BeckieRN

Latest Activity

1. Recovering post op patients in Critical Care

   BeckieRN posted a topic in MICU

   Does anyone routinely recover post-op patients (who would be coming to Critical Care anyway) following anesthesia. If so: (1) do you recover all patients or just intubated patients; (2) who determines that the post-op anesthesia period ends; and (3) ...

2. Anyone taken the CDN or CNN exam???

   BeckieRN replied to TELEpathicRN's topic in Urology

   I have taken the CNN exam twice in the last 12 years after coming back to dialysis from a 7 year break. The test was exactly the same!! Go in with a good understanding of hemodialysis and PD applications and you will do well. Best of luck!!

3. Question about acutes....

   BeckieRN replied to babs_rn's topic in Urology

   We need to be at the hospital within the hour and be setting up for the treatment. When we get called in the nepehrologist MUST be in attendance, the theory being: if they're sick enough to need a stat treatment they are sick enough to be seen by the...

4. Sodium Profiling

   BeckieRN replied to Northern nephron's topic in Urology

   I work in an acute dialysis unit and we routinely sodium model all patients, using 146-138 step (Fresenius F8H machnes). We increase to 148-138 step if the patient presents with a low BP or has history of poor LV function. We have had great success ...

5. Do you use crit lines?

   BeckieRN replied to nursefiggy's topic in Urology

   Crit-Lines work with all types of machines, with or without UF and Sodium profiling because they do not interface with the machine. A small plastic chamber is attached to the arterial sytem, just before the dialyzer and monitoring device is attached ...

6. Do you use crit lines?

   BeckieRN replied to nursefiggy's topic in Urology

   I manage a small acute dialysis unit and we use crit-lines on all patients. We have seen a significant reduction in intradialytic hypotension and cramping as well as much better control of fluid removal. Neither my staff or I would do without!!

7. Anyone taken the CDN or CNN exam???

   BeckieRN replied to TELEpathicRN's topic in Urology

   I have taken the CNN exam and recertified by testing on two additional occasions. I think that the test is fairly basic information that most nephrology nurses would possess. It tests on pathophysiology, modes of therapy, psychosocial, infection cont...

8. Acute program call pay

   BeckieRN replied to 1dernurse's topic in Urology

   Our acute nurses provide call from 7PM to 7AM on M-W-F nights as weill as all day and night T-TH-S-Sun. The staff average about 6-8 call days per month. We are paided $7.50/hour when on call and time and a half when called in. (minimum 2 hour call pa...

9. marking Dialysis Accesses

   BeckieRN replied to BeckieRN's topic in Urology

   The reason I am asking is that we frequently declot or revise an access and then need to cannulate that same access within 8-12 hours post-operatively. I am trying to develop a plan that the nurses cannulate in a "safe zone" with minimal calls to the...

10. marking Dialysis Accesses

    BeckieRN posted a topic in Urology

    I am manager of an acute Dialysis program and have concerns regarding cannulation of accesses following revisions and graft thrombectomies. Do any of you have specific policies or procedures in effect that require the surgeon or Interventional radiol...