sicushells

sicushells RN

SICU, Peds CVICU

Member

  • Content

    216

  • Visitors

    6,608

  • Followers

    0

  • Likes

    4

All Content by sicushells

  1. Medically Induced Coma

    sicushells replied to SarahLovesNovember's topic in MICU, SICU

    Like suzanne4 said, CRNAs don't really practice in the ICU. When they bring patients over to us after surgery, they might help out in a code situation, but only as an extra set of hands. The...

  2. First Patient Death..How do I deal?

    sicushells replied to RNXU's topic in MICU, SICU

    After my first patient code when I was in orientation, I was very panicked and felt extremely guilty. My preceptor said, "You gave the patient the best care you could, you acted quickly. Whether or...

  3. Endotracheal tube securement

    sicushells replied to findingmywayRN's topic in MICU, SICU

    I work in the sicu, and most often we use ties. Knotted a few times around the tube and then once around the back of the head. We tie a knot near the cheek on one side and put 2x2s near the corner of...

  4. Crrt

    sicushells replied to nurseasia94's topic in MICU, SICU

    We reuse our bags. The effluent shouldn't reflux (like someone else already said), so there shouldn't be any contamination between the "old" effluent and the "new" effluent. Also, the effluent itself...

  5. Transplants

    sicushells replied to NurseLay's topic in MICU, SICU

    I'm so sorry this was your experience. Based on my own experiences I can say that immediate post-op can be the most stressful time for the RN. That doesn't make it easier for the families, but it...

  6. Am I just a nervous new grad or is the ICU not for me?

    sicushells replied to Sterren's topic in MICU, SICU

    Geekgolightly -None of my comments/advice for new grads (only recently out of the classification myself, btw) were meant to be condescending towards floor nurses... which I've said before. Floor...

  7. ICU nurse to pt ratio "norm" on your unit?

    sicushells replied to Natef26's topic in MICU, SICU

    Most of our patients are 2:1. That includes open-hearts straight from the OR, vented patients, confused withdrawl patients, liver transplants (which can be very unstable, we don't know til they come...

  8. What makes a good ICU nurse??

    sicushells replied to KayceeLeeRN's topic in MICU, SICU

    More experienced nurses will always help you out in an emergent situation. The reality is that people are in the ICU because they're very sick (well... not always, there's a post about inappropriate...

  9. Am I just a nervous new grad or is the ICU not for me?

    sicushells replied to Sterren's topic in MICU, SICU

    Eliza, I wrote a response to your comment, but this sums it up perfectly (thanks Joeyzstj) I have nothing but respect for floor nurses. Taking care of 10 patients is still work. In my first post I...

  10. Am I just a nervous new grad or is the ICU not for me?

    sicushells replied to Sterren's topic in MICU, SICU

    Good luck, btw. And... crying is

  11. Am I just a nervous new grad or is the ICU not for me?

    sicushells replied to Sterren's topic in MICU, SICU

    I've been in the ICU for alittle over a year, and I started feeling comfortable about three months ago. It takes awhile, but orientation is supposed to be difficult. You are changing the way you...

  12. Houston RN pay?

    sicushells replied to worldsas's topic in Texas Nursing

    I'm thinking about moving to houston in a year or two. Do you feel like your opinions as an RN are valued, or are the hospitals more physician-driven. I'm worried I'm going to have complete culture...

  13. New to ICU, Orientation and Assertiveness

    sicushells replied to JuliaSN's topic in MICU, SICU

    Every place is different but... where I work if you don't ask questions nurses are going to think you're either a know it all or you don't care. You can study theory all day long, but practice is...

  14. Insulin during cardiac arrest?

    sicushells replied to kimmie518's topic in MICU, SICU

    ACLS protocol keeps being brought up, often with the statement "I've given IV Insulin in addition to/outside of/despite/etc. the protocol, However: ACLS protocol states that possible contributing...

  15. General assessment in SICU

    sicushells replied to JLKNurse's topic in MICU, SICU

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but newborn reflexes normally disappear within the first 18 months of life, so in a neurologically intact adult, grips should not be a reflex, but rather purposeful. In the...

  16. General assessment in SICU

    sicushells replied to JLKNurse's topic in MICU, SICU

    Does the ICU you're asking about have neurosurg patients as well? I wasn't really sure what the connection was. my hospital has a Neuro ICU which handles neurosurg pts. Where I work we do standard...

  17. Maybe I shouldn't be an ICU nurse - long

    sicushells replied to bethem's topic in MICU, SICU

    If she flew everytime, why did she need to be tubed 5 times? Just

  18. Nursing Misconceptions

    sicushells replied to allanina03's topic in First Year After Licensure

    Nursing does drain your "customer service happy face" pretty quick in my experience. Even with two patients in the ICU, I feel run down and exhausted. It's incredibly difficult to be polite and...

  19. What do you want from orientation?

    sicushells replied to missionnurse's topic in First Year After Licensure

    My unit just put out a new orientation manual. A lot of it is specific to where I work, but the things I wish I had from day one are: - the lists of doctors (which teams to call when (i.e. colorectal...