jax

Had my shot 2 weeks ago at a staff clinic. The ID staff ran it- they gave us lots of information, I felt i was making an informed decision. No side effects for me at all. I decided to have it to protect myself, and my family if I brought it home from work.

I have been home for the past 10 days with my son who has been given the probable diagnosis of influenza. They are no longer testing to see if it is swine or otherwise. GP suspects it is but as he is not high risk and has no respiratory problems there is no point in testing. This influenza is hitting our local area hard. 80% of his soccer team has had it, and they have been dropping like flies at school. I am just waiting to hear about the one kid that isn't going to do so well...

We remove it 6/24 to inspect skin integrity. But always leave it on when moving patients.

I have been cigarette free for one week now. The last time I stopped, I only lasted 4 weeks, till I succumbed-this time I am going to be successful. I wear a rubber band on my wrist and when those cravings strike I give it a 'ping' , it hurts just enought to take my mind off ciggies. I have gone without any patches etc, because I need to stop and I feel that the replacement therapies will just draw things out. I am trying very hard to be very busy, am changing some behaviours and getting new habits (drinking many cups of tea, and walking ) I used to love smoking but have realised that cigarettes were a fair weather friend, and I need to leave them behind. .. .It is really hard. It feels like I am leaving an old life behind and making a new smoke free one . But, I believe the positives are worth the current difficulties. Good Luck to you and to me..

Hi, I know my hospital offers a Level One to Two Development Programme. Our unit facilitator/charge nurse is very open to helping people develop on their career pathway. Maybe your unit manager/charge/educator is too?

[quote=veritas;. As it is, the UQ system of "part apprenticeship" is already creating HUGE problems in the system, so we are not even sure if UQ can continue with their system. No doubt, UQ is a heavy weight in univeristy power, so they might disregard their impact on the system and push ahead. But if they are considerate, they would reconsider the problems their system has caused. :balloons: Hi all, Veritas I would love some clarification on the above statement. I am one of the old hospital trained nurses, who is just starting to do some work with uni students as a facilitator. I have only worked with one uni so far, have had nothing to do with UofQld yet. But you have my curiosity piqued. What problems are they causing?

We give our post op/ pre op ortho pt.s subcut morphine. Only icu/ccu/ed give iv morphine in my hospital, we are not permitted to on the floor, due to high staff/pt. ratios and inability to monitor closely. I find that if the patients do not have a PCA, subcut morphine is very effective- it lasts and does not hurt like an IM injection .

Hold insulin, give pt cordial and carbohydrate, notify doctor, recheck bsl in 15 minutes. Or follow policy and procedure for hypoglycaemia. Is the pt. symptomatic?

Message received Tazzi - it'll be happening sooner rather than later for my little man.

I've just been advised to have my almost 6 year old circ'd - the poor little thing has a foreskin that just doesn't move. I have been doing my reading, and my understanding is that I could leave it a bit longer to see it does begin to retract, but the thought of him having to have it done as a preteen is just too terrible. I think if it has to happen its better to do it now. This is something I did not even contemplate having done to him as an infant, now I wish I had had a crystal ball.

I can only tell you of my experience. I work in a large public hospital in an orthopaedic unit(mostly trauma, some elective). 2 nurses ( either 2 RNs or 1RN and 1 medication endorsed EN) for 8 patients. We do total patient care and in the most part it's very workable. I still remember the days when it was 1:8. My unit does team nursing so there is a workable skill mix. I suspect the public hospitals have better rations than the private. Good Luck

Caliotter Plenty of jobs around. I think Australians tend to travel-and with nursing you have skills to take with you and earn money whilst you travel. I think it's one of the 'rights of passage', you finish nursing, do a postgrad. year, then pack your bags and travel for the next few.

Isn't this the time of the year when our units have our 15 new grads starting , to fill the holes in the roster?

I don't know the answer to your question, but would it be worth ringing the school nurses at other boarding schools to see what they do? Or you could work a 24 hour day. Good luck.