mm nurse

Was the pump allowed to warm to room temp x 1hr before infusing? Sometimes if it's cold it won't run right. Another suggestion is to roll the area of the tubing where the clamp was between your fingers. Sometimes the tubing is kinked from the clamp even tho' it's unclamped. Lastly, try letting the pump run when not attached to your husband. This will let you know if the pump is the problem. I've worked with the eclipse pumps for about 10 years. I won't pretend that they are trouble free but I experienced very few problems and most of the families I've worked with love them. Especially compared to a straight line or a pump. You may have just got the lucky pain in the neck pump. Hopefully it won't happen again. Good luck!

I never got the hang of the translumenator but there are sm. handheld models that cost about $400. We have one and a lot of the nurses love it.

I think it might be interesting to see who of the BSN nurses started out as ADN or diploma nurses. I have been a nurse for 20 years as an ADN but just finished my BSN last year.

Checking titers is the way to go. I had to have a booster about 15 yrs ago B/C the immunization used during my childhood wasn't effect for lifelong. I think it was the late 60's early 70's

I haven't heard of an agency in my area that reimburses for gas. Usually it's mileage reimbursement. The government rate is 43 cents but at one time my agency only gave a taxable, monthly "car allowance". Rarely even covered a week of gas. What i did, thanks to my accountant sister, was to keep careful records of my daily mileage and she took it off my taxes each tear. You have to subtract the first and last leg of the day, whether this is to patient homes or the office. I did get good tax returns then! I believe if you are reimbursed less then the government rate, you can take the difference in the amount off your taxes. Good luck!

Hi all! I'm a home infusion nurse in New Jersey. My co-workers and I are trying to find out if our on call rate is norm. for the area. If anyone wouldn't mind sharing, we're looking to fine out on much you are paid for each visit on call and the rate you get paid for "holding the beeper. We are all salaried employees but we cover MANY counties, so it would probably be interesting to know how far your area encompasses too! Thanks a head of time!

Hi, I've been thinking about a MSN degree since I finished my BSN online this past spring. My problem is that I really enjoyed the learning but don't have a real focus on any particular emphasis. Also, I really enjoyed doing my BSN online. Anyone know about online MSN programs? Any info would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!

I'm with the others. This seems like an extreme practice!! I do IV home infusion and there are very few meds we give IV push. Vanco, that you mentioned, should NEVER be given IV push. Also, the narcotics would make me nervous. We have to have written anaphalaxis protocols too.

Hi!! Good luck in peds!! It's a great speciality. I started as a GN in a busy pediatric unit, in a hospital that also had a PICU. I really feel I learned to hone my skills and learn to organizemyself on the floor. It helps you to learn to distinguish a really sick kid from a not so sick one. I eventually moved to PICU and was really glad I had done general peds 1st. It gave me the background I needed. There are many PICU nurses that feel you should do reg. peds. 1st and I'm included in that. If you're really lucky, the hospital has a group of Peds and PICU nurses that work well together. I was encouraged by the PICU nurses to join them once I got my "sea legs". Good luck!! I've been doing peds for 18 yrs (how did THAT happen11 :chuckle :chuckle ) and wouldn't trade this speciality for anything!!!!

A friend of mine's daughter had the same thing. It looked a little frightening but was easily taken care of through surgery. It doesn't press on the trachea or esophagus, it pushes outward until you see it. In the case of the child I know, the doctor also wanted to wait until she got bigger. Unfortuneately, the cyst burst and then had to be taken care of. It was a simple, same day prcedure without any complications. This child was about 2 when she had the surgery. She's a thriving 5 y/o now and none the worse for wear!! :)

I work Pediatric infusion and all our nurses have said that if we need chemo, we want a port!! We use PICC's, and Broviacs with many of our kids but they require either a nurse or family to do drsg. changes as needed. With the port, once the needle is out, there is no other care required. If your sister is truely afraid of the needle, you can have the Doc. order her some Emla (lidocaine) to apply topically about an hour before she is to be accesed. We use it on a lot of our kids although many more of our kids use nothing. Good luck!!

No. you aren't brain dead. A true PICC line is inserted to just above the heart into the superior vena cava (SVC). It is possible that it migrated into your grandma's heart but that usually causes cardiac irratability w/ obvious signs & symptoms. Even if this was the case, all that needs to be done is for the PICC line to be pulled back a few cms and recheck the x-ray. As far as a PICC line being short term, they are considered intermediate because they are used for any IV access of >1wk and may last a year or longer. They are also able to be placed in the home environment. As far as pain control, Mso4 may also be given by continuous sub-q infusion. Midlines are a shorter version of a PICC and they are usually only threaded 5-10 inches into the upper arm. My experience w/midlines is that they don't last as long and seem to have more complications. Give me a PICC anytime!! Good luck w/ your grandma!! Mollie

Hi Lois! I have been doing Pediatric Home Infusion for about 8 yrs. I love it most days :). I have been a nurse for 18 yrs., all in pediatrics (Acute care, rehab, PICU, private duty, & home infusion). I like the flexibility of my job and I LOVE the family teaching. I do tell anyone thinking about homecare that it is A LOT of driving and many miles on your vehicle. It's definately not for anyone who hates to drive. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Mollie