pennyaline

pennyaline's Latest Activity

1. 

   Anesthesiologists being replaced by CRNAs???

   pennyaline replied to MONEJA783's topic in CRNA

   Sounds like sour grapes. Shine it on. Meanwhile, I hate you for vacationing in the tropics. Damn you and your pina coladas! (OOOoooooo! Imagine the evil look you're getting!)
2. 

   Doctor shortage? 28 States may expand Nurses' role!

   pennyaline replied to rn4ever?'s topic in Headlines

   But that's your hangup as well as your misunderstanding. When my father introduced himself as Doctor on the wards of psychiatric hospitals, he was within his rights to do so. And when he introduced himself as Doctor in hospitals, elementary schools, nursing homes and wherever else he was asked to evaluate patients, he was still within his rights and not misrepresenting himself in any way. He was not identifying himself as a physician just by calling himself by his degree: Doctor. In the clinical setting, anyone who has a doctorate can identify him or herself as Doctor, just not as a "physician." Can you enter a patient's room and identify yourself as "Dr. Duluth?" Of course you can, if that's who you are.
3. 

   Saint Vincent's Hospital Manhattan, NY Closes

   pennyaline replied to DoGoodThenGo's topic in Headlines

   LOL! Yeah, my aunt wore hers further back because she couldn't tolerate that shrunken wimple right over her forehead. She said that they used to joke about being queens with snow white crowns.
4. 

   Saint Vincent's Hospital Manhattan, NY Closes

   pennyaline replied to DoGoodThenGo's topic in Headlines

   I'm sure there are others under threat. I'm sure they're all under the gun. It's a shame to hear that about Lenox Hill, though. I got my first nursing job there -- didn't care for the hospital but it will still be too bad if it has to go under (it's where I first encountered the concept of "Club Med" floors for hospitalized celebrities, btw). Incidentally, it's Harlem Hospital Center, not Harlem General Hospital.
5. 

   They are closing my nursing program

   pennyaline replied to HeartsOpenWide's topic in Nursing

   I read somewhere once that nursing programs are great money losers for colleges and universities. This college no doubt totted up the enrollment and financial aid numbers and decided that the loss had gone on long enough. There is nothing romantic about financial reality.
6. 

   Saint Vincent's Hospital Manhattan, NY Closes

   pennyaline replied to DoGoodThenGo's topic in Headlines

   Eeeeyikes! Those caps! Like having a bird on your head! My aunt had a cap from the St. Vincent's program, and I had a DON who still had hers from her Bellevue training days. As much as I loathed wearing a cap and jettisoned mine as soon as I had the chance, I always secretly admired the more unique caps and wished I'd had one.
7. 

   Saint Vincent's Hospital Manhattan, NY Closes

   pennyaline replied to DoGoodThenGo's topic in Headlines

   Go anyway. That's what I did right out of nursing school and I've never regretted a day of it. There are still plenty of hospitals, clinics, urgent cares and nursing homes in NYC, the suburbs and the outer boros. Go!
8. 

   DEA To Loosen Nursing Home Pain Meds Restrictions

   pennyaline replied to DoGoodThenGo's topic in Headlines

   The public, the media and the government bodies that make these decisions aren't giving any thought to the nurses caught in the middle because they don't perceive us in that position. After thirty years spent explaining repeatedly to my family and friends exactly what it is that nurses do, they still think we work I work for doctors and have en face access to them every minute. I am very sure that our complaints about not being able to get orders for controlled meds filled fall on deaf ears simply because the powers that be think we are constantly at the doctor's side. They can't understand why we don't just ask the doctor for what we need and get it handed to us. They have no idea that most LTC facilities see their doctors walk in the door only once a week and that the standard of care is prescription by telephone order based on nurse's assessments.
9. 

   whyyyyy??? rant from a lab tech

   pennyaline replied to raianne's topic in Nursing

   If someone from the lab comes and draws the trough, that person wouldn't necessarily know that Vancomycin was running. It's not up to them to know what meds are up.
10. 

    TX Nurses facing criminal charges for reporting doctor - Outcome: Dismissed/acquittal

    pennyaline replied to AMV's topic in Headlines

    http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/02/11/us/AP-US-Texas-Nurse-Acquitted.html?_r=3 :yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah:
11. 

    Chart Audits -- I Couldn't Make This Up!

    pennyaline replied to Ruby Vee's topic in Nursing

    Probably the patient's wife meant that the patient never uses alcohol... anymore! Suuuuure he doesn't! How much does SHE not use anymore? (I've seen it and seen it )
12. 

    Just because you are a nurse...

    pennyaline replied to silentRN's topic in Activism

    I could be reading this all wrong, but I don't think so. You seem to be trolling for an argument. Why? What's in it for you? I doubt you'll be vindicated. Rather than spouting blanket statements to get emotional reactions, put forth some legitimate points for real discussion.
13. 

    Financial questions on admissions. Is this in the scope of practice?

    pennyaline replied to generalhospital's topic in Gastroenterology

    Scope of practice has nothing to do with it. Nor is it a conflict of interest or a HIPAA problem. It is a reflection of cost cutting. There are many facilities that have their admissions people review payment sources for prospective admissions even during after hours, and some that insist their admissions people come in to meet new admissions and their families. But there are others that only want whoever is there to get all of the financial and insurance information down and the patient entered into the system, and they'll worry about hashing out reimbursement another time. It's up to the facility to decide how they want it done.
14. 

    Nurse educators in very high demand

    pennyaline replied to Brian's topic in Headlines

    This is a joke, right?
15. 

    improvement to sterile gloves

    pennyaline replied to MichaelMcDonough's topic in Safety

    Then try being detailed and specific, rather than making the general statement that "sterile gloves are all bunched up and almost impossible to get on right." If you mean the nitrile or vinyl gloves in prepackaged insertion and dressing change kits, SAY SO! Meanwhile, I haven't had a lot of trouble with those either. Yes, they're smaller than I like and don't have any appreciable stretch, but I manage them and don't contaminate. Use you head and your training in sterile technique rather than whining that things aren't laid out all kindergarten-like for you. You were taught how to handle sterile gloves/drapes/wraps/packages with bare fingers without contaminating everything in sight. Now use what you know.
16. 

    follow up on bathroom grab bars problem

    pennyaline replied to makes needs known's topic in Safety

    Don't despair. They are concerned or they wouldn't investigated and wouldn't have discussed the "what if" plan with the facility. I suspect there will be a follow up investigation that will cover newly admitted patients who need hand rails and grab bars. Consider the facility's "we'll put them up if a resident needs them" statement as a plan of correction.