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

    AL vs. LTC

    VivaLasViejas replied to MsPiggy's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    I've worked extensively in AL and the best I can tell you is, get out of there while the gettin's good! What you're seeing in your facility is typical of AL these days, with owners in it for as much $...
  2. VivaLasViejas

    Can I be a registered nurse if I have bipolar disorder?

    VivaLasViejas replied to MeAndArmini's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    You've got that right! You'd think the healthcare industry would be a little more forgiving and understanding, seeing as how we take care of all sorts of people with similar conditions without judging...
  3. VivaLasViejas

    nurses with Bipolar Disorder

    VivaLasViejas replied to KThurmond's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Thank you. I appreciate your kind words. Just out of curiosity, were you diagnosed by a psychiatrist or a regular doctor? It takes specialized training to be able to properly diagnose mental disorders...
  4. VivaLasViejas

    A Nurse's Hands

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in General Nursing

    Thank you all! You have made my week. It's funny, I didn't realize how sentimental I was about nursing until I wrote this. The last two years of my career were pretty awful, but now that I've been...
  5. VivaLasViejas

    3/19 What I learned this week: more about employment laws than anything else

    VivaLasViejas replied to ixchel's topic in General Nursing

    I learned that I'm still sentimental about nursing even though my relationship with it ended badly.
  6. VivaLasViejas

    nurses with Bipolar Disorder

    VivaLasViejas replied to KThurmond's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    I'm glad I can help. Helping others battle this illness helps me, too. I remember all too well how I felt when I was first diagnosed four years ago, like I was lost and alone in the world. It also...
  7. VivaLasViejas

    Look who's back..back again...Jahi's back...

    VivaLasViejas replied to Penelope_Pitstop's topic in General Nursing

    She looks like a sleeping angel.
  8. VivaLasViejas

    Thrown From the Tower!!

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

    Meh. I went back and looked at some previous posts, and now I feel like the joke's on me. I just. don't. get. it. Who DOES that kind of stuff and expects there to be no
  9. VivaLasViejas

    Thrown From the Tower!!

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

    I think the OP is yanking our collective
  10. VivaLasViejas

    How Did I Manage It?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Kitiger's topic in General Nursing

    You are quite the poet! Thank you for
  11. VivaLasViejas

    Tell me why you regret about becoming a Nurse

    VivaLasViejas replied to Want2BeeRN's topic in General Nursing

    I regret not being able to do it
  12. VivaLasViejas

    Nursing with Depression

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

    If your medication regimen is more than an antidepressant or two, you'd be better off getting a referral to a psychiatrist. Most PCPs are not qualified to diagnose or treat serious mental illnesses...
  13. VivaLasViejas

    Nursing with Depression

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

    Hello there, and welcome to Allnurses! I'm sorry you've been so ill. I've battled depression since I was a little girl and know how bad it can be. At one point a year and a half ago, I was even...
  14. VivaLasViejas

    3/12: what I learned this week: ALWAYS taper your SSRI

    VivaLasViejas replied to ixchel's topic in General Nursing

    I wasn't talking about now, but the months and years prior to my bipolar diagnosis in 2012 and for some time after. I haven't had any trouble since I've been properly medicated, though. And your posts...
  15. VivaLasViejas

    3/12: what I learned this week: ALWAYS taper your SSRI

    VivaLasViejas replied to ixchel's topic in General Nursing

    It helps me too. When I disclosed my diagnosis here four years ago, I was honestly afraid of what people would say, but my posting behavior had been so erratic for so long that other members noticed...
  16. VivaLasViejas

    Sending res to hospital- did I make the right call?

    VivaLasViejas replied to suzw's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    I would, and indeed have, sent residents out with similar issues. One of my DONs had a rule that we nurses were to call her before calling the doctor, and I always did but ultimately it was MY...
  17. VivaLasViejas

    Milk & Schizophrenia

    VivaLasViejas replied to WinterLilac's topic in Psychiatric

    Interesting thought. My husband has stage IV pancreatic CA w/ liver and bone mets, and has had a lot of nausea and vomiting. His hospice nurse recommended using Haldol BID to help with that, and by...
  18. VivaLasViejas

    Student nurses with disabilities

    VivaLasViejas replied to sara2013's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    No matter where a nurse practices, she/he needs to be detail-oriented and able to think fast on her/his feet. Having cognitive impairments and memory problems is incompatible with a nursing career....
  19. VivaLasViejas

    Words You Hate

    VivaLasViejas replied to OyWithThePoodles's topic in General Nursing

    Speaking of mispronunciation: I've never been able to say "asterisk" correctly. I can say "ass-ter-isk", but run all those syllables together and it ALWAYS comes out "asterix". So instead of sounding...
  20. VivaLasViejas

    Student nurses with disabilities

    VivaLasViejas replied to sara2013's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Here's a twist: I had to leave nursing due to memory loss and cognitive impairments. I have a serious mental illness and the combination of repeated episodes, and the medications I take to manage it,...
  21. VivaLasViejas

    Hospice: True Death Sentence?

    VivaLasViejas replied to jeastridge's topic in Hospice, Palliative

    Thank you for this article. I worked side-by-side with hospice in many different situations during my years as a long-term care nurse, and I always felt honored to be a part of the process. So when it...
  22. VivaLasViejas

    ixchel's 3/7/16 What Have I Learned This Week, with A Lil' Help From My Friends!

    VivaLasViejas replied to Farawyn's topic in General Nursing

    I've learned that I learn a lot from reading these What I Learned This Week threads. Keeps me current even though I'm no longer
  23. VivaLasViejas

    Words You Hate

    VivaLasViejas replied to OyWithThePoodles's topic in General Nursing

    Obese. Smegma. Pus. Mucus.
  24. VivaLasViejas

    Do you disclose AN to coworkers

    VivaLasViejas replied to Keepstanding's topic in School

    I used to give out Allnurses pens to co-workers and ancillary staff, but never told them who I was on here. My user name isn't easily guessed so I didn't really worry about
  25. VivaLasViejas

    Creative Weapons

    VivaLasViejas replied to sarabellum1's topic in Psychiatric

    When I was IP one guy snapped his plastic toothbrush in half and used it to cut his