Chttynurs

We get a 12-14 pound turkey every year, which isn't too bad. :)

Thank You!! It's so nice to hear words of appreciation! :kiss

Bless all the psych nurses out there!! I don't know how you do it!! I'm ashamed to admit it, but I just don't have the patience to deal with people's major psych issues! I don't think I could do pediatrics either. I can't stand seeing a kids sick, just breaks my heart. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Unfortunately the same mistake has happened where I work--and while I didn't do it, I think I WOULD have made the same mistake had the patient been mine. The anasthesiologist caught the mistake after only one dose had been given, thank goodness. The order on our pre-printed epidural order sheet is miniscule also, which is why I would have missed it. Wish it were in bold letters. We can't give ANY anticoagulation! I'm working somewhere else per diem now, and their epidural order sheet doesn't mention it ANYWHERE!! I brought it to the attention of the education nurse, she said she'd look into it. Glad everythink worked out for that patient!! :)

I'm an RN, the very first time I called in a prescription I asked the pharmacist on the other end of the line if they needed my full name and nursing license number. I was FLABBERGASTED when she told me, "You're an RN? We don't need your name, you're better than what we usually get!" She went on to say they get secretaries, medical assistants, etc calling in scripts. I was calling in NARCOTICS!! I couldn't believe it. All I could think was about how easy it would be for me to call in a narc prescription for ANYBODY if I were the type of person to do that!! I hated calling in prescriptions because of this. Didn't feel comfortable with it. Anyhow, the pharmacists here no longer take narc scripts over the phone (Thank goodness!), but you still don't have to be a nurse to call in the others. Still a mistake, I think. Hopefully this will change too!

Hi Pumpkin!! I PM'd you, check your box! Good luck! :)

I do many things--pour IV narcotics down the sink, flush down the toilet, and I put some in the sharps container....with a witness of course. I'm not actually sure if our policy includes the exact method of wasting-or where exactly to waste-but I'll check.

Nice point, Carolanne!! I use a digital watch and only use the military time option....that way I can just glance at it with no math to be done when I'm writing my notes, timing my PRN's, etc. I must look REALLY anal on paper though, like when I write a time like "1337" for giving a med!! LOL Just makes things easier! :)

A sweeping second hand just means that the second hand 'sweeps' over the seconds in a smooth motion, it doesn't stop every second. I believe schools like you to have this so you don't get 'confused' counting a pulse by accidentally counting the ticks on the second hand instead. It's actually really easy to do, but you get used to it very quickly, don't know why it would be required to have a sweeping hand. Anyway, I know Rolex watches have it!! Haha!! How many could afford one as a student?? LOL I think Seiko makes them too. I found a site that explains what it is too. Hope it helps!! Good luck! :) http://www.showtimereplicawatches.com/faqs.html It's a site about replica watches, but one of the FAQ's covers sweeping second hands. :)

CONGRATS!!

Hi! First of all, I'm sure you did fine! I felt exactly the same way when I took my NCLEX. I felt as if I were guessing on many answers, and then I got the question, "Which is the correct way to administer Heparin SQ?" I figured that I got the question before THAT wrong!! Couldn't get much easier! Mine shut off at 75 questions too, and I was positive that I failed because the questions seemed so difficult. But I passed, and luckily it only took four business days to find out! But, at any rate, you're NOT stupid!! Please keep us updated when you get your results, I'm sure you'll do fine! Good luck! :)

You were taught right--meds being being drawn from a glass ampule should be drawn with a filter needle, then switched to a regular needle/cannula. At least that was what I was taught, in case any tiny shards of glass fall into the ampule. I've never seen anyone do different. Maybe there's new info out there that says it's not necessary? Congrats on graduating, by the way! :)

I work 12 hour shifts and pretty much always get my lunch break. It may only be 20 minutes some days, and I never take the shorter breaks that I'm supposed to get, but that's my decision, to be honest. When I have a particularly bad day, I WILL sit for a few minutes no matter how busy I am!! We always have someone to trade off with to cover patients, and if they're busy and can't watch your assignment, we have GREAT charge nurses who will do it while you take a break. I agree with MICU RN, it's all unit dependent, just know what type of unit you're getting into. Good luck with school!! I've gotta add, even with the tough conditions, I'll NEVER regret becoming a nurse!! If you end up somewhere you don't like, there's ALWAYS another job somewhere that may be better suited to you!! :)

Like JohnnyGage, we clamp (with an order) for 4-6 hours, or overnight, so as to get an x-ray to see if the a pneumo returns (or pleural effusion or whatever...), then tubes are pulled if the x-ray is okay. Of course I unclamp if the patient becomes SOB. Otherwise I NEVER clamp unless changing the pleurovac. I walk off suction if there's no airleak, I just let 'em drain to gravity. I haven't been a nurse long and had been taught never to strip, I believe I was told it could do damage to the tissues. I work with some older nurses that still strip, but they've been doing this a lot longer than I have and I'm assuming they know what they're doing. :)

We do cardioversions on our cardiac step down, but now often thank goodness. It's usually done on days when we have a ratio of 1:3, but another nurse will cover your other patients during the procedure. No anasthesiologist at bedside, just the cardiologist. Haven't had a problem yet, but like I said, we don't do it often. :)