CapeCodMermaid RN

Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health

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All Content by CapeCodMermaid

  1. CapeCodMermaid

    Patient pain medication

    CapeCodMermaid replied to Nursing36578's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    Never use demerol in an elderly person. They can't metabolize it. The ordered meds are fine. Anxiety can increase pain. No one who is truly in pain is going to become addicted to it. She's OLD. You...
  2. CapeCodMermaid

    Physician squabbles and after hours orders

    CapeCodMermaid replied to notanumber's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    A very good reason to have a Coumadin protocol for stable
  3. CapeCodMermaid

    Questioning a doctors order

    CapeCodMermaid replied to MrsJt's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    Then 1950s are calling and they want those nurses back. It is our duty as health care professionals to question orders from doctors and nurse practitioners. They are not infallible. I had been a nurse...
  4. CapeCodMermaid

    What Is the Problem???

    CapeCodMermaid replied to CapeCodMermaid's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    I don't think you're replying to me but NO ONE around here emails pay stubs. I was hired as an
  5. CapeCodMermaid

    What Is the Problem???

    CapeCodMermaid replied to CapeCodMermaid's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    No one on this unit is a new grad. I fully support new people and have mentored many nurses. It's a case, I think, of expectations. No one has expected them to do it- except the DON who has come to...
  6. CapeCodMermaid

    When do you throw in the towel and call it a wrap?

    CapeCodMermaid replied to lilura's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    I've been in the business for years and years. I used to feel I owed my facility. What I owe them is to do my best work for the time I'm in the building, or when I was the DON, all the time. However,...
  7. CapeCodMermaid

    Wound care certification necessary?

    CapeCodMermaid replied to Bostonnurse06's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Many facilities, especially smaller ones, do not have wound doctors come in. Caring for wounds should be part of every nurse's repertoire of
  8. CapeCodMermaid

    Condom catheter

    CapeCodMermaid replied to NAGANDA's topic in General Nursing

    You won't lose your license. Better question is why does the guy need a condom cath? Do a 3 day bladder assessment and put him on some sort of toileting
  9. CapeCodMermaid

    newbie traveler

    CapeCodMermaid replied to guest974915's topic in Travel

    I can't say much since I'm not going on my first assignment until next week but...... I had a permanent job...was promised a lap top and access to CORI reports. That was back in January. I have no lap...
  10. CapeCodMermaid

    Nurses smoking weed?

    CapeCodMermaid replied to bunnynurse's topic in General Nursing

    But people who drink themselves into a stupor and come to work hungover is okay because alcohol is legal,
  11. CapeCodMermaid

    Being friends with residents on Facebook

    CapeCodMermaid posted a topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Are any of you friends with residents on Facebook? I am not but have noticed that some of my Facebook friends are friends with a resident at a facility I used to work at. I know this particular...
  12. CapeCodMermaid

    Pt fall- need advice

    CapeCodMermaid replied to dma13's topic in General Nursing

    Alarms do NOT prevent falls. We have residents with bed alarms, chair alarms, motion detectors....the better intervention is one that mitigates injury from a fall...floor mats, low
  13. CapeCodMermaid

    Leaving Meds at the Bedside?

    CapeCodMermaid replied to joanna73's topic in Patient Medications

    The DPH will cite you for that unless you have an order that the resident may self medicate. It is all so ridiculous. No one watches these peeps take their meds at
  14. CapeCodMermaid

    Leaving Meds at the Bedside?

    CapeCodMermaid replied to joanna73's topic in Patient Medications

    We're supposed to stay with someone while they're getting a nebulizer treatment. Out of 20 residents, probably 15 had nebs at least 4 times a day. We ended up writing orders which said: May self...
  15. CapeCodMermaid

    Personal Cell Phone Use

    CapeCodMermaid replied to NJ2010RN's topic in Long Term Acute Care

    LTC has to follow the same HIPPA regs as everyone else. I've only worked in two buildings where doctors were sent texts. In one, we texted the doc: Please call the unit ASAP. No HIPPA violation since...
  16. CapeCodMermaid

    New DON help with survey

    CapeCodMermaid replied to meljam's topic in LTC: Directors, Assistant

    You can find the instructions for the 802 on line. In Massachusetts, you can't just go to a resident council meeting. You MUST be invited. Make sure you're following your policies....falls and...
  17. CapeCodMermaid

    Staff Development Woes

    CapeCodMermaid replied to CapeCodMermaid's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Here's a related question...Infection Control: Do y'all have private rooms for residents with MRSA in their nares? My company is trying to say they need to be on droplet precautions. In all the other...
  18. CapeCodMermaid

    Staff Development Woes

    CapeCodMermaid posted a topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Any SDCs out there? I've found it's the dumping ground for all the unwanted jobs in the building and I've found that telling everyone orientation is every other week on Tuesdays and Wednesdays means...
  19. CapeCodMermaid

    End of shift narc count

    CapeCodMermaid replied to NurseQT's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Who is responsible for administering the meds? If the techs are the ones with the keys, they should participate in count. If not, the nurses should do it. Unfortunately, we don't allow med techs in...
  20. CapeCodMermaid

    DON asking me to correct her disciplinary action

    CapeCodMermaid replied to bymysoul2squeeze's topic in LTC: Directors, Assistant

    If I have filled out the discipline form, I'll sit with the employee. We usually have a witness to any write up so everyone is clear as to what was said by whom. I wouldn't ask someone to fix...
  21. CapeCodMermaid

    Being friends with residents on Facebook

    CapeCodMermaid replied to CapeCodMermaid's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    I was in charge of that facility for years and got a friend request from the resident. THAT'S why it's my businessí
  22. CapeCodMermaid

    Law that med carts are to be moved every 15 minutes?

    CapeCodMermaid replied to Thehockeycoach's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Regulations vary---this is a long term care facility. People often make up regulations to suit their needs. If you're passing meds to 20+ residents, there is nothing wrong with parking your med cart...
  23. CapeCodMermaid

    Don't wake the Dr, Or maybe I should?

    CapeCodMermaid replied to Beautiful_Soul's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    If YOU think you should call, then call. Certainly with any drastic change in status, a fall with an injury, any time you think the patient needs to go to the
  24. CapeCodMermaid

    Law that med carts are to be moved every 15 minutes?

    CapeCodMermaid replied to Thehockeycoach's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    What?!? I work in Massachusetts which arguably has the strictest regs in the country and I've been in the business for more than 30 years. I've never heard of that regulation. It has no basis in...
  25. CapeCodMermaid

    Complaint from BON

    CapeCodMermaid replied to Phoenix1565's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    You can't always do CPR...if rigor has set in and the patient is obviously dead, you don't have to initiate CPR...at least in Massachusetts. Do you have malpractice insurance? If so, call an