cupcake25

:sniff:I work in a community hospital where it seems like every patient has an order for iv dilaudid for pain. I am an iv therapy nurse and it seems like I get alot of calls needing me right away to start an iv because the patient needs their iv dila...

You should always run 3% NSS through a central line. That is the policy at my hospital.

Midlines are considered a peripheral IV. You should never run TPN or any vesicants through it. Also you should not draw blood from it. Picc lines are central lines because the tip is in the SVC. Port-a-caths are central lines because the tip is in th...

I was wondering if this doctor is foreign. We have alot of foreign doctors at the hospital where I work and most treat nurses like dirt.

That's the thing about nursing. You work your butt off all year and think you are doing a great job and then you get your evaluation and it is not how you feel it should be. I feel alot of it has to do with money. The lower your rating the less raise...

Prior to working on the IV team I worked in CCU and I thought I was pretty good at starting IV's. It took me about a good year to really to be able to get the really hard sticks. I say keep at it and the more you do, the better you will become. One d...

I am an RN working in Maryland and I made alittle over $100,000 this year with overtime. I think that is awesome for a nurse with a 2 year degree.

I had a competency that was due this month. I thought that I took it and even checked with my manager and she told me that I took it and that I was ok. Well, come to find out I did not take it and I heard that they want to fire the employees that did...

I am an IV nurse. When a patient who is mentally competant refuses an IV, I definitely do not put one in. I could get charged with battery.

I have been working on an IV team for over 11 years. My previous job was working in CCU. When I was hired the only qualification is that you should be a fairly good stick with IV's. I had an 8 hour class at the hospital where I work learning to inser...

I was just wondering if anyone works with any nurses who seem to have one medical problem after another. I work in a small department so we don't have alot of extra staff to help us. My charge nurse comes to work and always seems to have some ailment...

Maryland

Yesterday a nurse working on a med surg floor was so busy that she did not even have time to go to the bathroom and was incontinent of urine. She was very upset. It was after 2 pm until she even had time to have a lunch break. She told the charge nur...

My hospital has been very slow the past few weeks and nurses were put on call. This is the first week where the census has increased. My hospital has a hiring freeze on for new nurses and other ancillary help. I just hope they don't take away my over...

I worked nights full time after I graduated from nursing school. I enjoyed it because it was alot less stressful and quieter than day shift. You have no baths, meals,visitors or doctors to deal with. I think working 11-7 is alot better than working 7...

Today at work on a med surg floor a seasoned nurse was written up for documenting her pain assessment 3 minutes late. Apparently you have a certain amount of time to document the effectiveness of the patient's pain med and she was 3 minutes late doin...

I bet it would be a different story if it was her husband. God forbid she would put on a pair of scrubs and cover you for a few hours. I had a friend who lost both parents in a matter of 2 weeks and her manager never even said a single word to her. I...

Yes, somedays I do envy the techs in my hospitals. I see the x-ray techs come up to the floor and shoot an x-ray. I think to myself that looks like a nice job. The starting pay is more than a new nurse. I've been a nurse for almost 30 years now. Some...

I have been a nurse a long time and I have never had to deal with this particular issue before. I have worked with this particular nurse for about 8 years and we have become friendly. A few months ago this nurse found out she had terminal cancer. Thi...

When I am at work I have certain rules I have to go by. I feel that nurse managers feel that the same rules do not apply to them. Our manager comes in when she feels like it and leaves whenever she wants. Even when we are busy she will say "Oh well, ...

I am a vascular access nurse and I totally agree with accessqueen. I rarely use an 18 gauge catheter and I do IV's all day. I see patients wih very poor access and I would never be able to insert an 18 gauge.

I was wondering if anyone uses the ultrasound machine for very difficult peripheral sticks. I don't have that much experience using it but a few nurses on my iv team use it and place iv's in the ac space. I would say that about half of them infiltrat...

Yes, I definitely have to agree 100% with you regarding patient and visitors attitudes. I have beena nurse almost 30 years and it has steadily been getting worse. I really feel that people just don't have respect for anyone these days. It really make...

I'm from Maryland. I love your stateTennessee. We go to Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains every chance we can. Hope to live there someday.

When I started in L&D years ago I got about a 3 month orientation. I can honestly say that it took me along time to begin to feel comfortable. There is so much to learn, especially doing c-sections in the OR. I would say just hang in there and in...