btrfly76

Anyone attending the NTI 2015 in San Diego?

Anybody has any suggestions for an EBP/EBN/QA/QI topics for GI endoscopy? Any suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

Thank you for my "care package" when I visited the booth @ NTI - my co-workers loved the goodies and really appreciated them. Some of them may have signed up to become members. Thank you again.

Please see my posts titled " CCRN" exam, from someone who has taken and passed the exam twice with lots of help from LGV. If you follow what she tells you, you will pass. Hope this helps.

Please read my reply posted today. Good luck.

Took the CCRN exam on May 15, 2009 for the second time and passed it again. I first took it in 1992, passed, but made a bad decision of not renewing it. I will never let this one lapse again. Both times, I took Laura Gasparis- Vonfrolio's review course, reviewed the pearls that came with the CD's and listened to the CD's until I can practically anticipate every word. I followed her tips to the "T". Whenever she says pay attention, pay attention because the questions will be on the exam, guaranteed. I had a good night sleep the night before. I wore something yellow on the day of the exam. I ate a package of beef jerky and drank a can of coke on the morning of the exam. It took me 90 minutes to finish the exam in May. The book of questions/answers is designed for you to manage your time when you decide to take the exam. Hope this helps and good luck. Stick with Laura's stuff and you will ace the exam.

I took the exam in 1992 and passed. I made a bad choice of not renewing it. I only listened to LGV cassette tapes and read the book of pearls that LGV handed out if when attended her review course then. So I had to take it again, last Saturday on May 16, 2009 and passed the exam again. The only tools I used this time are her CD's and book of pearls again. I suggest follow her suggestions to the "T" and you will be fine. I had a good night sleep the night before. I wore yellow and red on the day of the exam. I ate a package of beef jerky and took a few swigs of coca cola before taking the exam. It took me 90 minutes to finish the exam. Hope this helps... and good luck...:)

Our hospital is trying this new thing for our total knee replacements to expedite turnovers, etc. - the anesthesiologist is doing the spinal anesthesia in the pre-op and we, the pre-op nurses are supposed to monitor the patients after the spinal. The anesthesiologist keeps saying that he is nearby and available. I get this flutter in my chest and stomach telling me that this is a bad idea. Anybody have any policies regarding this in your hospital? Any thoughts?

I am trying to gather evidence/literature that lemon glycerine swabs in PACU are not helping the patients relieve their dry mouths. Any suggestions? Thank you.

One of the nurse managers wants to train a graduate practical nurse to start IV's in our pre-op area. She supposedly is "an excellent phlebotomist and has had 30 hours of didactic class". We do a variety of cases in our hospital excluding brain, open heart and OB. Any thoughts on this? Thanks for the input in advance.

At our institution, as PACU RNs, we often work 14 to 16 hours with only 30 mins lunch break around noon.When we have no beds for our patients, we are required to stay overnight, sometimes 22 or 24 hours straight. Does anyone know what the labor laws are in Florida regarding this? We are getting worn out as a group and wonder if anyone has a similar problem and how do you get support from administration over this issue.

We are RNs working in a busy PACU. Since our census has been so high we are routinely working 16 hour shifts with only half an hour lunch break around noon. Lately, we have had no beds so we have been forced to stay overnight working 22 to 24 hours straight. We are getting tired and frustrated.What is the actual Labor Law for Florida, Anyone know? HELP!

In order for me to get "salary raises" other than the general wage increase, I have to fulfill some sort of a clinical ladder or extracurricular activities beyond what the job requirements say. Anyone else in the country doing this? If not, how do you get raises? Everytime I get the annual evaluation, I am told I am doing a wonderful job. If I am doing such wonderful job, why don't I just get the raises I deserve without jumping through hoops.

I can sympathize with you. And like most of the postings said, it is done, consider it as a learning experience and move on. Also try saying "No" to working so many hours in a row. And you should not have to give any reason for saying so. If you have trouble saying "No", try what Oprah says..." I'll have to pray about that".

A friend of mine just called and was told that her hospital are going to make the nurses that have acrylic nails take them off because of a "directive from CDC". Anybody heard of such "directive"? Any thoughts? Any answers will be forwarded to her. Thank you. "When you cease to dream, you cease to live".