Altra BSN, RN

Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU

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All Content by Altra

  1. Altra

    Morphine dose in vial?

    Altra replied to Chaya's topic in General Nursing

    Most common doses are 4-6mg, and we have 2mg, 4mg & 10mg
  2. Altra

    In the box

    Altra replied to emtb2rn's topic in Emergency

    Any time in the penalty box on the day after a holiday should be "hazard pay" ... hope you're treating yourself to whatever your favorite relaxation is right now.
  3. Altra

    How does your ED handle "walk-in" MIs?

    Altra replied to DayDreamin ER CRNP's topic in Emergency

    You did fine. No, please don't hit the "code" button, as that is NOT what is
  4. Altra

    does anyone out there copy charts to save time?

    Altra replied to lordgregoryrn's topic in General Nursing

    Sorry OP -- the photocopied documentation makes it difficult to avoid the appearance that you did not look at 14 or 15 patients all night. I understand the point about comparing this to an electronic...
  5. Altra

    An open letter to the ER triage nurse

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

    This is exactly what bothers me about this and some other recent threads. Some phrases that have been tossed around here include "if you had an ounce of compassion" "shouldn't be a nurse"...
  6. Altra

    "That having been said..."

    Altra replied to psu_213's topic in General Nursing

    It's no more or less trite than any one of countless other cliches; e.g., "at the end of the day". It doesn't do a lot to meaningfully advance the conversation. It has nothing to do with nursing,...
  7. Altra

    An open letter to the ER triage nurse

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

    And I would call that the height of professionalism -- the ability to calmly, dispassionately evaluate situations and act
  8. Altra

    Staff Meetings: What Are They Good For?

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

    Nope. I have worked in a unit where there were no staff meetings, ever. It would have been waaaayy more give-and-take than that manager could have handled. Her standard modus operandi was more like...
  9. Altra

    Staff Meetings: What Are They Good For?

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

    Staff meetings are a tool. Whether that tool is a shovel, a sledgehammer, or a building block ... is up to the unit, both staff and
  10. Altra

    GUM! Can you chew it on shift?

    Altra replied to SummitRN's topic in Nursing Professionalism

    Um, did you mean me? Altra? No idea how I (and my mother?) were personally called back into this thread, but for the record ... In this thread I commented on a comment made by another poster regarding...
  11. Altra

    Was this a HIPAA violation?

    Altra replied to abbaking's topic in HIPAA Challenges

    In addition to the fact that HIPAA did not apply in 1998 ... This was a volunteer position, right? Meaning, unpaid? There can be no legal case, because there is no "harm" that you suffered - loss of...
  12. Altra

    An open letter to the ER triage nurse

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

    And so this part of your anger, which is the result of the actions of the ED physician and neurologist who saw you, is getting rolled into a complaint about the triage nurse. Just to be clear. The...
  13. Altra

    An open letter to the ER triage nurse

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

    Yep. And that's why this thread puzzles me, when the OP is a nurse, who knows full-well the amount of assessment that occurs with
  14. Altra

    An open letter to the ER triage nurse

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

    This more or less confirms my interpretation of the fast-track nature of your visit, OP. Complex migraine symptoms -- head CT & neuro consult just to make sure and demonstrate that the full range...
  15. Altra

    HIPPA violation?

    Altra replied to Ms.RN's topic in General Nursing

    The family was being told -- in what manner? If the scan was on an outpatient basis, I'm assuming that the patient had the scan and then went home. At some later point, whether it was 30 minutes or 3...
  16. Altra

    An open letter to the ER triage nurse

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

    Maybe we're somehow losing each other in terminology ... In an emergency department there is what is usually loosely termed "the front" -- meaning the waiting room, triage, registration, etc. And "the...
  17. Altra

    CDC advice on Zombies

    Altra replied to Flare's topic in General Nursing

    Made me smile
  18. Altra

    An open letter to the ER triage nurse

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

    morte, from the OP: She & the EMS crew were called into the triage area ... IN DA WAITIN' ROOM And the report of OP's total treatment time is not "mine" -- it's the OP's report in post
  19. Altra

    An open letter to the ER triage nurse

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

    Not trying to pick on you morte, but if not in the waiting room how did she observe that the waiting room was half empty?? And ... this has been said a thousand times ... a half empty, or even empty,...
  20. Altra

    An open letter to the ER triage nurse

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

    I'm getting it from the OP's update in post
  21. Altra

    An open letter to the ER triage nurse

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

    My ER is staffed as best as it possibly can be, that's not the problem. We are stafffed at peak times to account for all the hallway spaces and a float nurse without an assignment to transport, put...
  22. Altra

    An open letter to the ER triage nurse

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

    A couple of key points, from an ER point of view: 1. If the OP was in & out in under 4 hours -- that's essentially a fast-track/urgent care course of treatment. I am not looking for the OP to...
  23. Altra

    An open letter to the ER triage nurse

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

    For all of their job stresses, and there are many ... paramedics and EMTs get to focus on one patient at a time once they're in the truck. Patients perceive this, know that they've had their full...
  24. Altra

    An open letter to the ER triage nurse

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

    Assuming that the scenario played out exactly, word for word, as presented in the OP ... Maybe there could have been a better choice of words from the triage nurse. But this is grounds for "shame",...
  25. Altra

    Quick question on civil lawsuits..

    Altra replied to lilkuz06's topic in General Nursing

    Whether or not a nurse carries insurance does not have any bearing on what a court's decision will be. Even with insurance coverage, it is quite possible that a court award could exceed your...