buggybum96

JustBeachyNurse....I certainly understand that fact. My pt is 12 with no fluid restrictions and 10-30 mL before/between/after meds. She gets a max of 40mL water for one med pass. No worries here on volume overload. I certainly understand its patient specific on volume but my question was really just asking about the method of administration. I just got tickled that this was being told to me. Have done gravity for years unless specified. :)

All meds are liquid and/or crushable. It's method we are discussing. :)

Thank you so much. I know I'm not crazy but had a much older nurse tell me that we're not supposed to use gravity. I said "not in the school I attended and graduated with honors at. Just had to shake me head at the comment.

Correct me if I'm wrong....please! As an LPN graduate from the class of 2008, did someone, somewhere change the administration of medication concept for a g-tube patient? Today, I was informed by a much older "experienced" LPN that we "are not supposed to give medications via gravity to a GT patient." They are supposed to be given bolus via syringe even though the Plan of Care does not specifically indicate this. I've been administering all meds via gravity with flushes. And just to clarify...I really do know the correct method of using gravity to administer all prescribed medications (liquid and crushable meds). I just couldn't believe this was told to me. Am I crazy?

As a pediatric home health nurse with 5 years experience in the home, plus hospital experience on the medical oncology floor, I am having trouble coping with the lack of attentiveness to little details on the care of this patient by other nurses. As a hospital nurse, everything had to be dated....IV tubing, dressings...you know the drill... But in my current pediatric home I just can't seem to get anyone to understand that things should be dated. There is one night per week that all respiratory equipment gets changed out, i.e. suction cannister, tubing, yankaeur, trach mask, drain bag and corrugated tubing. Every time I come back after my 1 night off....NOTHING is dated. Not even the 250ml bottle of NACL that is used to irrigated her bladder after cathing. My other issue....particularly the 2 male nurses that work seem to ignore oral care. I beat my head against the wall during my 7 nights to get her lips nice and soft again and all the crap off her tongue then I go on my week off and I come back to dry/cracked lips and a slimy tongue and greasy hair (supposed to be washed twice a week on day shift) And my third thing....and it's been said out loud by one male nurse....I don't fold laundry. All but the laundry issue has been conveyed to the case manager... I've even brought these issues up with the family so the mom is aware but nothing happens. Who else has come across something like this and what did you do? I'm really ready to contact the "higher-ups" but worried about backlash. I've brought this up several times to the case mgr but it seems to falls on deaf ears.

I too, am a brand new nurse, who works both in a hospital and a LTC facility. I took a per diem LPN position at the LTC so I could "get my feet into both worlds." While I've always known since I started school in 2006 that what I really really want to do is work in a doctor's office, I needed the other experiences as well. Just to kinda confirm what I already knew. After 3 months in the hospital I am finding my stride. Does it all make sense? Heck no! But it will. Is the LTC difficult. Yes and for the same reasons...Too many staff/resident ratio. I had 3 days orientation and mind you the days were spread out. Turned out on my own on a 7-3 shift. Needless to say by 10:30 that morning I had another nurse helping me and by 2:05 that afternoon, the ADON was helping. I begged them for a few more days but that didn't happen initially and after my disasterous 7-3 shift, I had one more 3-11 shift of orientation. The hardest part is getting to know the 64 faces and who gets what, when. Who goes to the 1st and 2nd dinner seating, who stays in their rooms, yada yada yada...... Thank heavens the people I work with are patient and kind and words of kindness and encouragement are always forthcoming. Give it time. That is what I keep telling myself. I like the LTC but I still know that a physician's office is where I want to end up. All of this craziness will make me a better nurse. Chin up and keep going. You CAN do this! :nurse: