Spiker ASN, RN, EMT-P

OR 35 years; crosstrained ER/ICU/PACU

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All Content by Spiker

  1. Spiker

    What Are Our Rights...

    Spiker replied to MochaRN424's topic in General Nursing

    Thanks for the support; I'm afraid it probably happens more than ever now though. So many units are short-staffed. Even the OR has changed significantly. When I started in the early 80's, we had 2...
  2. Spiker

    What Are Our Rights...

    Spiker replied to MochaRN424's topic in General Nursing

    I'm retired after 40 years now, but as an evening shift OR RN, & a Paramedic, I often helped out in the PACU, ER, & ICU during "quiet" times.....so much so that I completed unit competencies...
  3. Spiker

    Is the nursing field moving toward wanting DNP's?

    Spiker replied to Nurse Beth's topic in Career Advice Column

    DNP for APN's is an option I can agree with, but just that: an option. For clinical practices, BSN/MSN-prepared RN's are fully capable of everything within our scope of nursing. As was previously...
  4. Spiker

    Double lumen

    Spiker replied to Miranda RN's topic in General Nursing

    Bug Out is correct. Flushing the heparin with saline negates the reason for using the heparin in the first
  5. Spiker

    Unsafe anesthesia practices in phase 2

    Spiker replied to Pacurn's topic in PACU

    Well, you've tried talking to your department managers to no avail, Maybe it's time to move up the chain of command and voice your concerns to your DON, patient safety advocate/ethics department....
  6. Spiker

    Crusty Old Bats

    Spiker replied to Been there,done that's topic in General Nursing

    Yes! I remember that formula! I always had a pad in my pocket to do bedside calculations.... Then I bought a watch that had a calculator below the dial! You just had to use a pen cap to push the...
  7. Spiker

    Crusty Old Bats

    Spiker replied to Been there,done that's topic in General Nursing

    LOL! The most we used after I graduated college in the late 70's was grains: Morphine & ASA were grains, as you say, the "old" docs used
  8. Spiker

    Crusty Old Bats

    Spiker replied to Been there,done that's topic in General Nursing

    Does anyone else remember minims, drams, grains, gtts, etc??
  9. Spiker

    Crusty Old Bats

    Spiker replied to Been there,done that's topic in General Nursing

    Right!! After using butterflies to start IV's, angiocaths took a few tries to get used
  10. Spiker

    Twelve Hour Nights or M-F

    Spiker replied to Lynn1230's topic in General Nursing

    As an OR RN at a Regional Medical Center in NY, I worked 3-11, M-F. We were also on 11-7 call once weekly, & a full 24hr weekend call every 6 weeks. When hubby had an opportunity to move to...
  11. Spiker

    Blood on Shoes

    Spiker replied to nathalie chavez's topic in General Nursing

    As an OR RN, I wear solid clogs (Merrell's are my favorites) that I can quickly & easily wipe down. If you're worried about stains & germs, sneakers are the worst shoes to wear, being...
  12. Spiker

    The Collapsing Healthcare System in the US

    Spiker replied to KalipsoRed21's topic in General Nursing

    This is the state of healthcare, thanks to insurance companies who dictate our care, & big Pharma who charge outrages prices for meds. It's sad when we're operating, & a surgeon has to choose...
  13. Spiker

    Torn Between Two Hospitals as a New Grad

    Spiker replied to Erica Renee's topic in General Nursing

    I agree with all of my other well-experienced colleagues. It makes no sense to change where you work, especially if you'd barely be off Orientation. Be smart. Stay where you are, learn whatever...
  14. Spiker

    Starting Out on a Medical-Surgical Floor

    Spiker replied to Jessica Carter's topic in Medical-Surgical

    I knew during my 6 weeks OR rotation in college (not just 1 day observing, as is common now)that I wanted to be an OR nurse. However, starting out as a new GN at a community hospital, I took the job...
  15. Spiker

    Positions With Most IV Start Experience

    Spiker replied to BeckyRN's topic in First Year After Licensure

    Definitely Pre-Op or ER. I was an OR RN for most of my 40 years, & started a ton of IV’s there (evening shift - lots of trauma & acute/emergent patients needing extra IV access), as well as...
  16. Spiker

    LPN Supervisor Would Not Let Me Call Doctor

    Spiker replied to Googlenurse's topic in General Nursing

    Key words: LPN, RN, didn’t “let” her call MD. First of all, I have never worked in a system that allows LPN’s to outrank RN’s! Of course, I’ve never worked anywhere except an acute care...
  17. Spiker

    Let's Put The Brakes On Drowsy Driving

    Spiker replied to spunkygirl1962's topic in General Nursing

    I started working 3-11PM back in 1980, on a Surgical floor, then moved to the OR in 1982. We took night call (11P-7A) once weekly, & 48-hr Sat-Sun call once every 6 weeks. My dear friend &...
  18. Spiker

    I got a counseling letter because I refused to help another staff member with her personal problems?

    Spiker replied to Convoy2022_TrumpSupporter's topic in General Nursing

    While I'm sure you were tired, had a stressful shift, & just wanted peace & quiet, I simply don't understand how saying a few kind words was beyond you. We're nurses, we should have each...
  19. Spiker

    Nurse Managers: Do you answer your phone on your days off even when not on call?

    Spiker replied to SilverBells's topic in General Nursing

    Is there a House Nursing Supervisor on duty for all shifts? That is usually the 1st call any of us would make, for immediate assistance! That's what THEY'RE paid for, to put out fires on duty, not...
  20. Spiker

    What to do when Nurse is attacked and employer doesn't file police report?

    Spiker replied to Nurse Beth's topic in Career Advice Column

    I am so sorry this happened to you! Were you treated in the ER for your injuries? That would have gotten the ball rolling as far as reporting, both with a facility incident report, & the police...
  21. Spiker

    Advice please! Med-Sug or OR training

    Spiker replied to Summer131's topic in General Nursing

    Hi! When I was in college, (late 70's) we had 6 weeks of OR clinical - scrubbing & circulating! I knew that was what I wanted to do! Unfortunately, getting into the OR as a grad nurse was not...
  22. Spiker

    What's the funniest most unusual baby name?

    Spiker replied to nirvana1's topic in Nursing Humor

    Twin boys, were named "Sir" & "Mister". Sadly, as they became teenagers, both ended up periodically on the news as juvenile
  23. Spiker

    "I am not a robot!"

    Spiker replied to Adriane82's topic in Health, Stress Management

    My heart goes out to you & your co-workers. I know your pain: we lost a fellow RN who fell asleep at the wheel driving back to the hospital on a 48-hour OR call weekend. Sadly, that's what it...
  24. Spiker

    Death's Perfect Timing

    Spiker replied to r_doyle62's topic in General Nursing

    There is nothing far-fetched about this! When I was first out of school I had an elderly patient on my 3-11 shift who kept trying to leave. He had his belongings in a patient belongings bag, &...
  25. Spiker

    So you're an RN - you must be earning big!

    Spiker replied to _littlemissBSN's topic in General Nursing

    I did just the opposite: after 20 years in Nursing, I went into EMS (Paramedic) as a 2nd full-time job. I worked 3-11 Mon-Fri in the OR at a Medical Center, & then 48-hr Sat-Sun shifts as a...