Gompers BSN, RN

NICU

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All Content by Gompers

  1. Gompers

    What's YOUR favorite specialty area?

    Gompers replied to socishan's topic in General Nursing

    I went to nursing school specifically to be a NICU nurse. I had read a book when I was 16 written by the mom of a preemie that died in the NICU. I loved the way she described the nurses and how...
  2. Gompers

    Do comatose patients need pain medicine

    Gompers replied to sophie2's topic in Hospice, Palliative

    I would err on the side of caution and provide pain medication in the same amounts that the patient required before the coma. And again, if the patient was on narcotics before, you can't just stop...
  3. Gompers

    Accellerated ADN or RN

    Gompers replied to nursenj20's topic in Nursing Career

    Accelerated BSN programs are for students who already have a Bachelor's degree in another major. It's simply doing all the nursing courses since the general education stuff (history, psychology,...
  4. Gompers

    Accellerated ADN or RN

    Gompers replied to nursenj20's topic in Nursing Career

    Nope. ADN programs are typically 4 semesters long with just the nursing classes alone. Often you need a semester or two beforehand as well to take the prereqs - chemistry, anatomy & physiology,...
  5. Gompers

    Does anyone give Fentanyl IV push?

    Gompers replied to ALCCRN's topic in CCU, Coronary, Cardiac

    Our patients don't need to be vented to be given Fentanyl, no. We do have all our patients on monitors and we have a bag, mask, and O2 ready at every bedside all the time. I wouldn't do Fentanyl in...
  6. Gompers

    Do comatose patients need pain medicine

    Gompers replied to sophie2's topic in Hospice, Palliative

    If they were on narcotic pain meds for a long time prior to becoming comatose, they definitely need those meds to continue because their bodies are addicted to them at that point. You don't want...
  7. Gompers

    Does anyone give Fentanyl IV push?

    Gompers replied to ALCCRN's topic in CCU, Coronary, Cardiac

    I don't work in CCU, I'm in the NICU, but we routinely give Fentanyl IV push for pain. (We don't have a whole lot of options for approved meds for the babies - fentanyl and morphine are the only IV...
  8. Gompers

    Contacting the IL Board of Nursing: Help Please

    Gompers replied to romie's topic in Illinois Nursing

    They annoyed me, too. After I got my license renewal returned to me from the post office (forgot to add the few extra cents, had used an old stamp ) I sent it back to them but it didn't get there in...
  9. Gompers

    Children's Hospital

    Gompers replied to bcskittlez's topic in General Nursing

    The best way to get a job at ANY hospital, in my opinion, is to get a job there during nursing school as a nursing assistant or patient care tech. That way you already have your foot in the door and...
  10. Gompers

    My daughter's got mono

    Gompers replied to TazziRN's topic in General Nursing

    I was thinking that Tazzi is the
  11. Gompers

    Contacting the IL Board of Nursing: Help Please

    Gompers replied to romie's topic in Illinois Nursing

    Come to think of it, I think that's when I got through to both offices as well. I started calling five minutes before they were scheduled to open and just kept hitting redail and I got through pretty...
  12. Gompers

    Working as GN without a license

    Gompers replied to tinta06's topic in Illinois Nursing

    STOP TURNING DOWN JOB OFFERS!!! You never know when they might stop rolling in, as fall tends to be a slow period in hospital while summer is the big hiring time. You are legally an RN if you passed...
  13. Gompers

    Working as GN without a license

    Gompers replied to tinta06's topic in Illinois Nursing

    I believe you can start working as soon as it's up on the department of regulation website. Legally, you are an RN at that point even if you don't have the physical license. For example, when I...
  14. Gompers

    Contacting the IL Board of Nursing: Help Please

    Gompers replied to romie's topic in Illinois Nursing

    I'm really surprised to hear that people are having a hard time getting a human on the phone at either office. I had to call them back in May regarding my license renewal and was able to get through...
  15. Gompers

    Floating to NICU... how to be helpful?

    Gompers replied to perfectbluebuildings's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    You're welcome for the suggestions! I actually prefer to use the warm washcloth method with full term babies. Their feet are so big that the heelwarmer only really heats a part of their heels, and...
  16. Gompers

    My first code today...

    Gompers replied to LoveTheNICU's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Great job, and I'm glad the baby did okay! I'm always amazed at how NICU codes seem to flow, too. Even though we don't actually have assigned roles, everything just seems to fall into place. Someone...
  17. Gompers

    Floating to NICU... how to be helpful?

    Gompers replied to perfectbluebuildings's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    I don't see what's so bad about floating that someone should be fired! These are similar areas - in our hospital, we float between maternal-child areas. We don't get an orientation, but another...
  18. Gompers

    Floating to NICU... how to be helpful?

    Gompers replied to perfectbluebuildings's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Okay, let me see if I can help out a bit here. We also have float nurses trained to work in the NICU when things are busy for us. Usually they're from Peds, PICU, or OB and we don't really give them...
  19. Gompers

    2nd thoughts about being a nurse

    Gompers replied to smileysenior's topic in First Year After Licensure

    Though the requirement for most NP programs seems to be one year of experience, I'd recommend getting a few more. NPs are advanced practice nurses - and while you do learn quite a bit in graduate...
  20. Gompers

    opinions about epidurals

    Gompers replied to Jayla's topic in Ob/Gyn

    An L&D nurse stating that she feels she's at her best when she's helping a woman deliver naturally isn't being prejudiced or controlling. She's simply stating that those are the times she really...
  21. Gompers

    CNA Hospital Jobs

    Gompers replied to Kathyz's topic in Illinois Nursing

    Stay positive! Since you have your CNA now, you are still marketable. Keep on trying, okay?
  22. Gompers

    NICU staffing

    Gompers replied to cynbee's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Me too!!! We do it like you do - keep acuity levels on the babies so we can justify having more staff each shift, and we also reassess assignments each shift and make adjustments as necessary. Like...
  23. Gompers

    Are you afraid to go to the ER?

    Gompers replied to scrmblr's topic in Emergency

    And what's funny is that my urologist says he HATES that they always give Toradol, because it reduces renal blood flow. Personally I think a couple liters of saline at the same time will make up for...
  24. Gompers

    Too Young?

    Gompers replied to Coloradogrl's topic in Nurse Practitioners, NP

    You need two years of NICU experience as a nurse before you can start your neonatal NP clinicals. You can start taking graduate school classes during the two years you are working, but the actual...
  25. Gompers

    Nursing major vs. Premed major

    Gompers replied to ghaleon128's topic in General Nursing

    Most residents still have to do a couple of 24-hour shifts each week. They do limit how many hours you can be at the hospital in a row, and how many hours you can be there per week. This is a new...