scg08rn

I was taught that you measured the catheter and made sure the tip is intact.

The hospital is scary for all age groups, and the environment where you usually sleep in is not where you are at that time, I can understand. I'm in my almost mid-20s and have been hospitalized in my late teens and I felt like I was all out of routine in a scary place. We are getting a lot of 18 - 25 years old with overdosing or attempted overdosing. I had a patient that was 22, grandmother at his side FEEDING him soup, rubbing his back, he was in for cocaine withdrawal. I guess every family situation is different, but I know if I touched drugs or got hospitalized for anything to deal with drugs, my grandmother wouldn't be feeding me soup or rubbing my back, I'd get "the" lecture until the cows came home.

Never sign before actually administering the med! what if you walk in the room and the patient is unresponsive or critical change in status? I used to work sub-acute rehab, the sister of long term care, i used to put a very small dot in the box where i am to sign the med as i poured it in the cup. Also, I saved the wrappers and put them in order on the top of the cart so I can easily check to make sure I gave it and signed as I discarded it. This comes with time and a good practice and routine. Don't get yourself down the wrong track that can be harmful to your patients and your license. I never pre-poured meds, if I did, I kept them in the wrapper and checked one last time as I opened them to the order in the MAR.

being a zombie after 7p-7a, i still take a shower. with dial soap.

It may be legal. I wouldn't agree to doing it. I would also emphasize quality of care. I'm sure most of the rehab patients don't turn themselves every two hours. It's hard to do cares/ADLs by yourself. How about a boost in bed when it's med time? Can't swallow pills if they are laying by the foot of the bed and can't move themselves..

Some facilities have a checklist, however, if the teaching is related to risky AND safety behavior (falls, DM teaching, etc), I would defiantly write a short note. Doesn't hurt to cover your behind twice!

jevity is very thick! Try to see if you can increase the amount of flushes throughout the day, that might help.

the only way he could look through the chart is if he is the primary doctor caring for the patient. even if he was a poa or decision maker, he would probably need to get permission from administration to get copies of the chart. this is as far as i know and the safest way to go. you can't sit there with a poa or contact or whomever and go through the chart with them, there is no time.

what about good samaritan law?

i googled "how to unclog a gtube" and those steps are at this website http://www.ehow.com/how_5135339_unclog-gtube-feeding-tube.html the website gives instructions for home care use.

Coke, ginger ale.. flushing with cranberry juice once in awhile to keep it going. i encountered a nurse's who held the gtube at the base (by the stoma) and milking the contents towards the opening of the tube. this way isn't all that safe, you can accidentally pull the tube out.

i wouldn't have held the medication if the bp is wnl.. doesn't make sense. a doctor should always be notified if a medication is held or refused. if the bp is wnl now, in an hour it may not be because the medication wasn't given. if a bp is running low, maybe the medication has to be adjusted.

where i work, the state came in for medications being left at the bedside (a patient reported it to the ombudsman..). it is not acceptable, and the nurse who left them at the bedside will be terminated. it is not safe, somebody else can come in and take them. if any medications are left at bedside without a doctor's order, the nurse will be immediately terminated. kinda harsh, thankfully i'm not one to do it.. i like to throw out the medication cup after all medications are taken. and even if medications are left at the bedside, what if the patient takes them and ends up choking and no one is around? the best answer would be to remove them, find out who left them, and report it to the supervisor.

i thought a peg tube had to be changed by a doctor, or is it by policy of the institution/regulations of the state? i know if a peg tube comes out, inserting a foley cath will keep the stoma open.

every diabetic is different. i've seen people unresponsive in the 50s but somebody talking with a cold sweat in the 40s. every diabetic is different. it all depends on the patient and how their body responds to insulin. i've seen a blood sugar of 154 and gave 2 units of novolog according to the sliding scale and they dropped down to 70 even with a snack within an hour.

With fever you can put a cool rag on the forehead, encourage po fluids. But if these symptoms are presented to you by a patient, you need to call the doctor for further orders to find out what is going wrong. If o2 sats are low, put on o2 and obtain order after. Weight loss is something that a patient doesnt come up to you with unless they stated they have lost weight-doctor needs to order dietary consult. You compile all your informations, call the doctor and suggest anything you feel is important for the patient if the doctor didn't order it. Nursing interventions you learn in school.

I always do- from my alert patients to my non-verbal ones. I have a majority of patient's with different degrees of dementia as well, but they still want to know what they are getting and what for. I always recite the meds as I'm pulling them in my head, check them against the mar, and double check the name of the patient and the name of the patient. I've only made one med error, learning from that experience made me stronger and much more alert when passing meds. I aways make sure that they are safe and my mind is at ease. Kinda like checking the stove before leaving the house..

Hello. First, I'd like to share 2 stories of organ donation with you. - When I was in nursing school, during my O.R. rotation, a few of us stayed after clinicals to watch an "organ" harvest. The team came, set up, and harvested skin and a few bones. This was on an already deceased patient. It was awkward to watch, but very educational. - The other story is recent, had to deal with my boyfriend's uncle. He recently had a stroke, he was immediatel intubated upon arrival to the hospital and the damage was already done and there was no way to "bring him back." His license had "organ donor" written on it-which his sons never knew about. The sons received the education regarding the organ donation process and was able to make the final decision if they wanted to donate his organs. They did. He was on a vent for a few days prior to becoming brain dead, and the surgery was done side by side. As for being a DNR and donating organs, I think the family decides if nothing is indicated by the living will/drivers license. I've never dealt with presenting that option for donating organs to my patients where I work. http://www.organdonor.gov/ If you want to make a living will so your wishes are carried out, go do it. Organ donating is something to think about, not over think about.

Hello, Jersey over here as well! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hospitals_in_New_Jersey websites for New Jersey hospitals.

Depends on policy, however if it's empty, replace it. My place is q weekly for all oxygen supplies

It took me one year to place my organization together. I work in sub-acute rehab, I get a census sheet at the beginning of my shift with pt's info, so that saves me time. I have a good memory, so much of the stuff I remember, but vitals and labs are something I need to write down cause numbers become a different language in my head if I try to remember them! I am a color-coding queen! Green is antibiotics, red is complains during previous shift or things to be followed-up with, blue is oxygen/neb txs, black is pending labs or IVs. Then a little box for my vital signs and any new orders obtained. It works for me, took a while to place it all together. Good luck!! :)

I always read the answers first, not the question first. Then I read the question, and place rationales with them, go through the question again and eliminate those that don't relate to the question. Elimination usually leaves you with 2 answers, then re-read the question and ask yourself, based on your knowledge, what the answer is. Never picture beyond what the questions ask-never place "what if's" in your head, that is when wrong answers are usually chosen. Never relate previous questions with each other, unless indicated. Lots of NCLEX review questions will help with refreshing your knowledge and lowering stress during test-taking. Never rush. :)

Wear a smile! :) Get yourself involved, ask questions of things you are unsure of, take lots of mental notes and keep a journal with you throughout your days during clinical. Look up / research what you do each day to refresh yourself. Good luck, have fun!

I once gave a patient sotalol 240mg when the scheduled dose was 160mg. The pharmacy sent a box of 40mg and 120mg and I pulled out two 120mgs, don't remember where my mind was at that time, I always check x3. That's my one and only *knock on wood* med error after 13 months of nursing! They were okay after close monitoring. We all make mistakes, we are human afterall.

No crash cart? A defibrillator at least?