CapeCodMermaid RN

Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health

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All Content by CapeCodMermaid

  1. CapeCodMermaid

    Christmas at the nursing home

    CapeCodMermaid posted a topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Walk down the halls of my facility and you will see the elves have been busy. Staff came in on their own time to help the activities department decorate for the holiday. The resident/family Christmas...
  2. CapeCodMermaid

    Christmas at the nursing home

    CapeCodMermaid replied to CapeCodMermaid's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    This has been the norm in 7 of the 8 facilities I've worked in. Might have been 8/8 but I wasn't in one place at
  3. CapeCodMermaid

    Christmas at the nursing home

    CapeCodMermaid replied to CapeCodMermaid's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    There were lots of presents being handed out at my facility. I have to say my two favorite came from the staff. One nurse gave me a giant hug on Christmas Eve and thanked me for everything I'd done...
  4. CapeCodMermaid

    New job: "Don't worry about following the MAR" & other scary stuff

    CapeCodMermaid replied to kak85's topic in Patient Safety Issues

    There was a facility around here in which a nurse gave 80 units instead of 8 units. You can bet they're double checking all the doses
  5. CapeCodMermaid

    impossible resident

    CapeCodMermaid replied to nurse4lyfe37's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Get an order for pyridium. Maybe the woman is having bladder spasms making her think she has to pee. It's a rather benign drug...use it for a few days. We've had great luck with it...once a UTI was...
  6. CapeCodMermaid

    Violent/combative residents?

    CapeCodMermaid replied to nursehaley91's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Nurses' notes/progress notes are supposed to reflect the resident's condition. You would document all the behaviors and all the interventions you tried to alleviate or change the behaviors. You would...
  7. CapeCodMermaid

    How to Fix a Broken Nursing Home

    CapeCodMermaid replied to jayni87's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    These days it's all about customer satisfaction. If you can show the residents(customers) or their families(customers) have complaints because of poor staffing, you might have a chance. I've been told...
  8. CapeCodMermaid

    SNF Resurvey AGAIN. License may be at risk. RN wants to quit job.

    CapeCodMermaid replied to MsNiceNurse's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Unless YOU caused the deficiency, your license isn't in jeopardy. And even if you did something to cause a deficiency, unless it was horrendous, your license is
  9. CapeCodMermaid

    Violent/combative residents?

    CapeCodMermaid replied to nursehaley91's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    In long term care, you can NOT give a PRN antipsychotic unless there is already a scheduled dose. I don't know where all y'all practice, but we don't do that here. Ativan sure...trazodone great...but...
  10. CapeCodMermaid

    Christmas Parties

    CapeCodMermaid posted a topic in Geriatric, LTC

    just curious...how many of your companies throw a Christmas party for the staff? Ours was lovely...disappointing that more people didn't go but it was a relaxing night and fun to see my co-workers in...
  11. CapeCodMermaid

    Christmas Parties

    CapeCodMermaid replied to CapeCodMermaid's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    We had Chinese food delivered to the facility so the people working could have a treat as
  12. CapeCodMermaid

    Doesn't It Make You Want To Scream, part two

    CapeCodMermaid posted a topic in LTC: Directors, Assistant

    Patient says he wants to die and has a plan to kill himself. Psych is called and the decision is made to send him to a geri-psych unit with a section 12...involuntary committment. The nurse manager...
  13. CapeCodMermaid

    Should I take a job at a failing facility?

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

    Maybe it's just me, but I love a challenge. I've taken over facilities with horrible surveys and horrible reputations and have turned them around. What's the challenge in running a smoothly run...
  14. CapeCodMermaid

    Cops and Nurses

    CapeCodMermaid replied to GundeRN's topic in General Nursing

    I got pulled over going 80 in a 55 mph zone. State Police office did a u-turn to pull me over. He asked me where I was going insuch a hurry. I told him I was a nurse and was heading for work. I got a...
  15. CapeCodMermaid

    Reportable to state?

    CapeCodMermaid replied to baygrl11's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    I would suggest that if you have time to count the pills, you have far too much free time on your hands and, perhaps, you should pass the meds you think your co-worker
  16. CapeCodMermaid

    Reportable to state?

    CapeCodMermaid replied to baygrl11's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Count the pills? Really?? No one has time for that. Report your suspicions to the DON. Let her investigate and report to the proper authorities if necessary. Skipping over the DON and reporting to the...
  17. CapeCodMermaid

    grandfather with dementia

    CapeCodMermaid replied to sunnystdnt's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    There are some facilities with dedicated dementia units. People with behaviors and dementia do far better on a specialized unit than on a regular long term or short term floor. Perhaps those other...
  18. CapeCodMermaid

    Terminating

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

    I've had to fire many people and most of the time I don't lose sleep over it if they've been counseled and re-educated and still don't get it. I've tried to help some staff with problems outside the...
  19. CapeCodMermaid

    Is this common?

    CapeCodMermaid replied to elisiah's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    I was thinking the same thing...can't be an LTAC with that many patients per
  20. CapeCodMermaid

    Would you like some cheese with that whine.

    CapeCodMermaid posted a topic in LTC: Directors, Assistant

    OMG...19 patients on a short term floor. NO IVs, NO trachs, NO Gtubes.., no sick people.mostly ortho. Nurses on 11-7 whining because they were told they were going to have ONE nurse. Really??? you...
  21. CapeCodMermaid

    Combining Med Passes

    CapeCodMermaid replied to wearinwhite's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    There are several issues here--most nursing home residents take far too many meds so the first thing is to get rid of the unneeded ones. It takes time but in the end it's worth it. In most cases,...
  22. CapeCodMermaid

    I hate being a Nurse

    CapeCodMermaid replied to Runninonempty's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Why don't you send your hidden cameras to my facility? We are well staffed, the residents are well cared for, and we don't use any restraints or alarms. People move in and
  23. CapeCodMermaid

    Anybody a SDC or aka jack/jill of all trades?

    CapeCodMermaid replied to Kitty Hawk's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    I was an SDC in a few buildings. I loved it. I could flex my time when I had to be there for inservices for all shifts. I could be as creative as I wanted with the inservices I gave. Some days I...
  24. CapeCodMermaid

    Lawsuit Claims Nurse Was 'Worked to Death'

    CapeCodMermaid replied to Brian's topic in General Nursing

    My nurses rarely work more than 8 hours a day. If someone calls out we might ask them to work 10 or 12 hours until someone else comes
  25. CapeCodMermaid

    Bully Nurses

    CapeCodMermaid replied to catband's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Your facility has to have a policy on workplace violence. Tell your DON immediately. If they did it to you, they will do it to someone