TraumaQueen

I currently work in a Level I Trauma/Surgical ICU. At our hospital, there is the ED and there are two large rooms inside of the ED where the traumas are brought. The trauma team responds to all of the traumas. For example, if it were a level I trau...

Our balloon pumps are rarely if ever 1:1, our prisma is rarely if ever 1:1......heart transplants are always 1:1 to start with, VADs are 1:1 and the charge nurse helps, and if you're lucky other people have time to help too..... I have had instances ...

I was curious to collect feedback from nurses who have experience with bivad patients about their outcomes, recovery, etc...

We had a kid who shot himself because his girlfriend broke up with him.... she was pregnant..... The family of the kid who shot himself wanted some of his semen, so they could impregnate his step sister, so that baby could grow up and kill the baby t...

We have four - thirty minute visiting hours each day. Almost all of the families respect our schedule.... and there are times when we need to have the families in the rooms to help keep a patient calm. Some famlies don't understand our visiting sche...

We have four - thirty minute visiting hours each day. Almost all of the families respect our schedule.... and there are times when we need to have the families in the rooms to help keep a patient calm. Some famlies don't understand our visiting sche...

A pen light, calculator, I keep my drug books on my PDA and it's very handy for looking up drugs.....and, if you have a pda, it has a calculator on it. :) I also use my fast facts book quite often....and, it's always handy to have a few kelly clamps...

we get 25% on the weekends and 15% on weekday nights

reintubation, blown ett cuff, reintubation again!, anxiety, xanax, ativan, dilaudid, a long overdue death, mini code x 2..... stressful sums it up!

If they aren't on pressors, etc.... most of our docs order a 5mg dose of kerlone post op and every day. Some prefer a 25-50mg dose of lopressor..... Personally, I haven't noticed much difference in giving it compared to not giving it as it relates t...

If they aren't on pressors, etc.... most of our docs order a 5mg dose of kerlone post op and every day. Some prefer a 25-50mg dose of lopressor..... Personally, I haven't noticed much difference in giving it compared to not giving it as it relates t...

Our unit also occasionally will send patients home. Now, this is a very rare happening, but sometimes we'll get a 'level I' trauma that had to be intubated for CT, but had no 'real' injuries, and we will discharge them to home when they're ready. RE...

Our unit also occasionally will send patients home. Now, this is a very rare happening, but sometimes we'll get a 'level I' trauma that had to be intubated for CT, but had no 'real' injuries, and we will discharge them to home when they're ready. RE...

And, TennRN, I know you read that article, just thought I'd post it for everyone else. :) And, as a final comment... you are totally right, it should be used early on. :)

We've just started using it in our facilty a few months ago. It's really great for all kinds of patients, they don't have to be next to death to be a candidate for APRV. The ventilator mode used is bi-level, and while bi-level is just a tad differe...

One of our ding dong residents always spells pepcid as pepsid :) makes me think he's ordering some new brand of pepsi. :)

Our hospital has a protocol on running blood..... -however-.....I work in a trauma unit, and on patients that are bleeding out, sometimes a unit of blood goes in over less than 2 minutes..... Patients that are just getting a routine transfusion, usu...

Wesley, St. Francis and St. Joseph hire new grads -all- the time. (This is in Wichita)

I love love love trauma patients.

Generally takes 4 of us to turn, or pull up the bariatric patients, two on each side. We very rarely get the bariatric patients in our ICU. They go to the floor unless they have complications in surgery or respiratory distress afterward.

Regarding accuchecks/insulin/dextrose..... Blood sugars that are too low or too high can cause a patient discomfort, so perhaps your doctor feels this is a comfort care measure. Regarding the pacemaker.... It certainly offers the heart some benefit s...

Since I'm spoiled and the pharmacy mixes our drugs for us.... the standard for the mixture is 1gram/250ml..... BUT if you have a patient that is recieving lots of fluids, and is at risk for fluid overload, they will mix it in 100ml. :)

I think it depends on the school you're interested in. We have a burn unit, neuro unit, cicu, but our trauma, surgery, transplant, open belly and general surgery catch-all unit is the unit of their choice for experience. Good luck! :)

I tend to keep my patients restrained until they fully wake up from their anesthesia and can get a feel for their mentality on the ETT. Some patients don't need to be restrained, and fully understand the consequences of self-extubation. We have a few...

That's really unfortunate. Don't let the bad attitude of a few people stand in the way of your goals and dreams. Our unit has a few nurses that are crappy to everyone, even eachother. You just have to either let them know they're being crappy or ign...