opossum

opossum

ICU/CCU, Med Surg

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All Content by opossum

  1. Absolutely incompetent...not so sure "it gets better".

    opossum replied to opossum's topic in First Year After Licensure

    Original poster here....it's been 4 years since I wrote that post. And I can say with confidence that it DOES get better. It gets easier. I've learned to accept that I will never be perfect, nor...

  2. Absolutely incompetent...not so sure "it gets better".

    opossum posted a topic in First Year After Licensure

    Just finished my last 12 hr shift this week...I'm sleep deprived and I've been bouncing around between Med Surg and ICU. A brief background: I graduated in 2010 and it took me 9 months to land this...

  3. Should ICU get more pay than floor nursing?!?

    opossum replied to francoml's topic in MICU, SICU

    I've been a nurse for 4 yrs now and have both ICU and M/S experience. I've run across several nurses (almost all from M/S) who tend to downplay their knowledge and skills, as if they're not 'good...

  4. Things you'd LOVE to tell coworkers...and get away with it!

    opossum replied to General E. Speaking, RN's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    You are quite possibly the Worst. Supervisor. Ever. And....your scrubs are

  5. For Fun... Courage Wolf for Nurses

    opossum replied to Baubo516's topic in Nursing Humor

  6. For Fun... Courage Wolf for Nurses

    opossum replied to Baubo516's topic in Nursing Humor

    Just stumbled upon this thread. I love courage wolf, too! My favorite is this: Not *exactly* courage wolf, but similar. Like his

  7. Are you married sweetie?"

    opossum replied to Nurse-84's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    My stock answer is "I have a boyfriend and a cat". The other night, I had an elderly woman w/mild dementia who asked me the marriage question, to which I gave her my stock answer. She then said,...

  8. Shift change and visitation in ICU/stepdown

    opossum posted a topic in MICU, SICU

    Hi everyone, I'm currently looking at various policies re: visitation in the ICU and it got me thinking about issues with shift change. At our 10-bed ICU/stepdown, we restrict visitors from 0700-0730...

  9. Shift change and visitation in ICU/stepdown

    opossum replied to opossum's topic in MICU, SICU

    That's true, there always will be "those" families that impede your workflow. Then again, I really would expect parents to hover around their children...it's the adult ICU patient's sister's...

  10. I Ask For "Nothing".

    opossum replied to CheesePotato's topic in General Nursing

    Love this. Thank you,

  11. I ignored my instincts...

    opossum replied to NurseOnAMotorcycle's topic in General Nursing

    Sorry you have to work with these people...sounds like your coworkers need to 1) lighten the &*^% up and 2) get over themselves. It was good of you to get out there and try stuff! Don't let...

  12. Shift change and visitation in ICU/stepdown

    opossum replied to opossum's topic in MICU, SICU

    Well, it looks like we've revised the policy to basically reflect what the AACN recommends: http://www.aacn.org/WD/practice/docs/practicealerts/family-visitation-adult-icu-practicealert.pdf We agreed...

  13. Shift change and visitation in ICU/stepdown

    opossum replied to opossum's topic in MICU, SICU

    Thanks for all your replies; it's good to get a sense of what policies other ICUs have. Ours is pretty generous, as we let basically anyone in, however many want to come in as long as it doesn't...

  14. What makes a "good patient"?

    opossum replied to moriahcat's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    Everything you've described sounds like a "good" patient to me; I'm glad you've recovered. It must be tough being in the hospital, feeling miserable and worrying about stressing out the nurses...but...

  15. Seriously?!?!

    opossum replied to emtb2rn's topic in Emergency

    I think I know this

  16. Seriously?!?!

    opossum replied to emtb2rn's topic in Emergency

    I work in ICU, but also oriented to the ED a few times...I thought I'd like it but I learned that indeed, I am simply not cut out for ED nursing. I lack the patience and wherewithal to deal with the...

  17. Sign on bonuses

    opossum replied to Yuvonne's topic in General Nursing

    Sign-on bonus...isn't that the nursing world's unicorn? In all seriousness, I think I've only seen them offered by travel

  18. Any ICU's ambulating vented patients?

    opossum replied to hodgieRN's topic in MICU, SICU

    I remember first learning about this at an AACN conference last year and was blown away by it - it truly does lead to faster extubations. However, I think it requires a dedicated team approach of...

  19. Things you'd LOVE to be able to tell patients, and get away with it.

    opossum replied to AngelfireRN's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    Welcome to the hospital...sorry you're sick. Section I Here's what I care about while you're here: Blood going round and round Air going in and out* *Not necessarily in that order Section II Here's...

  20. Which nursing specialty or position is the most physically demanding?

    opossum replied to J19J94R's topic in General Nursing

    Yes!! I work both ICU/CCU and Med Surg...I've learned that it largely depends on acuity of pts and staffing ratios (which are almost always stretched to the

  21. Too much emphasis on "caring"

    opossum replied to sweet~revenge's topic in General Nursing

    I agree...I just don't know how to approach this. It seems overwhelming. Strength in numbers, perhaps? Regarding the fact that "nursing care" is included in the charge of the room...I'm still...

  22. What Kind of Patients Do You LIKE Most?

    opossum replied to VivaLasViejas's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    I love grumpy old folks. I also love watching any patient make a big recovery when their prognosis was grim from the start. Anyone who uses humor to cope - it's how I deal w/stress and uncertainty, so...

  23. What patients/behaviors/illnesses/injuries do you HATE the most?

    opossum replied to JZ_RN's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    I have a hard time with anyone presenting with vague pain. I feel helpless as it is and if there is indeed something psychosomatic going on, I feel even more at a loss. I'll take the DT

  24. Nurses Calling Patients "Jerks"

    opossum replied to PacoUSA's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    It sounds like for you, this is not really an issue of nurses speaking ill of patients, but one of *people in general* not speaking ill of one another. If that's the case...if you've never said a bad...

  25. Things you'd LOVE to be able to tell patients, and get away with it.

    opossum replied to AngelfireRN's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    To a pt's family member: I seriously doubt you'd pass "the nursing test" just because you've "been in and out of hospitals so much." Also, please DO NOT touch the ventilator settings. (I actually did...