jesswill

I do this 2 times a week, on average, in the GI/Special Procedures Unit I work in. Fecal sample is obtained from a blood relative, we put it in a blender with warm water to desired consistency (pretty thin). The doctor inserts the colonscope and goes as far as the TI... I use the biospy port and 60cc syringe to flush through the blenderized mixture. We continue the flushes all the way down to the rectum or we run out of the mixture. Published studies show a 95% success rate in eliminating C.Diff this way. Our infectious disease specialist usually refers the patients to our GI docs. It is actually a brilliant procedure for those who need it!

We use any/all vials for 24 hours max. I work on a hospital IV Team as well as outpatient infusion suite (situated within the hospital.)

mandatory at our hospital- have to sign a waiver and take a mandatory flu education class if you choose not to get it. H1N1 and regulay flu shot free for all employees.

1. Do one or two nurse go to place the PICC line? Always 2 2. What are your hours of service for PICC onsite vs on-call? We place PICCs from 07:00 to 18:00 during the week and 08:00-15:00 on weekends 3. Do nurses placing the PICC do the evaluation of the xray? we evaluate, yes. We cannot release the PICCs, however, without the radiologist reading 4. Do you have a intervential radiologist in house that also can place? Yes, but they don't do it often.

Hi all- A little update for those of you whom I may have chatted with several months ago (ILUVIVT), and a huge thank you to all of you super CRNI's that inspire me daily!! In May of this year, I went back to work after a 7 year hiatus and completing an RN Refresher Course. I requested a preceptorship with the IV Team at a local hospital- non-traditional for a returning nurse, but I knew it was what I wanted to do and where my skills are their best. After completing 145 preceptored hours with incredibly skilled and talented IV nurses, I was hired on to the team and have been working approx. 12 shifts a month. I absolutely love every minute of it! We are insanely busy- providing coverage for the entire hospital (every single department... surprising who can't start their own IV's) as well as placing PICCs, Midlines, accessing PAC's and all trouble-shooting etc for venous access. I am so blessed to work with nurses who truly want to teach- everyone has their own style and I try to pick up something from everyone. To date I have placed two midlines and one PICC- I average 13-16 IV starts per shift, as well as other pages I take. IV nursing is so rewarding- I can't imagine every doing anything else and I truly do love the job. I think it's important to stay humble... you never know what each shift will hold. Thanks everyone....

Hi Lisa- I'll try to answer some of your questions- and I'm sure others with different experiences will chime in too. I hear your concerns about re-certifying or having to get additional training to switch specialities... it isn't always fun to be a student again, but getting more training is always a good thing... and if a completely different area has become your passion, you'll want that extra training/preceptoring to give you the best possible start (and make you a safe nurse!) It sounds like your interests are really varied.. mine were too, for many years. Of everything you mentioned (ER, burns, OR, diabetes educator,) med-surg is a good starting place for all of them. As a new grad, I was hired onto the floor I did my final preceptorship on. It was a medical ward in an old hospital with several concentrated palliative care beds. My patient load was 12 (that's right-12!) with one assistant or days and one assistant fo rthe entire floor (36 beds) on nights. It was more than a little overwhelming and nurses are not always nice to new grads, so I didn't get a lot of help... but I will say this- I learned to be extremely organized, and now consider time management one of my best skills.... when my patient assignments included the palliative beds- I discovered that I really had a passion for end-of-life care. At the same time, I worked casual on a psychiatry ward... not because I was remotely interested in psych, but I wanted the experience (and there are psychiatric considerations in every single specialty you can think of!) After a year or so, I worked on a busy surgical ward for 8 months or so- another place to practice my time management skills, learn a lot about lab values, blood transfusions, etc. Then I worked more on a medical palliative ward. I spent two years after that as a travelling nurse... took assignments on surgery, different types of medical wards (gynecologic, diabetes), more surgery and even some time at Moss-Rehab in PA- which really enhanced my knowledge of strokes and rehab (which you see everywhere...) None of these were the "perfect job" or what I wanted to do forever, but they gave me a good foundation (this spanned over four years.) Now many years later, I am going into Infusion Therapy, which I really love and am really excited about- (and it is requiring a LOT of education and re-training.) I don't think I'll do it forever, but for now it's just right. You'll find your place... and until you know what that is... med-surg is an okay place to start. (and it might help you figure out what you DON'T want to do...) Jessamy

Hi Lisa- You may find more direction after you finish your clinicals and last two years. I never regretted starting in med-surg. I think it's essential to build the foundation of your knowledge- many years later, it isn't want I want to do anymore, but I'm still glad I did it. I had two friends when we graduated that KNEW what they wanted to do (one peds psychiatry, one peds ICU.) They both went straight for it, did it for 10 years a piece, and loved it. Now that their interests have changed, they are doing a lot of re-certifying and skill training to work in other areas... I can't speak for the nsg. admin.- I don't know what the background specifications are.. but I would think if you are interested in admin, you should have a good working idea of what the nurses on the floor are doing.... Good luck!

I had to reply to this because it happened to me once! I was working as a traveller (so already not too popular with the staff nurses) and a regular employee came to work after lunch break and was obviously drunk. I figured this out when she came into a BR with me to help a patient transfer and nearly dropped him on the floor- she stunk of ETOH! I freaked out a little bit but knew I had to tell someone. I told the nurse manager and she was immediately pulled off the floor and didn't come back. Everybody knew it was me (or figured it out)- some thanked me and some really hated me for it. I don't regret it a bit, and it was absolutely necessary. It wasn't easy though.

Hi there- I have a question for those who can answer. I am completing an RN Refresher course after a 7 year break from nursing. In the 4 years that I worked as a nurse prior to that, I worked in medical/surgical, medical-oncology and palliative care. I have a lot of experience with IV starts and phlebotomies, as well as accessing/managing virtually every different kind of port. I am getting ready to do the clinical portion of my Refresher course and a local hospital has 3 open job postings for their Infusion Team/Inpatient Infusion Clinic. I am extremely interested in doing my preceptorship here and pursuing employment thereafter. I am not certified to start PICC lines but would like to be. Is this a long shot to request as a placement, or should I go for it? Any thoughts/guidance would be appreciated. Thanks so much!