Sterlink

our agency considers 6 SNVs a full load...of course, nurses do get days of 7 or 8. a SOC and 4 is also supposed to be manageable. problems come with the mix of acuities you may get, and amount of driving.

now...that all does make sense, but in practice, many nurses, myself included go in with good intentions...meaning i'm gonna be fast and efficient, and before you know it, one hour and 45 minutes have gone... I want to find a way (or ways) to teach m...

persistence. and we're told to follow SBAR when communicating with MDs: Situation/Background/Assessment/RECOMMENDATION!!!!!!!!!!

when we still documented on paper, oncall nurses would get a print out, at the end of the day, before they took call....

in my agency, meds reconciliation is constantly emphasized....you should never let your guard done on meds....never assume...often the MDs have a different list than what's going on in the home....HC nurses must VIEW meds and discuss each one, and ho...

listen to you pts...in homecare you may have more time to do that...you'll learn a lot

when in doubt document EXACTLY what you see...like "pt continues to nod off during assessment interview" i had a pt once who was on methadone for chronic pain, was doubling up on doses, and had fallen with injury...these are tricky....just always do...

oasis questions should be supported by your documentation/narratives. if they are changing the pain level answer, ask them why. it's good practice to teach the pain scale to a pt before you ask them their pain level...then support their response wi...

I was given a laptop about 6 months ago. I charted on paper before that. Charting is my least favorite part of the job. But now with the computer it's killing my career. I am always behind in my computer charting. I do believe that our software is cu...

I am trying to chart later...stubbornly trying to jot paper notes and catch up with the laptop later. I'm thinking I have got to stop this and work that machine into the visit.

Patient could not get leg bag nozzle out of Foley catheter without assistance. Leg bag tube also came apart too easily from its nozzle. Basically I'm having trouble getting this gentleman independent with changing between bags so he can leave the h...

I will look into OT. And I am wondering how to select a better leg bag that doesn't come apart between its nozzle and tubing so easily.

Yes, you should have hospital experience before hc. life experience helps a lot too. The human element is way more acute is hc. You are right in the middle of people's lives.... Being able to relate to people from the emotional to the physical and ...

I'm wondering how other clinicians teach and document activities and safety on a start or care when there will be a gap in care. For example, a little 97 y/o lady who refuses an aide but accepted p.t. for muscle weakness r/t extended hospital stay.

We answer oasis as not what they are doing but rather what they can do safely. So what would I teach and document on a 97 y/o who lives alone, won't accept an aide but is observed to be unsteady on her feet.

Chart in home, or immediately afterwards in your car. Call MDs immediately! Don't put off anything you don't have to. You will be busy....that's for sure. If you think it's slower than hospital, you'll be on the wrong track. Be super organized. ...

You shouldn't ever make a decision on that. You need an MD's order. If an order is for so many units of an insulin, that's what the pt should get. If you're concerned about the pt becoming hypoglycemic in the night, assess the situation and contac...

My advise is plan your visit ahead of time. Follow your script. Eventually you'll develop your own flow, but at first follow a script.

Got it. Yeah, good to have something to look at quickly. I know what you mean about having to go back to the computer for something simple...

"front of the right side, back of the left side..." please explain that again...not sure what you mean...

How about how much time it takes to know what's really going on? I had a daughter call me back and say she could NOT get her mom to a doctor's appt. Seemed to be saying "it's her problem." I was surprised. But the next day, the daughter called me...

That's a good list. Think I'll bookmark it. Of course, you need a good MSW.

I have a 29 year old patient status post incision and drainage of an abscess (MRSA cellulitis) at her right groin with one margin at her labiocrural fold. I am packing the wound and then covering with a DSD. I am looking for suggestions/advise on h...

A new pt with scrotal edema was sent home with no orders specifically addressing this condition. The case is complex: prostate CA c/ mets, bladder lesions, bilateral ureteral stents, DVTs...and more. Not even sure what condition is primary to the...