DavidFR BSN, MSN, RN

Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health

Member

  • Content

    707

  • Visitors

    10,182

  • Followers

    1

  • Likes

    1,285

All Content by DavidFR

  1. DavidFR

    Thoughts on nurses who became physicians

    DavidFR replied to NurseMcMuffin's topic in General Nursing

    Some people are just jealous to see other people trying different things and having a go at something they haven't done. I've known 2 nurses turned doctors and yes, their nursing perspective...
  2. DavidFR

    What is the toughest part of nursing?

    DavidFR replied to MoLo's topic in General Nursing

    Of course I make allowances for stress. I work in oncology, so hey, patients are anxious and I of course wouldn't want to be in their shoes and I make allowances for that. However some people overstep...
  3. DavidFR

    Primary care for elderly patients

    DavidFR replied to skylark's topic in United Kingdom

    Skylark, I sincerely hope you've found a solution by now. However, if not, have you thought of signalling her to the local social services department as a solitary, at risk eldery person? I too...
  4. DavidFR

    Welcoming New Nurses

    DavidFR replied to MoLo's topic in General Nursing

    I guess this varies from hospital to hospital. Where I work newbies have a hospital orientation day, then are doubled for their first 8 shifts (we do 12s) - can be longer if they need it. They...
  5. DavidFR

    What is the toughest part of nursing?

    DavidFR replied to MoLo's topic in General Nursing

    Dealing with disrespect. If patients are polite and courteous I don't care how heavy the workload is or how complex their problems are. I will go all out 100% for these people. However rude...
  6. DavidFR

    Crusty Old Bats

    DavidFR replied to Been there,done that's topic in General Nursing

    Yes! And on the subject of glass bottles, IV Hemineverin (chlormethiazole) came in huge glass bottles, only that was the tratment of the day for alcohol withdrawal. So you always got agitated...
  7. DavidFR

    How to deal with CNA insubordination?

    DavidFR replied to thenursebabe25's topic in General Nursing

    Some care assistants take advantage of agency staff as if their being fixed staff somehow makes them senior to the agency RN. Are you in an environment where there is an overall night supervisor...
  8. DavidFR

    Concerned about a nurse operating an x-ray machine without training.

    DavidFR replied to Mike.Nichols's topic in General Nursing

    Likewise in France the person has to be a qualified person who's followed a 3 year training and is registered as what we call a Manipulateur Radiologique. Similarly when I worked in the UK this...
  9. DavidFR

    Managing Stress

    DavidFR replied to MoLo's topic in General World

    I understand this is an issue in areas where breaks are unpaid and staff leave the unit to go to a distant canteen. If you're only two trained nurses on nights in a small unit for example, you can't...
  10. DavidFR

    Managing Stress

    DavidFR replied to MoLo's topic in General World

    Speaking from France: A clinical psycohologist is available for all staff to freely access when needed. I personally found this very useful after I was attacked by a confused patient who...
  11. DavidFR

    What was missing?

    DavidFR replied to MoLo's topic in General Nursing

    I'm actually in France where I've lived for many years and am a naturalised French citizen, so enchanté, but yes I'm originally British. We're not so rare on here - check out the UK section in World...
  12. DavidFR

    What was missing?

    DavidFR replied to MoLo's topic in General Nursing

    Cultural awareness and diversity training. I trained in a lillywhite area of South-West England and the odd time we did get non-white patients the racism and lack of cultural understanding...
  13. DavidFR

    Should I talk to my manager?

    DavidFR replied to Sweetpea04's topic in General Nursing

    Many lives ago I tried burns and plastics and it wasn't for me. I went back to my old post in infectious diseases. Stayed there for a very happy two more years and eventually did move on to other...
  14. DavidFR

    Insomnia, night shift, and 6 on???

    DavidFR replied to PizzaNurse2023's topic in General Nursing

    Many years ago I did do 7 on 7 off which was common in the UK in prehistoric times. It was an 11 hour shift 21h - 8h (10 hours paid with an hour's break in which you could nap officially). I...
  15. DavidFR

    Anxiety Surrounding Emergencies

    DavidFR replied to ShelbyAS's topic in General Nursing

    I'm more worried about the nursing student who's a know all and thinks they can already handle any emergency situation just fine before they're even registered. For a nursing student your anxiety over...
  16. DavidFR

    Med waste upon Hospice Home death

    DavidFR replied to Janie Rodriguez's topic in General Nursing

    I remember having to have waste witnessed when I worked in the UK. Just a point of interest, here in France even in hospital we don't have our waste controlled drugs witnessed. I work in...
  17. DavidFR

    Retired Nurses

    DavidFR replied to MoLo's topic in General Nursing

    Retired nurses here in France (and I know in the UK and Ireland too) were called in to help during the Covid crisis, particularly in screening and vaccination centres but also for inpatient care....
  18. DavidFR

    New Adventure in my nursing Career?

    DavidFR replied to NurseLash's topic in General Nursing

    I came back to hospital nursing (oncology) after several years out doing other things. Age was not an issue. I'm 60 now and doing OK. Don't regret my choice after 14 years. Consider it a lovely way to...
  19. DavidFR

    New Grad jobs aside from floor positions

    DavidFR replied to iccul84's topic in General Nursing

    You had one bad experience with a Foley catheter. When you've been shown how to insert them correctly and gained confidence, you will go on to insert them with no difficulty. Nursing involves...
  20. DavidFR

    Crusty Old Bats

    DavidFR replied to Been there,done that's topic in General Nursing

    I do remember having to write the Kardex in red on night shift while day shift was in black. I remember my first night shift as a second year student on an acute medical ward. Did an admission...
  21. DavidFR

    The Working Poor-Nurses

    DavidFR replied to TeaCea's topic in General Nursing

    Threads like this make me feel very lucky. I hear stories of my native UK where apparently some nurses are using food banks and I just think "Holy **** how did we get to this?" I live in...
  22. DavidFR

    Crusty Old Bats

    DavidFR replied to Been there,done that's topic in General Nursing

    Do remember this too! This also reminds me of the patients who stayed hospitalised for ages just to be stabilised on Warfarin (Coumadin). INR every morning, variable dose Warfarin in the evening...
  23. DavidFR

    Crusty Old Bats

    DavidFR replied to Been there,done that's topic in General Nursing

    I did my first manual evacuation on my very first placement (geriatrics) in my first week. Unsupervised - just told what to do by an SEN (LVN) in a quick 30 second explanation and off you go....
  24. DavidFR

    Crusty Old Bats

    DavidFR replied to Been there,done that's topic in General Nursing

    The Nelson's Inhaler. Sure they're banned now under health and safety regulations. How many 1st degree burns did we cause? Glycerine and Icthamol dressings on IV sites that had tissued. Like...
  25. DavidFR

    Crusty Old Bats

    DavidFR replied to Been there,done that's topic in General Nursing

    Other distant memories: Reading blood sugars manually off a colour chart. You never got a spot on 4.2 mmols or 8.5 mmols. Your blood sugar was in a range so you said your patient's blood sugar...