Okami_CCRN replied to pjsrav's topic in Critical Care
That's a little better information about what you want to know. I work on the east coast in a mixed medical/surgical ICU. We have respiratory therapists who manage ventilators/respiratory treatments...
Okami_CCRN replied to pjsrav's topic in Critical Care
You should have received a document with a detailed explanation of your job description, you should read that over carefully as well as the CA Nurse Practice Act to aide you in what is your role as an...
Okami_CCRN replied to Issa_mohamad's topic in General Nursing
I occasionally dabble in IV therapy, and our current policy is that blood can be used for labs from a peripheral IV during placement only. In my experience more often than not people tend to blow...
On my unit we avoid giving benzo's and benadryl to the older population since it tends to aggravate the problem of psychosis/delirium. We try risperdal/seroquel/haldol instead, some of other things...
You have to keep in mind that the standard of living in Florida is much different than that of the Northeast. It would seem that the average salary of a new nurse in Orlando, FL is just shy of 50K,...
Okami_CCRN replied to Brendarn1970's topic in General Nursing
I did not, I usually did about 2 modules in a day, except some of the more time consuming ones such as hemodynamic monitoring and cardiovascular. I was more concerned with maximizing my time off to...
Okami_CCRN replied to Brendarn1970's topic in General Nursing
I completed The Essentials of Critical Care Orientation (ECCO) in a month (July 2015). It is not a difficult course at all; my nurse educator allowed us off one shift per week to complete the course,...
Okami_CCRN replied to Green8b's topic in Critical Care
Hey there, like yourself I too had a dream/goal to become a physician. Unfortunately, or should I say fortunately life brought me into the field of nursing. I attended a small liberal arts college...
Okami_CCRN replied to Szbeylik's topic in Critical Care
Our current standard of practice is to have the least amount of linens/apparatus on the bed as possible as it takes away from the pressure changes/air flow to the patient. This is a pretty good...
Where I work the maternal child/L&D unit uses small Styrofoam boxes that are lined with blankets; the baby is placed inside clothed and the top is secured with tape. They get their own freezer...
Okami_CCRN replied to Benj2610's topic in Critical Care
Our ICU policy is to change central line dressings q7 days or when dressing is visibly soiled, moist, or no longer intact. (dressing changes done by RN) We provide daily baths with pre-packaged CHG...
Patients often put us between a rock and a hard place; ideally you want to empower her and tell her to remove herself from a potentially abusive relationship/situation. However, you should NEVER...
Most facilities conduct the bulk of precepting nurses during the day shift, mainly because the powers that be are there and can track your performance and progress. Where I came from very few nurses...
I'm a little confused, why would you want to get rid of the IV tubing and bag if it isn't due to be changed. Research shows that IV tubing should be changed every 96 hours (4 days) and you should...
Okami_CCRN replied to AmejoRoo2's topic in Critical Care
You register for the CCRN exam through the AACN website, they will email you a code that you then enter into a second website that lets you schedule the exam. There are no national CCRN test dates....
Okami_CCRN replied to Catticus11's topic in Critical Care
Fentanyl (usual dosage 10-200mcg/hr) is an opiod medication often used as a gtt in critical care not only for its pain relieving properties, but its synergistic effects when combined with propofol...
I disagree with the "all new grads should do one year of medical/surgical nursing"; not everyone has a desire or the skill-set to work on a med/surg floor. If a new graduate feels that they want to...
Okami_CCRN replied to FDE123's topic in Critical Care
It really depends on what kind of Neuro ICU you will be working, for example. I worked in a mixed medical/surgical ICU that took the stroke patients from the ER because our Neuro ICU was mainly...
Okami_CCRN replied to ZrowGz's topic in Critical Care
I cannot agree with JellyDonut more, every shift has an end! I would not pick up a CCRN book as a new nurse in the ICU, it may be overwhelming. Instead focus on your critical care course and learn as...
Okami_CCRN replied to ZrowGz's topic in Critical Care
Unfortunately, I cannot give you any great insider tips. I worked as a tech in the ICU for 6 years, upon receiving my license my manager offered me a position. However, some general things to...
Okami_CCRN replied to ZrowGz's topic in Critical Care
Congratulations on your first job as a registered nurse. I too began in the ICU as a new grad through a residency program. Some things you can do to prepare yourself is to brush up on some of the...
1. Staffing As patient become sicker in the acute care setting, bedside nurses have to provide complex and often physical and mental taxing interventions. As an ICU nurse when I am tripled, the level...
Okami_CCRN replied to SkiRNBABSN's topic in Critical Care
Our hospital uses Nimbex as the paralytic of choice/stock. As per our policy a baseline TOF is obtained prior to the commencement of gtt. TOF is to be done q15 minutes until therapeutic based on the...