CritterLover BSN, RN

ER, ICU, Infusion, peds, informatics

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All Content by CritterLover

  1. CritterLover

    Drug Calc Test for New Nurses

    CritterLover replied to KristinWW's topic in General Nursing

    you are welcome :) the drug questions are pretty predictable. know when to hold digoxin. that is almost guaranteed to be on there. some insulin admin questions, really stuff you should know and...
  2. CritterLover

    Drug Calc Test for New Nurses

    CritterLover replied to KristinWW's topic in General Nursing

    well, you can pretty much expect to take a drug calc test anywhere you are hired. i've never been hired as a nurse without one. didn't you have to take them as a student? it really shouldn't be too...
  3. CritterLover

    Volunteering in the E.R.

    CritterLover replied to roxburin's topic in Emergency

    yes, i think it would probably be a great experience, and would look good on your resume/applications. more important, it will give you an idea if that is where you want to work or not. what to expect...
  4. CritterLover

    **Confused about euthanasia**

    CritterLover replied to Honeyz78's topic in General Nursing

    euthanasia is the deliberate administration of medications with the intent to cause death. it is not the same as giving someone medicaitons to cause comfort (such as narcotics) to ease the pain and...
  5. CritterLover

    Study: Nearly 16 million insured adults lack adequate health coverage

    CritterLover replied to NRSKarenRN's topic in Activism, Healthcare

    actually, i think that we (as a society) end up paying much more in health care costs for the uninsured/undersured now, than we would if there was a national, government-based form of insurance....
  6. CritterLover

    I don't know if nursing is for me anymore...

    CritterLover replied to Heymickey's topic in General Nursing

    i think, though, that there are ways to get around this. my understanding is that they (aacn) don't really check into everyone's license status and experience, but rather have you fill out a form...
  7. CritterLover

    Advice on IV administration

    CritterLover replied to humerus's topic in Infusion, Intravenous

    much of that depends on the characteristics of the drug that is going to be infused. is it an irritant? a vesicant? it also depends on the condition of your family member's veins. does he or she have...
  8. CritterLover

    Just curious--do you run TPN with Lipids? From prev. post.

    CritterLover replied to LizRN626's topic in General Nursing

    always have run them together. i've worked at 10+ hospitals if you count as a student and as an rn; and i've worked with two different home infusion pharmacies in home health, and have never seen it...
  9. CritterLover

    Precepting

    CritterLover replied to Tweety's topic in General Nursing

    precepting is hard work, especially a new grad. and your co-workers need to remember that the orientee is working under your license. which means, if they give you both seven patients, that you are...
  10. CritterLover

    Learning to give injections

    CritterLover replied to onesmallspark's topic in General Nursing

    i know that several people will disagree with this, but anyway....... when you have the opportunity, start all the ivs/give all the injections you can to patients who are unaware, either too confused...
  11. CritterLover

    nuroligist verses orthopedic surgon

    CritterLover replied to Hollyhock's topic in General Nursing

    i'm not really sure of the specifics. i worked in a level 1 trauma center for several years. one thing that still sticks in my mind was the treatment of certain types of c2 fractures. ortho would put...
  12. CritterLover

    nuroligist verses orthopedic surgon

    CritterLover replied to Hollyhock's topic in General Nursing

    while i can't explain what the differences are, neurosurgeons and orthopods treat spinal injuries differently. meaning, if they are both treating the exact same injury, they will often use a different...
  13. CritterLover

    Nurse Not Doing Her Job

    CritterLover replied to TreetopAngel_RN's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    i agree that you did the right thing in reporting her, and did a really great job of collecting the data your don will need to act. unfortunatly, s/he may not act on this info, and you will probably...
  14. CritterLover

    Being The Patient SUX!!

    CritterLover replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in General Nursing

    ok, i had a thyroid scan done a few years ago.....probably similar. mine was a nuc med test, hence the need to stay a long time (actually, i think mine was a two-day test). it wasn't bad at all. i...
  15. CritterLover

    PTT & PT theraputic level?

    CritterLover replied to moliuchick's topic in General Nursing

    Ok, you are going to get different "norms" because different labs use different machines and reagents, and have different normal ranges. (this, by the way, is true for most every test. Very important...
  16. CritterLover

    It's a Hospital, Not a Hotel (Gripe)

    CritterLover replied to daisybaby's topic in Ob/Gyn

    do you really think, though, that patients would be satisfied with having a "customer service rep" cater to their needs? while many probably would be, there will still be patients that insist that it...
  17. CritterLover

    OHHH The Arrogance of Some Doctors!!

    CritterLover replied to Katydidit34's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    a hospital i've worked pacu in has an ent doc who will answer his cell phone while operating (being that surgery in the mouth is a clean, rather than sterile procedure). excuse me? how clean does he...
  18. CritterLover

    Need advice re: Prostate problems & catheters

    CritterLover replied to UM Review RN's topic in General Nursing

    yes, you would need an order for it. honestly, i always just grab the little 30 cc tub of viscous lido that comes in our sure-med. (the stuff used in a gi cocktail.) pharmacy isn't usually involved. i...
  19. CritterLover

    Need advice re: Prostate problems & catheters

    CritterLover replied to UM Review RN's topic in General Nursing

    i second the lidocaine jelly (or viscous lidocaine). i don't think it takes all of the pain away, but certainly makes it more tolerable for
  20. CritterLover

    gtt per ml?

    CritterLover replied to BS Nursing Student's topic in General Students

    the number of drops per cc of fluid is known as the "drop factor." the three most common drop factors are 15 gtts/cc, 10 gtts/cc, and 60 gtts/cc (aslo know as "micro drip (drop?) tubing.") the drop...
  21. CritterLover

    What do your ER patients families say or do that irks you?

    CritterLover replied to ER-RN2's topic in Emergency

    the butterfly one gets me, too. hear it all the time. never use a butterfly on them, since we don't stock them. i had an elderly lady come in about 5am one morning; she was scheduled to have a heart...
  22. CritterLover

    Use of U/S for PICC line placement

    CritterLover replied to Bluedevil's topic in Infusion, Intravenous

    we do a pcxr after placement to confirm tip locaiton. we don't use fluro at all (our radiologists do, but we don't work for or with them). we also place our piccs at bedside, so fluro really isn't an...
  23. CritterLover

    Should BSNs be paid more?

    CritterLover replied to edcampbe's topic in General Nursing

    in my opinion, only if the nurse will be using the additional skills/knowledge they gained in getting that bsn. so for things like management, case management, qi, education, then yes, they probably...
  24. CritterLover

    I'm drowning...advice please!

    CritterLover replied to DYatesRN's topic in General Nursing

    does your charge nurse often have this attitude? if the answer is "yes," you need to find a new place to work. if the answer is "no," then you need to talk with your charge nurse. let him/her know...
  25. CritterLover

    Elevated INR and RN PICC placement

    CritterLover replied to regnifne's topic in Infusion, Intravenous

    we have been recently trying to find out this type of info, too. our research has shown that there really arn't any national standards for lab cut offs. we are currently using 20 as a cut off for...