Iseeyou_RN RN

To the OP: you verbalized exactly how I feel, very eloquently. Look up Moral Distress in nursing. You're not alone!

716 billion in Medicare cuts over the next 10 years = less reimbursements for hospitals = hospitals cutting costs = cutting nursing staff = more danger to patients. That is what I worry about.

I'd love to get some feedback on a situation that happened recently during the night. We coded a patient twice within a few hours; by the time the second code started the family was all present including the husband. The next of kin approached the n...

Wow this is a really late reply :) What happened was the nurse caring for the patient didn't turn on the pressors because the all the family present, including the legal next of kin, were all in agreement that they didn't want to accelerate care. How...

Seems simple to me. Code status is addressed on admission by the physician, he or she write the order for full code, DNR/DNI etc. If the doc writes full code isn't that an order to code the patient if they arrest?

We have been doing Q24hr chlorhexidine bathing since late last year. I also read the research but I don't know that anyone at our facility is actually measuring the outcome so we know if it's making a difference for us.

I had a patient with huge T waves on the monitor one night, K was fine. When I went to bed that day I dreamed that my patient was having sine waves on the monitor but I couldn't get any doctor to order anything until finally the patient went asystol...

If she had the strength to "stand up easily" I don't understand how they could write you up for a lift. But I'm also not familiar with 'no lift' facilities.

Anonymous, That is not a silly question! I'm glad you asked when you weren't sure ? A patient's urine output can be a very important "vital sign". I ask questions every day and continue to learn new things every day. Keep up the good work ?

Yes I would, and do! I started on a ninja 250 and now ride a Honda CBR 600rr. I occasionally ride to work (not in scrubs though I change when I get there). I ALWAYS wear ALL my gear - it's easier to cool off then heal up. I think the street riding ...

First of all I'm not sure what you mean by ICU residency ? How long is it and what does it entail? Secondly I don't believe you would be doing yourself any favors by taking a "faster route" if such a thing does exist. My understanding from nurses I'v...

First of all, congrats on graduating and getting a job! I can honestly say that every job I've ever had has taught me something valuable. Even the non-healthcare related jobs. If nothing else I had practice dealing with difficult people! So learn wh...

I don't know about everywhere but the only internships I have heard of, or that I or my classmates did were summer internships; not during school. They were actually paid internships and I would absolutely recommend doing it. You get to see the "re...

You can only hope that she didn't realize how very rude her comment was. However, that one could have so little insight into the situation as to say something like that hardly seems possible. Time and again I am reminded that most people don't unde...

Look under sticky threads of interest at the top of the main msicu sicu page there is a whole thread about this.

Euphemism? :)

Ditto everything everyone else has said, "hang in there" etc etc. When I forget something or miss a step I've noticed that usually either I'm trying to do too many things at once or there was some interuption of some kind while I was in the middle o...

In regards to taking the "sickest and most complicated patients" While you have a preceptor with you they may assign them to you anyway (they do this in my unit) so that you can be exposed to the many drips, all the equipment etc and still be safe. ...

Seriously? (couldn't resist :)) I don't have time for breaks, who has time for sex?

I read in another post recently that it's not necessary to draw blood cultures before antibiotics are given; that this is actually a "sacred cow". I'd be really interested to learn if this is true and where I could find resources for this info as I h...

The main points of our protocol (off the top of my head) are start an insulin gtt with 10 unit bolus, normal saline bolus of two liters, then .45 NS at prescribed rate, chem7 ketones and venous pH checked every 4 hours,if K+ drops below 5 add potass...

I was in a similar situation. I started as a new grad in a med-surg ICU. I did have a wonderful orientation and all the nurses were very supportive. I have found that nurses in the ICU love to teach and they want you to succeed because the time wil...