Florencebyondthepale

My husband died in February and I have a 16 year old daughter. I’m an ASU nurse and since we are only doing essential surgeries, I initially volunteered to be off as much as possible to allow people who needed the money/hours to have it. Then they sa...

Can't really offer any advice, but I thought it was the perfect place to vent about co-workers who won't shut up when you're eating or taking a break! Because I'm an introvert, my break time is when I usually try to "recharge" by being quiet and read...

I am considering applying for a position in the OR that would consist of Friday, Saturday, Sunday 7pm-7am. I am wondering if anyone has any input about the drawbacks of doing this. Pro's: I have the whole week off to be available for my family, frees...

You wipe away the first drop because it has a high amount of serous fluid and can cause an inaccurate reading. You should allow the alcohol to air dry because that can also cause an inaccurate reading. You should not wipe away the alcohol because tha...

The vaccine merely protects you against the more common strains of the flu. Each season's vaccine is based on a few of last season's most predominate strains. Influenza can mutate (antigenic shift and antigenic drift), which is why there is always th...

Just to advocate for the fatties here...I run regularly 10-12 minute miles depending on how many total miles I run AND I'm your girl if you need to hoist that 500 lb patient onto the stretcher (do my back exercises regularly, thank you.) Wooh, is ab...

Shadowing is a great idea. Will you be trained to both scrub and circulate? What type of OR? Ambulatory surgery, Level 1 trauma center or lower? The type of OR will determine not only what type of cases you see, but also the amount of call you will t...

I don't know what your schedule is like, but on the days that I go to the gym directly after work I come home in a much better mood. I bring my ipod with the music I really like and even though I have to drag myself in there after 30 minutes on the e...

We use chlorhexidine soap (Endure) in the vagina if the patient is allergic to betadine.

Can't provide you with the evidence for the practice at my facility, but we prep the abdomen and inner thighs with Chloraprep (chlorhexidine gluconate solution which is similar to hibiclens) and prep the groin and vagina with 3 betadine paint sticks....

That looks like a picture from one of the sellers on Etsy, particularly juliesthings: http://www.etsy.com/shop/juliesthings . If you go to their site http://www.etsy.com and do a search for scrub hats, there are bunches of sellers. I have gotten very...

I have worked night shift, never consistently, but I try to do it as much as possible (my personal preference). I am that person who is willing to do even day/night shifts in the same week because it doesn't seem to have much of a residual effect on ...

Really?? If you don't like or regret your tattoo, I get it, but I have a tattoo on my forearm that I love and I would not dream of removing it. I don't have to cover it up at my current job, but I could wear long sleeves or a jacket if needed. I thin...

I think its interesting that you haven't mentioned how your husband feels about it. Are you concerned that he can't handle taking care of the baby? If he cannot handle it, he needs to learn, no matter what job decision you make. I have to say I am a ...

I would speak to your manager about their feelings about this, but I think it would be a liability issue. The pulse ox would have to be approved and calibrated/tested by biomedical staff because there is no other way to determine that it is giving an...

It can happen to the best of us. It is a terrible feeling, even when you know the patient has low risk factors, even after the patient has been cleared for infectious disease. Just make sure you follow all of your facility's needlestick protocols and...

You do this with alert and oriented patients? How do you initiate it with them? I have only done it with disoriented patients who are screaming out or constantly trying to get out of bed.

I'm an OR circulator and scrub nurse. My hospital offers internships in both OR and PACU. I would recommend the PACU if you want hands-on care and more autonomy. Even if you are a new grad, if the hospital has a good orientation program (6 months is ...

Someone mentioned oncology as a less hectic unit and I have to disagree. It is q4 vitals with patients on chemo and radiation. Strict i/o's. Patient's typically spend at least 30 days on the unit for their first round of chemo and often deteriorate a...

I really hate categorizing a whole group of people based on their ethnicity. Particularly because I am a minority and I hate when it is done to me. However, I have to say that the Filipino staff that I work with are some of the friendliest and kindes...

I worked in a unit called complex care and it was essentially a med/surg unit that focused on patients with brain injuries, strokes, traumatic injuries, and long term wound healing issues. Patients would often come to us to work up to being ready for...

Another fan of the Gold Bond Ultimate, it has also worked better on my daughter's eczema than her prescription cream. I keep lotion with me and use it after I have washed my hands.

I'm still in my first year, but I have discovered some ways to make things go faster. First, I never wait to get report...at my hospital we have 15 minutes before report time. I never hang out in the lounge and wait, I get my assignment and go out on...

I work for HCA and recently applied for a job with another healthcare system. When that company called to get a reference check through human resources they were referred to a 900 number which requires a $20 fee to verify employment. When they called...

How approachable are the other nurses? If questions come up and your preceptor is not helpful or receptive, ask another nurse. Do it discretely, however. I am just 8 months in on my first job and my preceptor was helpful, but left me completely on my...