Okiecruffler

Okiecruffler

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All Content by Okiecruffler

  1. Let's talk about death

    Okiecruffler posted a topic in PICU, Pediatric

    Why shouldn't we? We're not afraid. I'll never forget my first code, I think I had been a nurse for all of 32 hours. Wasn't my patient, so I just hit the chest compressions, good physical job where...

  2. Let's talk about death

    Okiecruffler replied to Okiecruffler's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    I love that this thread keeps coming back to life. It shows me that I was not alone in how I felt. It is true that most of your pts live and get better and go about their little lives. But those are...

  3. Let's talk about death

    Okiecruffler replied to Okiecruffler's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    Reminds me of my very first patient in the PICU. Here I come to meet my preceptor, me a big bad ass nurse fresh from adult CCU. I find her sitting at the bedside of a beautiful 8 y/o boy. So I ask,...

  4. Let's talk about death

    Okiecruffler replied to Okiecruffler's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    Horribly painful, beautifully touching. I've always said, I've met people at their absolute worst, and been surprised by how wonderful they are. Too many times the immediate family is in such shock...

  5. Let's talk about death

    Okiecruffler replied to Okiecruffler's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    I sometimes think that doctors are our worst enemy. Working for so long with residents I've seen all the false hope I ever want to see. Had a 14 y/o come in one night, ATV accident, C2 internal decap....

  6. Let's talk about death

    Okiecruffler replied to Okiecruffler's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    This is what I was hoping to see, an open discussion that boils down to "damn right, this is hard" I remember my first tour of the PICU. I asked the nurse supervisor how she coped with losing...

  7. Missing the PICU, probably for the wrong reasons

    Okiecruffler posted a topic in PICU, Pediatric

    For 10 years I worked the PICU and loved it. Then my son was born. Every coping skill I had failed me. I could no longer remove myself from the patient. Finally last december, after losing 3 pts in 2...

  8. Missing the PICU, probably for the wrong reasons

    Okiecruffler replied to Okiecruffler's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    Actually, it was mostly being a dad in general;). No, you know once you've been in the game awhile, become one of the senior nurses, gotten you certs, then you become the go-to when something bad...

  9. Thinking of relocating

    Okiecruffler posted a topic in General Nursing

    I'm currently a PICU nurse in Oklahoma, but my wife and I are considering relocating to N.H. I was just wondering how the nursing situation is up there. I would hate to leave the PICU, but ICU or ED...

  10. Thinking of relocating

    Okiecruffler replied to Okiecruffler's topic in General Nursing

    I'm originally from Blanchard, now living happily in Norman. Been working for the past few months at MWC regional hospital in the float pool. Had a son born last year and kinda lost my coping skills...

  11. Anyone in Burmingham Ala?

    Okiecruffler posted a topic in PICU, Pediatric

    One of our Ped heart surgeons, Dr Christopher Knott-Craig, just relocated to run the cardiac program there and I was just wondering if he had gotten settled in

  12. Anyone in Burmingham Ala?

    Okiecruffler replied to Okiecruffler's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    In Oklahoma he did some adults. Not sure what he'll be doing

  13. Is this standard procedure?

    Okiecruffler posted a topic in Oklahoma Nursing

    I have a full time job in the PICU. I love it. I trust everyone there from the monitor techs to the unit supervisor. We're a great team that works well together. But that's not my problem. I also...

  14. Is this standard procedure?

    Okiecruffler replied to Okiecruffler's topic in Oklahoma Nursing

    Sorry, I wasn't very clear last night. In the PICU we run 2 to 1, sometimes 1 to 1. Some of us more experienced nurses will take 3 to 1 if we're baby sitting floorbait. This was just an adult med surg...

  15. Best hospitals in OKC area to work for?

    Okiecruffler replied to marilynmom's topic in Oklahoma Nursing

    I'm not sure why OUHSC has such a high turnover rate. I love the PICU, it's the only place in the hospital I would work. I'm not sure if they hire grad nurses in the ER or not. I know we do in the...

  16. Best hospitals in OKC area to work for?

    Okiecruffler replied to marilynmom's topic in Oklahoma Nursing

    If you really want to work ER you should work University. The pay isn't as good as some places, but it's the only level one in

  17. PICU Nurses

    Okiecruffler replied to biscuit_007's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    Children's Hospital Oklahoma City here. We run 18 beds but can usually only staff for 16 and that's if they are all 2:1pts. We have 2 top notch cardio surgeons so we see 6-10 hearts a week. We used to...

  18. Oklahoma Nurses

    Okiecruffler replied to CCU NRS's topic in Oklahoma Nursing

    I know there is an ADN to BSN program at OU med that several of the nurses I work with are in. I'll ask Friday when I go back to work and post what I find

  19. PLEASE- need input on RN programs in OKC (NOT wanting RN vs. BSN opinions)

    Okiecruffler replied to okie2's topic in Oklahoma Nursing

    I think you may have gotten the remedial nursing thing from me. I've refered to it as the school of remedial nursing since my first semester there. I'm also old enough to refer to the whole school as...

  20. PICU - What are your patient staff ratios?

    Okiecruffler replied to wendyw2's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    We're typically 2:1 unless the pt's condition makes it otherwise. I've taken some 3:1 assignments if they are the right pts and I'm feeling especially spry. We usually have 1 RT who does Tx and vent...

  21. Pre-lpn Student-need Legal ? Answered

    Okiecruffler replied to ALONNA's topic in Oklahoma Nursing

    Not only that, but some offenses are going to more okay if you declare them up front rather than have them find out. Sneaky is not seen as a good quality by the OBON or an employer. And for what is...

  22. Oklahoma Nurses

    Okiecruffler replied to CCU NRS's topic in Oklahoma Nursing

    Hi all, John here, originally from Blanchard, now in Del City. Graduated from the school of remedial nursing (OKCCC), worked at first in the stepdown unit at St. Anthony's, then found myself in the...

  23. Langston or OU

    Okiecruffler replied to Asiancutie's topic in Oklahoma Nursing

    I don't know where you are, but if you're interested in a ADN program, have you considered OKCCC? Granted, it's been a few years back, but IIRC my class had around a 95% pass rate. Quite abit cheaper...

  24. I Dont Knoow?!?

    Okiecruffler replied to Dream2BAneoNurs's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    I love my post op heart kids, they keep you jumping all night, and I have a special place for the hemoc kids, but I'm a trauma dog at heart. To many years watching ER I suppose. So I see most if not...

  25. Fresh tracheostomies

    Okiecruffler replied to vssimpson's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    Our trachs come up on just a tad of sedation, sutured and tied of course, no bagging for the first 24 hours but nothing else. The only trach I've seen come out was one that a new nurse tried to bag...