carolina4

well i'm not even going to bother arguing about this with you since you work in med/surg and really have no idea what you're talking about regarding how "stable" the pt is coming into the ER vs. several hours later when they're in the STICU....people...

Tooootally agree w/ the chest tube comment... and make sure when you admit a new trauma that the chest tube ISN'T CLAMPED! May sound crazy, but yesterday my new trauma came up from the bay with both chest tubes clamped.. If your pt goes to the OR or ...

the real learning & knowledge that you'll use in the ICU as a new grad won't come until you're working as a new grad in the SICU. promise. i am 8 months into my job in the SICU/trauma/burn ICU as a new grad and even though ppl told me this same ...

all our dressings are done using "clean" technique other than central lines/PICC & anything neuro. open belly or not, they aren't sterile. everytime the surgeon comes in the unit to take the original OR dressing off it's not done sterile. neit...

ok, meandragonbrett, thats nice of you to take "walk me through an assessment" to the max, but honestly i can not believe that however interviewed you had the nerve to make you do that!!! i would have FREAKED.

umm..its not really a situation worth reporting...it's a PCA..half an hour (or so) after 0400 she checked it? she's only human. i don't know...just not understanding why this is so devistating..

in our icu (surgical trauma burn) we run it in wide open using normal primary tubing, using gravity (aka climb on a chair and hang it waaay up high)...always flush after/between albumin infusions b/c albumin is super sticky. p.s. burn pts most defini...

I work in a level one surgical trauma burn ICU and I graduated this past May. I am making it just fine. I am blessed that I have super intelligent experienced nurses that work with me and help me to understand things I don't know yet, all which hav...

I'm a new grad in the surgical trauma burn ICU so, no, you don't HAVE to work anywhere else before.

LOL so true.... man oh man, sometimes family is the icing on the cake. calling q 2 hours to ask if the damn bolt is out of the pt's head and continuing to receive the SAME ANSWER. AHH so glad i'm home drinking wine.

I'm a new grad in the surgical trauma burn icu and i don't think i bit off more than i can chew...it's awesome. that being said, i definitely take advantage of my preceptors every single day while i'm still on orientation b/c they are SO smart, it's...

So very very true... hospitality will never go out of style down here (; If I was on my death bed I'd rather a nurse from GA but, like you said, that's probably d/t my upbringing down South!! btw, that's so sweet a/b the little lady on Thanksgiving...

hmmm....are you secretly a teacher just posting on this board? i mean, you mention the love for teachers that doctors have in more than 1 post (1 is random enough...)

We crush pills, dissolve pills, open up capsules and put all the junk down the PEG tube with a good water flush. no big deal. if they can't take things by mouth, then there's a reason that tube is there.

traumas usually go to the SICU or TRAUMA ICU..not that often the MICU

i graduated in may, passed boards in may, and started working in the surgical trauma burn ICU at a level 1 trauma center in july. i LOVE it and dont regret it one bit and have absolutely NO regrets WHAT SO EVER for not getting "floor experience." s...

you only got SEVEN WEEKS?!!? that is not cool.

Charlottesville, VA

i didnt work as a tech in the icu but i was a tech on the oncology floor...i think experience working on a floor period is beneficial. however, i did do my preceptorship in the STICU

trauma ICU is so amazing. just finished day 7...love it. have fun!

im not sure about all heme/onc floors, but that one definitely stood out from general med/surg floors...no other pts were aloud to be admitted to the floor if they werent heme/onc or sickle cell (rarely) b/c the cancer pts are so sick...or can get so...

i worked as a tech on the hematology/oncology floor for 2 years before nursing school and i LOVED it. the patients are absolutely wonderful and become like family (as does their family). it is also very interesting and you are always learning, whic...

i just started as a new grad in the sticu and my preceptor is the oldest in the unit, been there some 24 years, and she is AMAZING. thank God for her...so no, i dont think all of them do, but i also show her a great amount of respect b/c she deserves...

BSN and im in Charlottesville, VA working in the surgical trauma burn ICU @ UVA..awesome. day 1 i got to do leech therapy on a pt's ear that got bit off by a dog! so fun. all i did was my externship during my last 3 mo. of nursing school in the STICU...

Couldn't have said it better myself.