BeckieRN

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) when that patient comes to the unit are they 1:1 for any period of time. Also, does anyone know if AACN has a position documented on this topic?

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!!

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 to the chamber to obtain readings.

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!!

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 control, and transplantation. And yes, a BSN is required to sit for the exam at this point in time although I believe it is not a requirement for the CDN exam. Good luck to all taking the exam!!

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 paid)

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 vascular surgeon.

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 radiologist to mark the access (location for safe cannulation) after they have done a revision or de-clot? Any info would be appreciated.