Altra BSN, RN

Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU

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All Content by Altra

  1. Altra

    Help! I have extreme compassion fatigue

    Altra replied to Blue Roses's topic in Health, Stress Management

    Thinking of you, Blue Roses
  2. Altra

    Whats your biggest pet peeve working in the ED?

    Altra replied to Whts_Ur_Emergency?'s topic in Emergency

    Drop in blood sugar? So, you only regain consciousness after your blood sugar is corrected? You'll learn about vaso-vagal effects in class. Or you can google
  3. Altra

    tums in an ng tube

    Altra replied to menardca's topic in General Nursing

    Tums is calcium carbonate and 10mg famotidine. Alternative forms of both are
  4. Altra

    tums in an ng tube

    Altra replied to menardca's topic in General Nursing

    Think through how the patient could get the same pharmacological effects from an alternative med and ask that the order be changed. Hint:
  5. Altra

    ER Nurse Attitude

    Altra replied to Chlometov's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    My solution: Every single nurse and nursing student should have the opportunity to read survey comments as written by patients & families. Hospitals where I have worked transcribe them and...
  6. Altra

    Considering a group home / residential care home

    Altra replied to brandyrclark's topic in Nursing Career

    You'll want to first find out the licensing requirements for personal care homes in your
  7. Altra

    Petition to help new grads get experience

    Altra replied to Brian's topic in First Year After Licensure

    This is not correct. Medicare benefits include some provisions which directly reimburse certain agencies for nursing care including some home health, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation. You are...
  8. Altra

    Pay vs. specialty

    Altra replied to Ted D's topic in General Nursing

    As other posters have indicated, this varies widely from employer to employer, and by region. It really is impossible to generalize. You might get better info on your state forum. In my area there...
  9. Altra

    Helipad Trauma Nursing

    Altra replied to TraumaBSN's topic in Nursing Career

    Flight crews are responsible for the patient until handover to hospital staff, wherever that occurs -- at the helipad, or elsewhere in the
  10. Altra

    ER Nurse Attitude

    Altra replied to Chlometov's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    OP, as you continue school clinicals, please remember that the dying come first. Always. One hundred percent of the time. Otherwise you'll kill a patient. Have I gotten your attention?
  11. Altra

    Petition to help new grads get experience

    Altra replied to Brian's topic in First Year After Licensure

    Thank you for the clarification. I am once again disappointed to see "nurses" represented as uninformed about the operations of both the health care industry and the federal government. If the...
  12. Altra

    Return to trauma after husband's death

    Altra replied to NURSESNUFFLES's topic in Emergency

    I am so sorry for your loss. As someone who returned to the ER after a sudden traumatic loss ... you might want to consider short shifts of 4 or so hours for your first week. I found that the...
  13. Altra

    Petition to help new grads get experience

    Altra replied to Brian's topic in First Year After Licensure

    I cannot sign the petition, as I do not agree with any of the proposed solutions. I disagree in broad principle with the idea that "President Obama can help new graduate nurses gain the experience...
  14. Altra

    Are Managers against nurses?

    Altra replied to tiacali's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    I think you are not seeing the larger picture. Your agreement to fill one hole one day does not evaporate the need for you to cover your scheduled shift the next day. Your manager probably has no...
  15. Altra

    Tattoos in healthcare

    Altra replied to savoytruffle's topic in Nursing Professionalism

    No, I haven't. So if you are going to invest in higher education with a goal of pursuing a management career ... take that into
  16. Altra

    What to expect in patient's "Progress Notes"?

    Altra replied to nurs1ng's topic in General Nursing

    Highly suggest you read progress notes -- they'll contain brief H&Ps, and A/P -- assessment/plan. If you are caring for the patient, their entire chart (paper or electronic) is available to you...
  17. Altra

    We need a bigger boat

    Altra replied to emtb2rn's topic in Emergency

    We're doing pretty much what you're doing. Gotta love the media flu hype ...
  18. Altra

    When did you realize that "newbie" wouldn't cut it in the ER?

    Altra replied to lvnlrn's topic in Emergency

    Funny, I consider "this place is crazy" to be a pretty appropriate observation from a newbie. Or even a not-so-newbie, for that
  19. Altra

    surviving the ER pregnant....

    Altra replied to mamaxmaria's topic in Emergency

    Ah, I completely missed your indication that you're working as a tech and not a nurse. I really should read more carefully - shame on me! From a former ER tech -- it is a very physical job, as you...
  20. Altra

    Help! I have extreme compassion fatigue

    Altra replied to Blue Roses's topic in Health, Stress Management

    Blue Roses, I'm sorry you're feeling this way. The first year of nursing is rough. But it is also a period of tremendous personal growth. I agree with your assessment that your coworkers are probably...
  21. Altra

    surviving the ER pregnant....

    Altra replied to mamaxmaria's topic in Emergency

    At 30 weeks, you've paid your dues, so to speak. Resentment from coworkers typically only happens when a nurse immediately decides that pregnancy should alter her job description. In the EDs where...
  22. Altra

    Would you call social services for a child OD'ing?

    Altra replied to squatmunkie_RN's topic in General Nursing

    The post that I responded to suggested CPS involvement via "mandated reporting" for a minor who happens to have "OD'd". This completely mischaracterizes the intent and purpose of "mandated...
  23. Altra

    Would you call social services for a child OD'ing?

    Altra replied to squatmunkie_RN's topic in General Nursing

    Mandated reporters of suspected abuse, yes. But overdoses are not necessarily the result of abuse. If my 16-year old decides to get high and gets in over her head ... there is no abuse to
  24. Altra

    Triage complaints- the good, the bad, and the shocking.

    Altra replied to canoehead's topic in Emergency

    The good: "I have sunburn on my shoulders and chest and it's painful." Pain x 4 days. No OTC meds attempted. Mild redness noted, no blistering. "I am 7 weeks pregnant and my breasts hurt." Um...
  25. Altra

    Needing Advise

    Altra replied to Brianrn's topic in General Nursing

    I agree with this. However, when a discharge order is received (as it originally was in the OP's scenario), I would consider it the nurse's responsibility to see that the patient is indeed discharged...