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

    Help! Someone to help with interview questions for a class.

    VivaLasViejas replied to texasdaughn's topic in General Nursing

    Call up your local hospital or LTC facility and find out who the administrators and managers are. Ask if they would be willing to give you a few moments of their time for this interview. In person is...
  2. VivaLasViejas

    Disabled seems to have some new meaning!

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

    This conversation is discouraging to me as someone who just very reluctantly began the process of applying for SSDI. I probably should've done it two years ago. I have been struggling so hard with...
  3. VivaLasViejas

    Unhealthy Habits of Nurses

    VivaLasViejas replied to lynns75's topic in Health, Stress Management

    We as nurses are also
  4. VivaLasViejas

    Unhealthy Habits of Nurses

    VivaLasViejas replied to lynns75's topic in Health, Stress Management

    Where's the beating-dead-horse smiley when you need him? Really, this topic has been done to death and it never ends well. The best thing would be for the OP to meet with and interview practicing...
  5. VivaLasViejas

    Down time

    VivaLasViejas replied to garciadiego's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Downtime? What is this "downtime" of which you speak? When I was working in LTC I ran nonstop for a solid eight hours---I usually had no meal break and no pit stops, let alone time to gossip in the...
  6. VivaLasViejas

    I work in a sauna!!

    VivaLasViejas replied to MsPebbles's topic in General Nursing

    In the state where I live, temperature settings in facilities are determined by law and must be no warmer than 76 degrees. Employees are forbidden to touch them, and indeed they are locked in most...
  7. VivaLasViejas

    Nurse gets fired after MD complaint

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

    Yes, indeed, I have been that nurse with a target on my back because an assistant nurse manager took a dislike to me. She did everything she could to make my life hell the last year I worked at that...
  8. VivaLasViejas

    To cut or not to cut?

    VivaLasViejas replied to ICURN3020's topic in General Nursing

    I would never in a million years consider it OK to cut a resident's hair or shave off a beard without permission from the resident and/or family. It doesn't matter if food gets into the beard or the...
  9. VivaLasViejas

    Remaining cordial with coworkers you dislike

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

    I know what you mean. I'm the same way.....no matter what I do, I wear my emotions all over my face and I am powerless to change it. HOWEVER---it's still possible to be nice to people you don't like....
  10. VivaLasViejas

    State Survey...?

    VivaLasViejas replied to HopeOnTheRocks's topic in General Nursing

    Try not to sweat this too much. You are human, you made a mistake.....it's not the end of the world, and if you were to be fired for a first-time charting error you don't want to work for that place...
  11. VivaLasViejas

    What makes a COB crusty?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Pepper The Cat's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    R-E-S-P-E-C-T. We gave it, we got it. Walking down the hall at night giving Haldol IMs to all the confused and agitated patients. (It's good that this has changed!) Mixing our own IV meds after...
  12. VivaLasViejas

    Nurse gets fired after MD complaint

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

    Sounds to me like she needed to be fired long before the doctor complained. Why did it take that for something to be done about
  13. VivaLasViejas

    Getting into nursing school with a mental illness? Is it going to be possible?

    VivaLasViejas replied to lntm2925's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    I like the visual on the intrusive thoughts, BeOne77. I use a similar tactic, visualizing a huge STOP sign and concentrating on the letters for a minute or so, however long it takes to change focus....
  14. VivaLasViejas

    UNDERWEAR (Yes, underwear)

    VivaLasViejas replied to nycnurse92's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    Never thought much about it one way or the other. I'm so used to seeing patients in all states of undress that it doesn't bother me. But then, I've got years of experience and that probably makes a...
  15. VivaLasViejas

    looking for support from fellow nurses?

    VivaLasViejas replied to chasity_paige88's topic in Health, Stress Management

    I can't add much to what the above poster said. Just know that there are many, many nurses who suffer from anxiety and depression, and that there is help available, even if it's the county mental...
  16. VivaLasViejas

    Getting into nursing school with a mental illness? Is it going to be possible?

    VivaLasViejas replied to lntm2925's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Hello, and Welcome to Allnurses! I'm sorry you are in such distress. Please see your mental health provider as soon as possible, as he or she is the best person to advise you. You may need meds or a...
  17. VivaLasViejas

    Scenario - input, please!

    VivaLasViejas replied to GoodNightNurse-LVN's topic in Patient Medications

    These words ring a bell? I wasn't the only one who found this statement a bit harsh. I can't speak for other AN members with mental health concerns, but I personally would hate to be in the care of a...
  18. VivaLasViejas

    Would you want your child to become a Nurse???

    VivaLasViejas replied to myownboss's topic in General Nursing

    My youngest son is a medication aide who is in the middle of his pre-nursing classes. His aim is to become a nurse practitioner, and I salute him for it. He is a very practical young man who is able...
  19. VivaLasViejas

    Out of control visitors

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

    My husband and I raised our kids the old-fashioned way, and I'm proud to say they're raising theirs in the same fashion. My grandsons do NOT run around restaurants screaming and running into other...
  20. VivaLasViejas

    I. Just. Can't....

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

    Reminds me of the first time I performed CPR. The patient was in her late 80s and weighed about 90 lbs dripping wet; she had fallen at her nursing home and fractured her hip, so the family demanded an...
  21. VivaLasViejas

    Which nurse called it?

    VivaLasViejas replied to garciadiego's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    What do you think should be done, if
  22. VivaLasViejas

    Which nurse called it?

    VivaLasViejas replied to garciadiego's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Is this
  23. VivaLasViejas

    Scenario - input, please!

    VivaLasViejas replied to GoodNightNurse-LVN's topic in Patient Medications

    A reminder.....not every patient with mental health issues is demanding or hostile, nor does the response to agitation necessarily require heavy-duty psych meds. Just
  24. VivaLasViejas

    Scenario - input, please!

    VivaLasViejas replied to GoodNightNurse-LVN's topic in Patient Medications

    This is about the time I'd be calling to ask the prescriber to switch the narcotic to oxycodone (assuming there's no allergy) so there's little chance of overdoing it on the
  25. VivaLasViejas

    Are We Truly That Gullible?

    VivaLasViejas replied to Teacher Sue's topic in General Nursing

    I read that awhile back. The way things are going in nursing with all the emphasis on customer service, I think we could be there in another couple of years, but it hasn't gotten quite that bad