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

    Random Question

    VivaLasViejas replied to Adele_Michal7's topic in Nurses Recovery

    This is very true. It's when a nurse commits a crime that it absolutely must be reported to the BON, and DUI is most certainly a crime. FWIW, I've never reported my own mental health issues to the...
  2. VivaLasViejas

    Pay Cut "Because of ObamaCare and Jerry Brown"

    VivaLasViejas replied to i_love_patient_care's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    Governor Moonbeam is still nuttier than a squirrel, and I can't believe the people of California actually gave him a third term. But he's small potatoes compared with the Titanic failure that...
  3. VivaLasViejas

    Random Question

    VivaLasViejas replied to Adele_Michal7's topic in Nurses Recovery

    Alcohol dependency often has its roots in mental illness, and mental illness is made worse by substance abuse of any kind. Your nurse friend needs to wake up to the fact that she has an ETOH problem,...
  4. VivaLasViejas

    What do you think about this? Giving narcan to addicts, their friends and family.

    VivaLasViejas replied to Mulan's topic in Patient Medications

    I have to wonder if the proponents of this idea have seen very many people Narcan-ed. I have, and believe me, even nice, normal people who are just over-sedated post-op can come roaring out of that...
  5. VivaLasViejas

    Has anyone else noticed change in body after shift?

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

    Doesn't sound crazy at all. I notice things like that after I've worked a particularly long shift, and of course my legs look like sausages stuffed into casings that are a size too small. I drink a...
  6. VivaLasViejas

    New Nurse Fired After 3 months (cant find another job)

    VivaLasViejas replied to silentwolves's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    To be honest, going on disability is usually the LAST thing a person with mental health issues should do. Unless your illness is so severe that you cannot function at all---pay your bills, shop for...
  7. VivaLasViejas

    The Daily Habits Of A Psych Nurse

    VivaLasViejas replied to JesusKeepMe's topic in Psychiatric

    My husband should've become a psych nurse. He's just about the only person on the planet who can redirect me when my mania gets out of control. Plus, he's big and strong and I've seen him wrestle a...
  8. VivaLasViejas

    Patient clearly not ready to be discharged. . .is discharged. Vent.

    VivaLasViejas replied to AlphaPig's topic in General Nursing

    Hospitals' treating patients like hot potatoes does nothing for the SNF's image, either. I do some QA work for my facility and we do our level best to prevent hospital readmissions, but sometimes they...
  9. VivaLasViejas

    Sorry, but no..:

    VivaLasViejas replied to Carpediem1012's topic in General Students

    My psychiatrist refers to patients as clients. But when I have to call the office, I refer to myself as a "patient of Dr. Awesomesauce". I guess it's all in what we're used to......when I went to...
  10. VivaLasViejas

    I Quit My Job. Now What?

    VivaLasViejas replied to bluegeegoo2's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Sometimes, you gotta know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em. At least you went out under your own power.
  11. VivaLasViejas

    Nursing makes me hate fat people

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

    Again I say: let's work on the SOLUTIONS to managing heavy patients, rather than getting all high and mighty about how they got that way and how superior thin people are to the obese....
  12. VivaLasViejas

    Being a Patient Where you Work

    VivaLasViejas replied to ChristineN's topic in Emergency

    I've been in the ER and inpatient at the hospital where I used to work, as have many members of my family. All of the people who were there when I was are still my friends, and I don't know too many...
  13. VivaLasViejas

    Nursing makes me hate fat people

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

    May I remind everyone that not all fat people are that way because of bad choices? Most, yes, but there is a significant number of people who gain weight because of a metabolic problem, or because...
  14. VivaLasViejas

    Prayer Before Surgery

    VivaLasViejas replied to orscrubcutie1's topic in Operating Room

    I wish more atheists felt the same way as you and would speak up about it. All we ever hear from are the radicals who are offended by the sight of religious symbols, and who work tirelessly to take...
  15. VivaLasViejas

    Government Nursing

    VivaLasViejas replied to Lunah's topic in Government, Military

    Very interesting! Although this job isn't Federal, I recently interviewed with my state's Client Care Monitoring Unit for a position as a long-term care surveyor, and I am excited! The job won't start...
  16. VivaLasViejas

    medical error injection

    VivaLasViejas replied to jennifer009's topic in Patient Safety Issues

    Are you serious??!! Please tell us you're not really a nurse or student nurse. We don't appreciate being pranked, but I'd rather that were the truth than worry that you're actually taking care of...
  17. VivaLasViejas

    New Back Pain

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

    Hello, and welcome to Allnurses! I wish there was some assistance we could give you, but per our Terms of Service, we cannot offer any sort of medical advice. Your healthcare practitioner is always...
  18. VivaLasViejas

    Texas BON for bipolar disorder

    VivaLasViejas replied to bella_'s topic in Nurse Disabilities

    That's great news, bella_!!! I'm so glad for you......I know this has been some tough sledding. Go
  19. VivaLasViejas

    Reprimanded for reporting medication errors and so much more

    VivaLasViejas replied to reprimanded's topic in LPN, LVN Students

    I must be missing something here. Nowhere have I seen it posted that the OP was in charge of any other student(s) at that clinical site, nor do I understand why something that happened in the previous...
  20. VivaLasViejas

    (Lack of) Mental Healthcare and What To Do?

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

    Unfortunately, if one is not in the middle of a crisis, it's harder to get in to see an actual mental health professional. That's because there is a shortage of psychiatrists in this country, and the...
  21. VivaLasViejas

    Calling In Sick: Dealing With Mental Illness At Work, Part 3

    VivaLasViejas posted a topic in Nurse Disabilities

    Among the challenges of being a healthcare professional with a mental disorder, perhaps none is so difficult as maintaining one's composure during an exacerbation of illness. Not only is it...
  22. VivaLasViejas

    Calling In Sick: Dealing With Mental Illness At Work, Part 1

    VivaLasViejas posted a topic in Nurse Disabilities

    The alarm clock jolts you awake as it does every morning at 0500, alerting you to the fact that today is yet another work day. You groan and pull the covers over your head momentarily, wishing for...
  23. VivaLasViejas

    Calling In Sick: Dealing With Mental Illness At Work, Part 3

    VivaLasViejas replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in Nurse Disabilities

    I'm glad to hear that, RN. It's not always easy to convey what we really mean in black-and-white text. Hang in there......better days WILL come. You can count on
  24. VivaLasViejas

    PLEASE HELP Before they kick me out!

    VivaLasViejas replied to FutureRNKat's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    I don't think that people mature enough and smart enough to have made it into nursing school should have to be told more than once about what the expectations are. If it's important to them, they'll...
  25. VivaLasViejas

    Didn't know where to put this, but help?

    VivaLasViejas replied to BeccaC623's topic in General Students

    I have had both MRSA and C.diff. and obviously survived them, so it's not the end of the world. I think it's safe to say that many, if not most healthcare workers are colonized w/ MRSA; it causes...