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

    My patient committed suicide last night

    VivaLasViejas replied to Penelope_Pitstop's topic in General Nursing

    This.
  2. VivaLasViejas

    Welp - it's official!

    VivaLasViejas replied to meanmaryjean's topic in General Nursing

    Wow! Congratulations to
  3. VivaLasViejas

    nurses with Bipolar Disorder

    VivaLasViejas replied to KThurmond's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    I'm not so good lately as you make me out to be. For the past couple of weeks I've been going to bed around 0100--0200 and sleeping till 0900 or so. I'm getting adequate sleep, but I'm a little...
  4. VivaLasViejas

    Rehab and BON

    VivaLasViejas replied to nursing9999's topic in Nurses Recovery

    The answer to this is: Don't "screw up again", don't get caught, and don't think negative. You and you alone have the power to stop drinking/drugging, and you are strong enough to stay clean/sober....
  5. VivaLasViejas

    nurses with Bipolar Disorder

    VivaLasViejas replied to KThurmond's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Bumping up thread for more responses (hopefully). I'd like some of the other nurses with BP to talk to you about how they manage their careers and illnesses successfully.
  6. VivaLasViejas

    Nursing student with compensatory sweating!

    VivaLasViejas replied to mtsu7676's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Hello Mike, and welcome to Allnurses! I'm sorry to read about this problem. It must be really uncomfortable for you. However, per our Terms of Service we cannot offer any medical advice, as it is...
  7. VivaLasViejas

    Any nurses dealing with a personal terminal illness?

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

    I am so sorry. I'm not dealing with my own diagnosis but that of my dear husband, who is on hospice for pancreatic cancer. I can't even imagine what you must be going through. I hope things work out...
  8. VivaLasViejas

    Paradoxical reaction to Benadryl?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Infofreak411's topic in Patient Medications

    Benadryl wires me up something fierce. Then when I finally do go to sleep, I have horrific nightmares. Needless to say, I avoid the stuff like the
  9. VivaLasViejas

    Obesity; The "Second Hand Smoke" of Modern American Society

    VivaLasViejas replied to Brenda F. Johnson's topic in General Nursing

    Thank you for this non-biased, non-judgmental piece on obesity. I look forward to reading the entire
  10. VivaLasViejas

    nurses with Bipolar Disorder

    VivaLasViejas replied to KThurmond's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Hi there! I'm a 'retired' RN with bipolar 1 who had to leave nursing because of the stress. For the longest time I didn't know how to manage my illness properly, and unfortunately it cost me my...
  11. VivaLasViejas

    Less judgment more, construction. Don't tell me I cannot, tell me how to, and this is why.

    VivaLasViejas replied to honeyforasalteyfish's topic in General Nursing

    I agree with previous posters who advised you (in so many words) to take your time and not over-think things so much. We who suffer from mental illnesses have to learn to be marathon runners, not...
  12. VivaLasViejas

    Ridiculous medical mistakes on TV

    VivaLasViejas replied to adventure_rn's topic in Nursing Humor

    I love shows where the ER docs are also surgeons, and where they start all the IVs and sit with patients.
  13. VivaLasViejas

    Enforcement Department

    VivaLasViejas replied to Houston TX's topic in Licensure: Criminal History

    Hi there, and welcome to Allnurses! It would be helpful to have more information on the circumstances surrounding your legal issues, e. g. who did you pay the $150 to, and what is your "case"? In the...
  14. VivaLasViejas

    What do you think about the voluntary use of seclusion rooms as a nurse/mental health aid?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Calvinfair's topic in Psychiatric

    I know it's a pipe dream, but I think private accommodations ought to be the rule everywhere. It seems to me it would probably lessen the need for "quiet rooms" or seclusion since it would give...
  15. VivaLasViejas

    Dealing with Depresion, and Crohn's disease How best to manage my illness

    VivaLasViejas replied to honeyforasalteyfish's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Your mileage may vary, but therapy is a must for me along with my medication. Therapy helps me to identify problems and work on them, as well as gives me the opportunity to offload the emotions I...
  16. VivaLasViejas

    In what setting does an RN do the most thorough physical assessments and health histories?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Lemon Bars's topic in General Nursing

    The most thorough assessments I ever did were when I was an admissions nurse in a SNF. Full head to toe, allergies, medical history, social history, advance directives, spiritual needs, vaccinations,...
  17. VivaLasViejas

    Favorite sayings

    VivaLasViejas replied to NursesRmofun's topic in Nursing Humor

    "Time, patience, and perseverance will accomplish all things" (IOW, I will survive this shift.) "Those who stir the (brown word) pot should have to lick the
  18. VivaLasViejas

    Did you get unemployment?

    VivaLasViejas replied to StillRN's topic in Nurses Recovery

    I was fortunate enough (if you can call it that) to land in similar circumstances twice: once when I quit my hospital job due to being unable to handle the stress anymore, and once when I was let go...
  19. VivaLasViejas

    Signs You Won't Pass A Survey

    VivaLasViejas replied to Adele_Michal7's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Wow...eight IJs! Did the facility get shut
  20. VivaLasViejas

    Signs You Won't Pass A Survey

    VivaLasViejas replied to Adele_Michal7's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    I've been both a LTC nurse and a surveyor, and I can tell you that the amount of documentation required of the nursing staff virtually doubles every time the facility is in the survey window. The...
  21. VivaLasViejas

    I Hate Psych

    VivaLasViejas replied to b52RN's topic in Psychiatric

    Just so you know...some people who "get a note claiming they're bipolar so they can get disability", really are disabled to the point of needing it. And not all of us are
  22. VivaLasViejas

    Nursing: The Highly Skilled Customer Service Representative

    VivaLasViejas replied to gleanns's topic in General Nursing

    Couldn't have said it any better myself,
  23. VivaLasViejas

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

    VivaLasViejas replied to MeAndArmini's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    That's amazing. I had nothing but bad results from my employers who knew I was bipolar. There was no understanding---I couldn't even get accommodations when I needed them to perform my job. I didn't...
  24. VivaLasViejas

    Hospice Nursing: A Season Pass

    VivaLasViejas replied to jeastridge's topic in Hospice, Palliative

    I have had the privilege of working with many hospice patients and nurses during my career. Now that my own husband is on service, I appreciate what hospice has to offer even more. I'm not afraid to...
  25. VivaLasViejas

    Nursing interventions and discharge needs for pt with bile duct leak?

    VivaLasViejas replied to ital91's topic in General Nursing

    You're not going to get better at interventions by asking anonymous people on the Internet to furnish you with the answers. These assignments are intended to make you think critically, which you must...