Nurse-o-Matic

I am an RN in a 24-bed ICU. Currently, we have 1-2 LPN's scheduled per shift. Our policy is no more than 2 patients per RN unless you have an LPN working along with you, in which case you may have 3 patients. My experience with LPN's in citical care ...

Hi, Most CRNA programs require B's or better in all of your core sciences. This may mean retaking chemistry, micro, A&P, and biochem if you received less than a B. Although taking grad classes and getting A's will look good, most programs still...

Did you find these figures on the web, or were they presented at the informational seminar? Thanks!

I am a current SRNA with a suggestion which has worked well for me. I read the first and last sentences of a paragraph to see what the topic sentence and the summary reveal. If this info reveals something that seems really pertinent, I'll investiga...

What a pain it is for a patient to get finger pokes every hour on an insulin gtt. (We aren't allowed to pull off an art line for samples) Why hasn't someone invented a little finger heparin pad thingy or a finger port to keep a small ooze available...

Did you sign a contract describing your orientation and final position in the ICU stepdown? If so, refer back to it to see what you have to work with. Next, meet with the supervisor/ human resources person who hired you and make it very clear that ...

If you have a patient with a venous and arterial line do you pull them one at a time or both together? Thanks!

If Nursing Instructors would change the tests yearly, this would help cut down greatly on the cheating. I know it's alot of work to write an exam, but how about using the testbanks from the new text additions we had to buy? I once checked out an 11...

So, there I was... feet throbbing, back aching, bladder distended and screaming for relief, stomach rumbling, eyes dry and scratchy, mouth and lips dessicated and cracked from 10 hours with no fluids, uniform damp with perspiration and splattered wit...

When I bring your PO pills in a nice little fancy mini cup, please simply lift the cup to your mouth and dump them in. DO NOT dump the the pills out of the cup into your hand onto the bed sheets or onto the floor. Why is it that 9 out of 10 people ...

Hmmm.....Let's play with the numbers. $20.00 x 24 hours= $480 $480 x 52 weeks= $24,960 Now let's try the math with the new deal....$15.50 x 24= $372 (Now let's figure what your real hourly rate is with that extra early unpaid hour: $372/26 hours=$1...

Recently, I've had my share of family members who stare at the patient's bedside monitor looking for minute changes. Many times it's artifact or normal fluctuations but the family comes charging up to me freaking out. I immediatly do teaching regar...

Interesting to read the way procedures are done elsewhere. When I have had mutiple lines, I have pulled them at the same time and held pressure for 20-30 minutes before peeking. A few times I've had someone come back with 3 or 4 lines in and was i...

Okay, I was rather appalled this week when a surgical patient was receiving 10 units of blood, 4 FFP's, ambumin, coded and then went back to the OR. All of this because....the surgeon cut through the aorta during a routine procedure. Yes, these thi...

The hospital's quality team is now investigating and has since made the MD notify the patient. Through the grapevine, I've heard the doc was pretty angry about being "forced to discuss the details of the hemorrage when it was already mentioned pre-s...

We're not worthy! We're not worthy!

I once had a family member use the call button to ask me to get her a glass of water! Then, as if the bulging throbbing vein sticking out of the side of my neck and my steaming red face weren't enough of a hint that I was annoyed, she says, "and not ...

I did a search on this site but didn't find any info on fixing a positional art line. I was wondering if anyone out there has a trick they use to fix an art with a bad wave form. I have tried taping the thumb back a little or positioning the wrist ...

When you finish school, you could try looking for an afternoon shift, like 3-11 for example, and schedule mom's appointments in the morning. That would cut down on missed work time. Also, you could take a part time job when you graduate and then pu...

Who knew?!? This is very cool and also not as expensive as one would expect. I will be looking into this one. THANKS!

Yes, I suppose it's somewhat fruitless to think there is an easy solution to the monitor oogling behavior. It's great to hear what everyone else is doing to ward off the monsters. I love your stories!

Remote controlled shock collars for the MDs! Call back within a reasonable amount of time or the neck gets it......ZAP!

What about an operant conditioning reward system set up for the unit clerk? If she can transcribe the orders quickly and without mistakes a door will pop open and a little chocolate goodie will be available. If she chats on the phone with her frien...

Have a ton of textbook reading? Read the first and last sentences of a paragraph. The first, the topic sentence, tells you what the paragraph is about and the last summarizes the important stuff that was discussed in the paragraph. Pay attention to...

Hmm....Maybe a suppository gun to get the slipperly little bullet in the right place? hee hee