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

    Back to work with disability ...

    VivaLasViejas replied to Lmariani55's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    You will still more than likely need a refresher course. Things have changed greatly in the past 8 years and I'd think you would want to take a refresher to bring your knowledge up to speed, even if...
  2. VivaLasViejas

    Returning to nursing after 7 year absense

    VivaLasViejas replied to zachjessmom's topic in Nurses Recovery

    Even if you're not required to take a refresher course, you'll want to take one because things have changed A LOT in seven years. It's worth the expense, and it will probably give you a leg up when...
  3. VivaLasViejas

    LTC Nursing gets a bad rap!

    VivaLasViejas replied to Gchr's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    There have been many times when I've wanted to tell a family member, "If you think you can do a better job of taking care of your Mom than we can, then by all means take her home!" But I think a LOT...
  4. VivaLasViejas

    Tips on taking vitals on the elderly

    VivaLasViejas replied to negatron's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    If you have access to a Doppler device, try taking the blood pressure with that. Sometimes Korotkoff's sounds in frail elderly people are VERY difficult, if not impossible to hear. I've also taken...
  5. VivaLasViejas

    My good friend is a 'witch' at work

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

    Hmm. My definition of a "good person" doesn't include being a witch, eating one's young, belittling or gossiping about others. But that's just
  6. VivaLasViejas

    Dilemma

    VivaLasViejas replied to chill1121's topic in First Year After Licensure

    A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. In other words, take that job that's been offered to you and don't wait for an opportunity at the hospital that may not come. Keep your options...
  7. VivaLasViejas

    Please help!

    VivaLasViejas replied to Krk410's topic in Nurses Recovery

    How did it go with the
  8. VivaLasViejas

    You know you're tired when...

    VivaLasViejas replied to ICURN3020's topic in General Nursing

    I used to sleepwalk after I'd worked a series of 12-hour night shifts. I once tried to start an IV on my husband in my sleep---he woke up to find me palpating his veins and looking around for an...
  9. VivaLasViejas

    Relapse

    VivaLasViejas replied to elizabeth10's topic in Nurses Recovery

    I OD'd on Ativan a year ago, after almost 22 years of sobriety. Though it was pills and not alcohol that I consumed, the intent and the results were the same. It broke my heart when I realized what I...
  10. VivaLasViejas

    New RN in Skilled Nursing Facility

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

    First of all, congratulate yourself on the fact that you are a brand-new RN who happens to be managing well in a very tough situation! 3-11 shifts in SNFs are hell on everyone---that's when the...
  11. VivaLasViejas

    Help me feel better about this - Full time 8 hour nights

    VivaLasViejas replied to amyshell's topic in General Nursing

    I used to work 32-hour weeks, 2300-0700. That was pretty decent, as I couldn't handle 12's and I didn't want to work 5 nights per week. The problem was I was expected to do 12 hours' worth of work in...
  12. VivaLasViejas

    Has being a nurse changed your outlook on...

    VivaLasViejas replied to richardgecko's topic in General Nursing

    I'm with The Commuter: there are a number of things worse than death. And for my money, being tied down to a ventilator or existing, forgotten, in a nursing home are two of
  13. VivaLasViejas

    Family members recording nurses doing pt teaching

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

    I'm so glad I'm missing out on all this. I'm also sorry nurses are being subjected to potentially risky and embarrassing situations because their facilities don't have policies prohibiting patients...
  14. VivaLasViejas

    Would you like your job more if you were paid more?

    VivaLasViejas replied to proud nurse's topic in General Nursing

    There are some things you could pay me a million dollars a year for, but working on a dysfunctional unit with ridiculous nurse/patient ratios isn't one of them. NO amount of money is worth the...
  15. VivaLasViejas

    who has left nursing ?

    VivaLasViejas replied to sabatical's topic in Retired Nurses

    I left clinical nursing on December 31, 2013, and after a lot of soul-searching have decided not to try to return. I just don't have anything left to give to it. I loved being a nurse, and I wish I...
  16. VivaLasViejas

    The Worst Nursing Job You Ever Had

    VivaLasViejas replied to firstyearstudent's topic in General Nursing

    It would have to be a draw between my very first job at a LTC where I had to take 8 residents as a CNA along with my charge nurse/med nurse duties, and the assisted living facility whose administrator...
  17. VivaLasViejas

    Have you started antidepressants since becoming a nurse?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Nola009's topic in Health, Stress Management

    I was on anti-depressants and anxiolytics for years after becoming a nurse. I thought it was because my career was so stressful and I was having a lot of problems with depression and anxiety. I was...
  18. VivaLasViejas

    Things I wish I could tell my patients

    VivaLasViejas replied to vintagemother's topic in Psychiatric

    Yes. This. ^^ Being open about MI is the only way to eradicate stigma, IMHO. It can be costly, especially in terms of one's career, but ultimately it's worth it to come out of the shadows and prove...
  19. VivaLasViejas

    Things I wish I could tell my patients

    VivaLasViejas replied to vintagemother's topic in Psychiatric

    I too am glad you can come here to vent. I think having a mental illness yourself makes you empathetic and understanding in a way that neurotypicals can't be, no matter how well-intentioned and...
  20. VivaLasViejas

    what nurses do if a patient wants blood transfusions

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

    I suspect that English may not be the OP's first language, hence the confusion about this post. Hopefully she will come back to this thread and elaborate a little on what she was looking
  21. VivaLasViejas

    whats the main cause of stress that RN goes through at work?

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

    I regret that the stress of it cost me a good portion of my physical health, to say nothing of my sanity. I really needed to stay in nursing till age 66, but I only made it to 55 before my health...
  22. VivaLasViejas

    Confront or do a slow burn!

    VivaLasViejas replied to rich5clark's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    This is what drives me nuts about so many healthcare settings. Spies? Tattling? Rumors? What is this, junior high school? No! It's a workplace, for crying out loud, and the nurses should be taking...
  23. VivaLasViejas

    National Suicide Prevention Day

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

    I am so sorry for your loss. I can't even fathom the depth of pain experienced by families of suicide victims. From what I'm reading at Psych Central and Psychiatric Times, new discoveries in the...
  24. VivaLasViejas

    National Suicide Prevention Day

    VivaLasViejas posted a topic in Health, Stress Management

    Today, September 10th, is National Suicide Prevention Day. As comedian Robin Williams' recent death shows us, anyone can be at risk for suicide; it is no respecter of social status, income, or...
  25. VivaLasViejas

    educating people

    VivaLasViejas replied to nursedanny614's topic in Psychiatric

    Regrettably, I think the window to a good dialogue about mental illness is closing rapidly in the wake of Robin Williams' death. It gave us a great starting point, but our culture's attention span is...