any use for, that's for sure! One of the most memorable was the homeless child molester who set fire to our...
  23. VivaLasViejas

    Venting...Hosp pts coming from skilled nursing facilities

    VivaLasViejas replied to stidget99's topic in General Nursing

    Count me in.......this is DEFINITELY criminal neglect/abuse, and every authority that deals with nursing homes should be called in to investigate, and shut 'em down if need be. How can anyone leave a...
  24. VivaLasViejas

    Itchy Ears

    VivaLasViejas posted a topic in General Nursing

    OK.......I haven't asked my MD about this because a) it's embarrassing, and b) I don't want him taking any instruments to my ears. But after several years of dealing with this, I'm finally tired of...
  25. VivaLasViejas

    Prednisone- susceptibility to infection?

    VivaLasViejas replied to NursinTig's topic in General Nursing

    You'll probably want to wear a mask when caring for infectious patients; it's what I did when I had a horrendous asthma attack brought on by acute bronchitis during my second year of nursing school. I...