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WalkieTalkie

WalkieTalkie RN

CVICU
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WalkieTalkie is a RN and specializes in CVICU.

WalkieTalkie's Latest Activity

  1. WalkieTalkie
    Sir, you are 30-something years old. Whining, flailing around, causing drama, and wigging out are not acceptable behaviors in an ICU when you are completely alert and oriented. I understand that you are in pain and are anxious. However, you have refused every remedy available to treat your pain. I have offered you morphine, Dilaudid, Tylenol, Ativan, and Xanax. You have refused each one. In addition, asking for "my momma" and causing a scene all for an IV start is pathetic. You are not mentally handicapped or otherwise incapacitated. Get over it! Oh, and when momma arrives, you should really listen to her, because she's getting annoyed with you too!
  2. WalkieTalkie

    A worn out topic

    WalkieTalkie replied to artistnurse's topic in Nursing

    I will not take the badmouthing, "come hither" motions, yelling, or demeaning tones. That will be either taken up with that doctor when it's appropriate (i.e., not interfering with patient care), or through the proper channels. As for the chair thing, well, it depends on the situation. If it's a doctor who respects me and needs to use the computer to look up labs and care for my patient, and I'm not really needing the chair, then I will absolutely get up. If it's a doctor who disregards me, doesn't bother to know my name, and has a god complex, I'm not getting up. You treat me right, and I'll make your job a little easier... that's the way I look at it.
  3. WalkieTalkie

    Cell phones and equipment

    WalkieTalkie replied to General E. Speaking, RN's topic in CCU

    I'm pretty sure this dates back to the dawn of cellular technology (i.e. bag phones and the Zach Morris phone). Nearly every nurse, doctor, and family member who sets foot in my unit has a cell phone on them. I've never seen the monitors have interference. Our unit also has these obsolete signs posted. Found a few articles about it: Study: Cell Phone Interference With Medical Devices Lower Than Thought | Trumblog Interference with Pacemakers and Other Medical Devices Medical News: Mayo Appears Resistant to Cell Phone Interference - in Public Health & Policy, Practice Management from MedPage Today
  4. WalkieTalkie

    To hold or not Hold=That is the Question

    WalkieTalkie replied to GoNightingale's topic in Cardiac

    Technically, you are supposed to call if no holding parameters are written. Do I always do this? No... sometimes I will wait until morning and let the doc know they need to write holding parameters (i.e. patient is maxed on Levophed, so yeah, I'm not giving the dose of Lopressor tonight which was previously ordered during their stay when they were actually hypertensive). There are certain meds docs will want given despite the patient having a low MAP or SBP. Some examples would be ARBs and ACE inhibitors following acute MIs, and meds such as Coreg. If in doubt, just call and ask for holding parameters. I really wish that more docs and NPs would write parameters to begin with, so I could avoid a few phone calls!
  5. WalkieTalkie

    Telementry on med/surg floor

    WalkieTalkie replied to regularRN's topic in Nursing

    We do this at my hospital.
  6. WalkieTalkie

    how to deal with this intensivist

    WalkieTalkie replied to fiveofpeep's topic in MICU

    Absolutely. Go up the chain of command, go to the medical director. Call the ethics committee. You'll stir the pot, but if it's the right thing to do, they are the ones who will look bad in the end. I once called ethics because everyone from the resident, chief resident, and attending refused to address a patient's and family's wish of DNR status. The patient was over a couple of weeks post-op, with a poor prognosis. Guess what? Ethics agreed with me and the patient was made a DNR the following day. I don't think the physicians even understood the difference between DNR and comfort cares. The chief resident was a total B to me for quite a few weeks after that. All I did was make it a point to smile and say "hi" to her every day. Sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone is the best thing to do. One of my favorite nurses was being berated by a pompous physician one day. She told him not to talk to her like that on the phone. He went on berating her, so she pulled out the trash can and plopped the phone in it. After that, the physician came up to the unit and yelled at her. She wouldn't have it and walked away. The next day, he finally apologized to her. After that, he was much more pleasant.
  7. WalkieTalkie

    how to deal with this intensivist

    WalkieTalkie replied to fiveofpeep's topic in MICU

    What a prick. I would report him to your facility's medical director. Leaving a patient in pain because of a personal tiff is uncalled for and DANGEROUS. Nobody should have to suffer because of someone's ego and personality problems.
  8. WalkieTalkie

    Schools over - stuck with 18 books

    WalkieTalkie replied to Natingale's topic in Nursing

    The only one of my books I ever look at is my critical care book because I work in critical care. You'll be better off selling the books from the area you aren't going into. Trust me, you will probably never look at them again. They'll set around and collect dust and become worthless heaps of paper. Nursing books are like cars... they depreciate with age and use... and I say if you're not using them, sell them while you can. Most floors and hospitals will have a copy of the most current nursing literature available for reference. I usually sell mine on http://www.half.com or Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs more
  9. WalkieTalkie

    Calling briefs "diapers"....*vent*

    WalkieTalkie replied to cherrybreeze's topic in Nursing

    Some of my patients themselves call them DIAPERS.
  10. WalkieTalkie
    To the daughter whom I'd just explained why I was giving blood to her father for post-op bleeding and low blood pressure (after she comes out of the room frantic saying that the monitor is beeping): Yes, it's going to beep, yes it's ok, that's why he's getting blood. Unless you see me running, it's not an emergency. Oops, I actually did say this!
  11. WalkieTalkie

    Amiodarone and Lidocaine drips for VTach

    WalkieTalkie replied to deemo21's topic in CCU

    We have run these together several times on my floor, for resistant VT. Make sure a daily lidocaine level is checked.
  12. WalkieTalkie

    dear patients, please quit saying that to me

    WalkieTalkie replied to mcpnurse's topic in Nursing

    I have this same problem and I get annoyed when people ask about it. I'm like "listen, it only happens in a few situations... It's hot, I just ate something hot, or I'm ANGRY." LOL
  13. WalkieTalkie

    Male Nurses in Crocs?

    WalkieTalkie replied to j_tay1981's topic in Men

    All my male co-workers who wear Danskos swear by them.
  14. WalkieTalkie

    Family and PT reactions to male nurses

    WalkieTalkie replied to Warrior504th's topic in Men

    My male co-workers are some of my favorite nurses to work with. They are typically no nonsense and they are more fun to work with at times. A lot of the female nurses on my floor tend to be caught up in minute details when it comes to patient care. Most of the guys are like me and care about getting the basics and important cares done and then worrying about the little details later. Then there's the attitudes...A floor full of PMS-ing female staff is never a good thing. This might sound cliche, but it does happen. Heck, I've even been one of those PMS-ing nurses and it's much worse when there's a whole floor of us. There's also the gossip aspect. While there are a couple of guys who gossip just as much as the gals, it doesn't occur as frequently. There are several male nurses and techs on my floor, and I often would rather work on a shift where there are more men than women. Just my As another poster mentioned, sometimes the elderly patients are confused and often ask if the male nurse in their room is a doctor. Sometimes this can be a good thing. I once had an elderly lady who became extremely combative and confused to the point where she drew blood on my orient. She kept asking to see the doctor and believed that my male co-worker was the doctor. I had him step in and just stand there (not even saying anything), so I could give her some Haldol to calm her down. I've never heard any of our patients complain about having a male as their nurse or tech. I have had women (usually younger ones) ask for females to do their baths or toileting. I've also had younger males request males for the same procedures.
  15. WalkieTalkie

    stopcocks

    WalkieTalkie replied to General E. Speaking, RN's topic in CCU

    Here's a couple of illustrations...
  16. WalkieTalkie

    Ambulate with Femoral Lines

    WalkieTalkie replied to Ruby Vee's topic in CCU

    I am currently reviewing our lines policy for update, and I haven't seen any recommendations about ambulating patient's with femoral lines. Are you referring to arterial or central lines? I personally wouldn't walk anyone with a femoral art line, and I'd be somewhat hesitant with a venous line (especially if the patient was anticoagulated). I'll keep looking and see if I can find anything.