gracieD

Sounds like you need to initiate a policy revision or get the powers that be to consider writing a new policy with infection control. If another patient or staff has symptoms of said condition, absolultely write a variance! That being said, YOU are...

I have never heard of leaving it 'open' to visualize blood in case of balloon rupture. That seems like a fairly unreliable method to check for balloon integrity - I think you're more likely to figure that out when you can't wedge after significant r...

Adult ICU RN here, just wondering if any hospitals out there have dedicated beds and/or staff for OB/GYN ICU patients. We see an rare pregnant patient just about as rarely as we have a post-section that went poorly.

I once un-spiked a bag of NS in a pressure bag without first releasing the pressure - I got instant, explosive rain that lasted about 20 seconds!!! Fortunately the patient was intubated/sedated. I got a lot of laughs when I left the room looking lik...

Want to provide any more details? Is this for new-grads? A refresher course? I suspect this is the 'value' of your orientation. Other hospitals require a contract for X amount of time after orientation, and if you leave for any reason before you...

The Piedmont Hospital this thread discusses is in the state of Georgia, not South Carolina.

If your patient is ventilated hopefully RT is going with you so you don't need to worry about oxygen. And if the patient is so unstable that you think you need to bring the defibrillator, then you seriously need to consider if your patient is stable...

If they are vented, hopefully RT is traveling with you. I'd bring someone else, too (charge nurse, tech, another RN) for moral support and managing the bed, pumps, etc. Take a phone with you so you can call someone if you need to - and know the num...

Sorry about the duplicate post...I'm past the editing/delete time frame. :/

I have to disagree with csweetooth, 5E IS an ICU, but it is connected to IMCU (intermediate care unit) and is staffed by the same pool of nurses. They rotate who is assigned ICU vs. IMCU patients so everyone works both areas equally. Patients on 5E...

I disagree with csweetooth about 5E. It IS an ICU, but the unit is connected to an intermediate unit that is staffed by the same group of nurses. So yes, you will get regular med/surg ICU experience, but you will also be staffing IMCU (intermediate...

What about an "NCAT"? Law schools and medical schools have come together and developed their own test that covers concepts they find minimally necessary to succeed in their profession, why can't nurses? All of the concepts highlighted by other post...

You could list this experience as 'in-home caregiver' or 'companion caregiver.' There's no need to list the location or the fact that you are caring for a family member. If it comes up in an interview, be honest, but if you were caring for someone ...

I can only speak to conditions/pay at Piedmont, and the Critical Care Program at that - they only hire new graduates into their residency program which is described in detail on their website. Side note, they also hire nurses with experience who wor...

While this may not speak to a protocol, you may consider more psychosocial/spiritual reasons that are 'delaying' her passing. I have heard many stories of patients waiting for certain family members to be ready, to be present, or even to leave the b...

Joey - I guess I have used and heard these terms used interchangeably - what is the difference?

Most programs have a graduated pay-back schedule, for example if you leave half way through the program, you have to pay back half of whatever they value the program at. It should be pretty clear in the contract you signed what your obligations are,...

The only problem that I had with my preceptor was that if she saw I was busy and there was something to be done (which is pretty much always), she would just go ahead and do whatever to "help" me. This was only an issue when it was not communicated ...

I signed a contract for 2 years for my new grad program. In my interview I asked what percentage of 'contract' nurses stayed on their assigned unit beyond the required timeframe. I also asked what were the reasons that they left - good answers will...

I personally think the idea sounds a little ridiculous! Actually, a lot ridiculous, considering the cost. I see that this is associated with a nursing program - I looked at the clinical competency list that they provide and it seems like these are ...

I just started at Piedmont in their Critical Care Residency this week. I am starting with two other new grads. I am from out-of-state, as is another new grad, so it seems that they don't reserve their programs for only graduates of specific schools...

I live in Atlanta and I just graduated in July. Fortunately, I was just hired into a New Grad Program last week!! I have had only 4 interviews after applying to practically everything I could find. In every case but the last, they hired someone wi...

I applied for licensure by examination the first week of August and it was taking forever just to get my ATT!! After four weeks of waiting and no ATT, I called and wrote emails to the Secretary of State, Brian Kemp - the Board of Nursing is under hi...

I was scheduled to interview on September 9th for the CV Residency but they called me the morning of to cancel the interview because all of the positions had been filled - kind of shocking that an HR department would do something like that but hey, ...

I got really excited when I got a letter from GSU in the mail today...but it was only a Statement of Intent to Register. It doesn't mention anything about the school of nursing at all, I'm pretty sure it's just because I had to apply to the school f...