CalicoKitty BSN, MSN, RN

Med-Surg, Geriatrics, Wound Care

Three cats in the yard. Life used to be so hard...

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All Content by CalicoKitty

  1. CalicoKitty

    Which On-Line WOCN Programs + Clinicals

    CalicoKitty replied to Noyse's topic in Wound, Ostomy, Continence

    I am a good test taker, so I am not sure what to tell you. There are a lot of clinical hours for certification. It is required by the WOCNCB for
  2. CalicoKitty

    How many jobs have you had in your career?

    CalicoKitty replied to LibraNurse27's topic in General Nursing

    I used WebWOC. It takes 3 weeks for each "program" (wounds, ostomy, continence), it includes recorded lectures and powerpoints, weekly quizzes and a final exam. Then you need clinical hours for each...
  3. CalicoKitty

    Do hospitals allow nurses to wear their own respirators of choice?

    CalicoKitty replied to Kara638's topic in General Nursing

    My hospital fitted all the patient care staff with those half-face masks, we use those for our covid/rule-out patients. We remove them and clean them with wipes. I think my face does not like the...
  4. CalicoKitty

    Most hilarious/creative/inventive names you've been called...

    CalicoKitty replied to Raven Sierra's topic in Emergency

    I've been the "White Devil" (from the mouth of a homeless schizophrenic man). When I was his nurse, I would do my best to care for him, but he often wouldn't let me near him, so I would work with my...
  5. CalicoKitty

    Why is LTC so hated

    CalicoKitty replied to MadameFreckles's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    I'm pretty sure it is the patient ratios the most. Med-surg nurses can get overwhelmed with 6+ nurses, and there's talk of many LTC nurses having 50+ patients. There's often a different "hierarchy"...
  6. CalicoKitty

    Are there any nurses that are not vaccinated? How to prepare to be safe at work?

    CalicoKitty replied to PrettyNerd's topic in Disaster Preparation

    Actually, I was pretty excited. I kinda wish I had been in a clinical trial. I used to work in virology and immunology before becoming a nurse. So, I may be biased. I ended up with Covid, so I was...
  7. CalicoKitty

    Are there any nurses that are not vaccinated? How to prepare to be safe at work?

    CalicoKitty replied to PrettyNerd's topic in Disaster Preparation

    I realize you are afraid of getting the vaccine because you do not understand it. You should educate yourself on the facts. Yes there are risks. You know what is riskier? Getting Covid. The...
  8. CalicoKitty

    Are there any nurses that are not vaccinated? How to prepare to be safe at work?

    CalicoKitty replied to PrettyNerd's topic in Disaster Preparation

    My hospital will have mandatory Covid vaccines this year. There are also mandatory flu vaccines every year, and titers/vaccines for many other contagious illnesses required on hire. I got Covid,...
  9. CalicoKitty

    Share Policies That Have Not Saved One Life

    CalicoKitty replied to Emergent's topic in General Nursing

    Lowering the rail of the bed that has the patient control buttons because having all 4 rails up is a
  10. CalicoKitty

    OR career with T1D?

    CalicoKitty replied to Nurseynurse11's topic in General Nursing

    Could you add a sterile cover over it and make it accessible? Like the sticky plastic holders used on handles? But, if it is giving you problems, I think you really gotta tackle that
  11. CalicoKitty

    Positive Varicella Titer Result, Then Negative?

    CalicoKitty replied to Kiroppi's topic in General Nursing

    My poor coworker never had chicken pox as a kid. She's been vaccinated multiple times for it as a nurse, but always gets a negative titer.. They gave up on her and just told her to avoid the Chicken...
  12. CalicoKitty

    CNA’s restarting IV pump

    CalicoKitty replied to Tofumilk's topic in General Nursing

    Kinda OT, but the hospital I am working at now has these IV pumps that beep, but when the patient straightens out their arm, the IV restarts and stops beeping. Wish Alaris would do
  13. CalicoKitty

    Disagree with physician about restraining a patient

    CalicoKitty replied to palila's topic in General Nursing

    Sometimes I've seen "lifesaving" medical devices and at my hospitals simply pulling out an IV was not a restraint indicator (unless the IV was a lifesaving medication like cardiac meds). If her...
  14. CalicoKitty

    WOC Nurse NP?

    CalicoKitty posted a topic in Wound, Ostomy, Continence

    Anyone do Advanced Practice as a WOC Nurse? I am debating graduate school. I am not really "into" peds, but kind of thinking FNP would be the "better" option, although I am more interested in...
  15. CalicoKitty

    Concerned - New Grad from Excelsior

    CalicoKitty replied to Medic6940's topic in General Nursing

    I'm at Inova and happy, too. Worked at 2 places in DC, also. Less happy. And even less happy.. But still learned a great
  16. CalicoKitty

    Concerned - New Grad from Excelsior

    CalicoKitty replied to Medic6940's topic in General Nursing

    I would also make sure you can get your license by endorsement. Virginia is a "compact state". If you live in Virginia with a Virginia nursing license, you can work in Maryland. You can also see...
  17. CalicoKitty

    any suggestions for audio learning for FNP

    CalicoKitty posted a topic in Student Nurse Practitioner

    I plan on starting FNP this Summer. I currently have a 45 minute commute to/from work. Would like to maybe fill some of those days with learning like audiobooks or podcasts... For my BSN, I know...
  18. CalicoKitty

    Villanova vs. University of Pennsylvania

    CalicoKitty replied to SPJackson's topic in Student Nurse Practitioner

    Knowing nothing about the programs, I'd probably go with UPenn. 1) Villanova is catholic (I am not), and that religion gets incorporated into their education (from what I've heard). 2) UPenn is an Ivy...
  19. CalicoKitty

    Silvasorb vs silvadene vs hydrogel

    CalicoKitty replied to Oanh Nguyen's topic in General Nursing

    They are all wet(ish). Two have silver. (antimicrobial). One has sulfadiazine which some people are allergic to. What kind of answer are you looking
  20. CalicoKitty

    Coworkers Reporting Powerful Bowel Movements

    CalicoKitty replied to SilverBells's topic in General Nursing

    There used to be a website "rate my poo".. I can imagine "powerful" being a descriptor of some of those photos. Sometimes I have some "powerful" stools since Metformin likes to get me on the throne...
  21. CalicoKitty

    New RN Age

    CalicoKitty replied to Kooper48's topic in General Nursing

    I was reading some books from Civil War nursing.. I think it was Dorothea Dix in charge of hiring many of the military nurses. Her requirements were old and ugly.. ? Young attractive women need not...
  22. CalicoKitty

    New RN Age

    CalicoKitty replied to Kooper48's topic in General Nursing

    I'm 46, worked med-surg for 9 years and swapped to more office 6 months ago. Going to start graduate school in a few months. Figure FNP by Fitty? There's a lot of variety in nursing so if you get worn...
  23. CalicoKitty

    Which patients are you most scared to take care of?

    CalicoKitty replied to SilverBells's topic in General Nursing

    As a med-surg nurse, I really hated/feared trachs for a while. I joke about being a "below the neck" person. Eventually as I got more experience, I got slightly more comfortable with them, but still I...
  24. CalicoKitty

    Getting fired by a patient/ family member

    CalicoKitty replied to DesiDani's topic in General Nursing

    Last time I got fired was by an adult patient's mother who thought I wanted to "knock out" her son by offering him a PRN Benadryl (or something) to help him sleep rather than for "agitation" since she...
  25. CalicoKitty

    Osteomyelitis Way Back When

    CalicoKitty replied to Kooky Korky's topic in General Nursing

    If diabetics can't get their sugars under control, it really doesn't matter what happens. The high blood sugars end up with poor perfusion and a nonfunctional immune system. Poor perfusion, the...