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

    Phasing out LPN's.

    VivaLasViejas replied to BJ, LPN's topic in Patient Safety Issues

    In some assisted-living facilities in my state, unlicensed caregivers can become medication assistants practically off the streets. I'm not joking. An ALF can hire someone who's never even had CNA...
  2. VivaLasViejas

    HELP!! Hospital covering up a murder???

    VivaLasViejas replied to Jennifernsammy's topic in General Nursing

    WOW........I've never even seen a controlled drug infused without a PCA or epidural pump. Talk about asking for trouble!
  3. VivaLasViejas

    What does your spouse do?

    VivaLasViejas replied to vaughanmk's topic in General Nursing

    Electronics
  4. VivaLasViejas

    Need Advice About a Lump

    VivaLasViejas replied to joanne23's topic in General Nursing

    Yeppers......get her to the MD
  5. VivaLasViejas

    things I didn't learn in nursing school

    VivaLasViejas replied to mygirlsmom's topic in General Students

    A few of the things I never learned in nursing school: 1) That panic never made anything better, including code situations and when confused patients pull out their central lines and wander off down...
  6. VivaLasViejas

    I Passed! I Passed!! I PASSED!!!

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in General Nursing

    I didn't think the exam was all that difficult.......it was basically about using critical thinking in all sorts of patient care situations, and if you pay attention to what you're doing at work...
  7. VivaLasViejas

    I Passed! I Passed!! I PASSED!!!

    VivaLasViejas posted a topic in General Nursing

    After six loooooooong weeks of waiting for the results of the national certification board exam I took in October, I got them today.......and I did it!! I passed!! I was getting worried for a little...
  8. VivaLasViejas

    Healthy 22 y/o mom with DNR

    VivaLasViejas replied to cabbage patch rn's topic in General Nursing

    I've been a DNR ever since I participated in my first code at the age of 37. No way do I want to be resuscitated to end up brain-damaged, on a feeding tube or a vent, unable to walk, talk, or ask for...
  9. VivaLasViejas

    Why do some nurses do this? And why are they allowed to?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Town & Country's topic in General Nursing

    Farkinott, you put this exactly right!! I work 8's for the same reason. When I started Med/Surg some years ago, I worked 12-hour nights, and let me tell ya, by about 5 AM I was to the point where I...
  10. VivaLasViejas

    I Passed! I Passed!! I PASSED!!!

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in General Nursing

    Thanks
  11. VivaLasViejas

    Exploring the Role of Medical-Surgical Nursing

    VivaLasViejas replied to Kimberly_Madison's topic in Medical-Surgical

    I'm a med/surg nurse in a small city hospital, and I see just about everything on my unit.......cardiac patients on telemetry, diabetics (LOTS of them), bariatric pts, detox, psych, cancer,...
  12. VivaLasViejas

    BOILS....need advice

    VivaLasViejas replied to SarasLPN's topic in General Nursing

    Back in the bad old days when we didn't have health insurance, I had a boil on my lower abdomen, and I treated it by putting a warm baking soda paste on it for 20 minutes 3 times a day. It took only...
  13. VivaLasViejas

    I'm Tired Of Being Cursed Out

    VivaLasViejas replied to Tweety's topic in General Nursing

    Awww, Tweets........don't ya just love those druggies? For the first few years I was a nurse, I just let that stuff run off my back......then, for some reason, I decided I wasn't going to put up...
  14. VivaLasViejas

    copper kettle equation

    VivaLasViejas replied to versatile_kat's topic in Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, CRNA

    Ditto for me.......I feel utterly stupid now.
  15. VivaLasViejas

    And Now.....What Do You LIKE to Do At Work?

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in General Nursing

    I enjoy making patients laugh, too! I generally joke around with them and toss off the one-liners when it's appropriate, but sometimes it's the spontaneous stuff that really breaks people...
  16. VivaLasViejas

    It's the day after Thanksgiving, and well, I'm at work again

    VivaLasViejas replied to Carotid's topic in Emergency

    I rarely venture anywhere near a retail establishment the day after Thanksgiving. I hate crowds anyway, and I hate pushy crowds even more. So why did I let my DH talk me into a trip into town this...
  17. VivaLasViejas

    CPR and DNR Orders

    VivaLasViejas replied to suprnurs40's topic in General Nursing

    I was thinking that too......I've never seen a pt. in cardiac arrest who was able to speak. :stone However, I agree that you have to do what the patient wants at a given time, DNR or no
  18. VivaLasViejas

    It's Thanksgiving, and well, I'm at work

    VivaLasViejas replied to Carotid's topic in Emergency

    I just saw the sky for the first time in several nights........full moon. No wonder it's been Hell Week. :stone But I did get my Thanksgiving off after
  19. VivaLasViejas

    It's Thanksgiving, and well, I'm at work

    VivaLasViejas replied to Carotid's topic in Emergency

    Me too! YAY!!! Yesterday evening I wouldn't have given myself a ghost of a chance of getting cut today........for some reason a whole bunch of folks seem to have thought that now was a good time to...
  20. VivaLasViejas

    It's Thanksgiving, and well, I'm at work

    VivaLasViejas replied to Carotid's topic in Emergency

    I see you're still online, steph........I take it you haven't been called in either.
  21. VivaLasViejas

    Acute Myeloid Leukemia, My Mom

    VivaLasViejas replied to leslie :-D's topic in Oncology

    Oh, Leslie, I am so sorry........what a year it's been for you and your family. I wish I had some words of wisdom for you, but I don't, so just know that you will be in my thoughts and
  22. VivaLasViejas

    Aspirin before 911

    VivaLasViejas replied to LVN2006's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    You're actually supposed to chew the ASA......not pleasant, but it does speed up the clot-busting effect. However, when you're having chest pain, chomping on a Bayer is far from the worst part of the...
  23. VivaLasViejas

    Munchausen's??

    VivaLasViejas posted a topic in General Nursing

    I've heard of this disorder, of course, and I've certainly seen plenty of TV shows depicting it more or less accurately........but until last week, I'd never met a real person who exhibited symptoms...
  24. VivaLasViejas

    Munchausen's??

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in General Nursing

    You have all made good points, and I thank you for your responses. I apologize if my post sounded judgmental; I don't mean to be, but when you live in a small city with a disproportionately large...
  25. VivaLasViejas

    Traveling with multiple animals

    VivaLasViejas replied to madore57's topic in Travel

    That's what I'd like to do when the kids are all out of the house......buy an RV, take my hubby and our animals on the road and work as a travel nurse. It sounds like a lot of fun, but of course it's...