maeyken

maeyken

Operating Room (and a bit of med/surg)

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All Content by maeyken

  1. Why Black Eyes?

    maeyken replied to nurseaboveboard's topic in Operating Room

    The one thing I thought of that I mentioned earlier, was that anesthesia usually tapes the eyes shut during the case. Just today we had a pt get a small hematoma in the corner of her eye from the tape...

  2. clamp question...

    maeyken replied to jpeg's topic in Operating Room

    We just use dull-tipped scissors... kept in anesthesia's cart. Some girls have their own bandage scissors, but most just use

  3. call exemption

    maeyken replied to henrysnana's topic in Operating Room

    We don't have much call, and so our call time is basically voluntary, although everyone takes their turn. Some people do volunteer more, but even the people who don't like it take it sometimes....

  4. OR Nursing... Good, Bad, Ugly?

    maeyken replied to Jean1313's topic in Operating Room

    OR nurses need thick skin for many reasons!! :) It comes from people in all roles. When you first start in the OR it is like a completely different world. Everyone speaks a different language and does...

  5. Why Black Eyes?

    maeyken replied to nurseaboveboard's topic in Operating Room

    During surgery they usually tape the eyes shut to prevent damage. Did your patient have really delicate skin? It would be a very rare occurrence, but it's possible. Also like others have mentioned-...

  6. Left-handed scrub nurse?

    maeyken replied to lilla_fjaril's topic in Operating Room

    There's different things that everyone struggles with. When I first started, one of my big issues was loading a suture on a curved driver. Straight drivers I was ok with, but for some reason I just...

  7. OR Doors

    maeyken replied to elcue's topic in Operating Room

    Haha don't I wish! Our doors aren't too bad- they can lock open, so that you can get the bed in the door. Half the time there would be something in the way anyway... Our biggest door issue is that...

  8. Foley Balloon Test

    maeyken replied to OR male nurse's topic in Operating Room

    I put a foley in today, and paid special attention looking for ridges after testing the balloon. If there were any, they weren't visible. I think ridges are a myth!

  9. Left-handed scrub nurse?

    maeyken replied to lilla_fjaril's topic in Operating Room

    I'm right-handed, but I tend to pass things with either hand- depends on the situation, like where I'm standing in relation to the surgeon, what type of case it is, what retractors I am holding at the...

  10. Patient Warming in Operating Theatres

    maeyken replied to scotsnurse72's topic in Operating Room

    We use the bair huggers, too (although we don't do much peds). It's up to the anesthetist, but usually cases 2h or more get them. Often anesthesia monitors the pt's temp with a disposable probe that...

  11. Foley caths and surgery

    maeyken replied to CT Pixie's topic in Operating Room

    We cath almost all patients who have a surgery booked for 2.5h or more, and some booked for 2h. Also depends on the procedure- like someone else mentioned- for hysts and stuff we usually do due to the...

  12. Break room and refrigerators

    maeyken replied to nursinadream's topic in Operating Room

    Our housekeeping cleans out the fridges once a month I think. They also do the daily mopping and garbage emptying. Sometimes someone will tidy the old magazines and whatever sitting around, wipe out...

  13. Poll: Does your O.R. have RN's working 11pm-7am?

    maeyken replied to linda2097's topic in Operating Room

    We have 2 RN's in house 11-7, and one person on call (someone who worked the evening shift takes call, only get called in if it's a big case, which rarely

  14. Foley Balloon Test

    maeyken replied to OR male nurse's topic in Operating Room

    I think that's because it needs at least 5ml in the balloon. :) I always pre-inflate my balloons too. I've found several faulty valves. I'd never heard of the "irritating ribs" issue though. I do...

  15. 12 hour Shifts?

    maeyken replied to Guest296136's topic in Operating Room

    We have 8h and 10h shifts, but they're all built into our master schedule. So you have a week of 4 10's with one day off, or a week of 5 8's. (we also have weekends and evenings in our master). We...

  16. NPO before surgery is nonsense

    maeyken replied to Guest219794's topic in Operating Room

    We have NPO at MN guidelines, but allow clear fluids in the morning for late-booked cases. (When they have their pre-op visit they are advised on the cut off time). It is amazing to me how many people...

  17. What would you do?

    maeyken replied to linda2097's topic in Operating Room

    We're a teaching hospital, so I would have called the resident for that service as soon as I discovered their "oversight". However, if it was the surgeon I had to call... I think 7am was reasonable....

  18. Frogleg Positioning Ideas???

    maeyken replied to fracturenurse's topic in Operating Room

    We also use bath blankets under the thighs (for a few gyne procedures where you need access there but also abdominal access). I also like to use a pink pad around the feet to keep them from slipping...

  19. How long for orientation?

    maeyken replied to RNBelle's topic in Operating Room

    Our orientation is about 14 weeks, and that's for scrubbing and circulating. I can't imagine 6 months or more!! wow

  20. Which Job to Take?

    maeyken replied to NewGradRN2007's topic in Operating Room

    Personally I would choose the one where you have the opportunity to scrub as well as circulate, but I enjoy scrubbing! :) Here RN's all scrub as well as circulate. Having not worked in a Level 1...

  21. Canadian OR Nurses - Scrubbing

    maeyken replied to NewGradRN2007's topic in Operating Room

    We don't have scrub techs around here (Ontario) that I know of. RPN's in the OR are only allowed to scrub, but we don't have that many RPN's (maybe 10%?), so as RN's we often scrub. Usually newer OR...

  22. Policies for masks in the OR

    maeyken replied to maritimegirl's topic in Operating Room

    Then the argument is why do we unmask between cases? Would our germs not be floating around the room too? So then why bother wearing masks? A definitive study would be excellent. :) We only mask when...

  23. Things Patients Have Taught Me NOT To Do

    maeyken replied to Trixxy's topic in Nursing Humor

    Never chop off your hand with a table saw just because you are mad at your girlfriend. And if you do, don't try to cauterize it yourself using the stove. And then don't complain when the doc puts you...

  24. Beards in the OR?

    maeyken replied to brewerpaul's topic in Operating Room

    lol if I ever start getting a beard, I will shave it all off! Or maybe wax... or laser!! No beard for

  25. Dreaded H&P Not On The Chart- How Does your organization increase pre-op compliance?

    maeyken replied to XJBluto's topic in Operating Room

    If there's no H&P, the patient is not allowed to enter the OR. Fortunately for us this is rarely a problem. Our docs know that if there's no H&P, their cases will be delayed, and if they go...