gomernurse

Inside every old person is a young person wondering what the hell happened. Any day above ground is a good day.

I think most new grads start out with the Crusader Rabbit Syndrome...as did I back in the days when dinosaurs roamed freely. Doesn't take long to understand that book-knowledge is a poor substitute for the real world. They come around.

You might also try "smoking" a cinnamon stick. Yikes! Don't light it! They're about the same size as a cigarette, and you get the psychological satisfaction of hand-to-mouth and inhaling.

Thanks twice suzanne. Gotta visual! Needed to teach myself so I could teach my NAC's.

Thanks, Suzanne.....so the tube is in the remaining part of the bladder?

Need some of your expertise. Have a gent with a nephrostomy tube and an ileocystostomy tube. The neph tube I can get a mental picture of, but where, inside his body, is the ileo tube?

Thanks to all for your input. Certainly makes sense to ME to have a bit of human instruction instead of a one time video. Guess I'll have to start a little rabble-rousing.

The lab our facility contracts with has decided that the nurses will now be doing most of the blood draws. This encompasses both RN's and LPN's. Most of us have been "certified" in venipuncture procedures. We will be learning how to do blood draws by "watching a video". No real-human-teaching involved. This makes me a bit unconfortable. What do you think about this...and what does your facility do?

Thanks so much for your input. Incidentally, I have room 225 reserved for myself, but I'll be glad to share if you don't snore, burble, gurgle, or talk to people I can't see.

I am trying to devise a succinct, comprehensive, informative transfer form to replace our current form which no one fills out anyway. When I send you grampy/grammy who is in trouble, I need to know what YOU need to know. Granted, trying to make sensible changes in an LTC is often akin to pulling molars from a meth-crazed hippo....but, with your input.......who knows!! I always send you copies of the face sheet, MAR, H&P, DX list, advance directives, and recent labs. On the transfer sheet, do you need to know more than his name, the doc, our facility, code status, allergies, v.s., sats (if applicable), chief complaint with presenting s/s, and any special precautions, i.e. MRSA. Do you want to know when he last ate? If family notified? Last time pain med given (if applicable)? etc., etc. Incidentally.....I do do alwyas give you a call to give you a heads up!!! Any ideas happily appreciated.

Thanks all. There is a hospice consult, but it frequently takes several days for them to take over. As we're big into palliative care for our folks, Roxanol and Ativan have been ordered. And this from an on call doc!!! I've been doing nursing for many moons, but this is my first brave soul to say 'screw dialysis'. Just wanted to have some first hand idea how to help her.

A 68 y.o. female in our LTC has made an informed decision to discontinue her 3X week dialysis treatments. We, of course, are supporting her and her difficult decision. I am assuming she will begin to have some confusion and edema. She is already oxygen dependent. I need to know what other physical problems she might encounter so I can get a jump on helping her through this. (Have already place scopolamine patches). Thanks for your input.