BellaInBlueScrubsRN

BellaInBlueScrubsRN

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All Content by BellaInBlueScrubsRN

  1. Advice for "seasoned" nurse moving to ICU

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to General E. Speaking, RN's topic in CCU, Coronary, Cardiac

    So how's the ICU

  2. Ekg help

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to newrn05's topic in CCU, Coronary, Cardiac

    I have one of those little EKG books for dummies that you can carry in your pocket. It has all of that stuff. Like twenty dollars. Cause, what to look for, what to do, treatment. I read it front...

  3. stopcocks

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to General E. Speaking, RN's topic in CCU, Coronary, Cardiac

    I'm good with stopcocks. However, those stupid rollerclamps on a secondary IV. I prime, clamp, attach to the pump, then never remember to UNCLAMP after hitting

  4. Advice for "seasoned" nurse moving to ICU

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to General E. Speaking, RN's topic in CCU, Coronary, Cardiac

    WOW, sounds like a busy day. My advice: Make friends! So that when you have another day like that (you will!) you have some people to recruit in for

  5. Share your ICU 'brain' report sheet

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to General E. Speaking, RN's topic in CCU, Coronary, Cardiac

    Search for "Report Sheet" at the top of the website. There are other posts with downloadable sheets. A lot of us have gotten into the habit of writing down the pts history on a piece of paper and...

  6. New to ICU? What have you learn so far?

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to RN28MD's topic in MICU, SICU

    Always give and get the best report possible! Oh, that pt went asystole 2 days ago? That would have been nice to get passed on. (Some things do get lost in report though.) Always check alarms, zero...

  7. eICU ever heard of this?

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to wanderlust99's topic in MICU, SICU

    Our facility has an eICU program. I like them. Very handy. Not sure what it would be like to be a nurse with one though. Often times, they seem like to go-between for the bedside nurse and the...

  8. Do your ICUs/hospitals offer all therapies?

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to CNL2B's topic in MICU, SICU

    I've never heard of NO before, so we don't do that at my hospital. No ECMO. Plenty of CVVHD, IABP, any CABGs, rotoprone. Long term stable vents CAN go to a special floor, but very very rarely do....

  9. Does anyone hate their job as a nurse?

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to Pongoo's topic in General Nursing

    L.O.V.E my job! Its hard, no mistake. But I really do love it. (Hated nursing school though. Glad I stuck it

  10. do you skip your lunch break routinely?

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to Leelee2's topic in General Nursing

    Rarely get lunch break. And most nurses, for some STUPID reason, think its a luxury to break the rule of eating in the break room, instead to eat out at the nurses station. WHY?? No

  11. How do *you* tell your patient "No"?

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to anonymous1919's topic in General Nursing

    You say they have the ability to do it themselves? I would def make them do as much as they can, but not fret about if they really refuse. My go-to phrase is "I want you to do as much as you can by...

  12. Ever take care of a patient for a while to later find out...

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to wanderingRound's topic in General Nursing

    Was told to move a pt to a neg pressure room as a student. No protection on me or the pt. Later someone put air precaution note on the door. Probable

  13. Ever Killed Someone?

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to Bug Out's topic in General Nursing

    When I was a CNA I was assigned to sit with a confused patient for about 4 hours. His wife was in the room, and after about a half an hour, she left. She said he had been sleeping. So I just sat in...

  14. Can you work and go to nursing school?

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to Spikey74's topic in General Students

    I worked PRN as a nurse aide. You could work pretty much nothing, or up to 40 hours/wk. I had to provide for all my expenses. I have to say, it did hurt me. Its hard. I remember crying in class...

  15. Transition from new grad to RN: What did you wish you knew?

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to Florence NightinFAIL's topic in General Nursing

    I second all of the above. Dealing with doctors. Know WHAT you want when you call with change in status, abnormal results. Have everything ready, because they will ask you any and every question....

  16. IABP

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN posted a topic in CCU, Coronary, Cardiac

    Is it common to have a negative afterload reduction on an IABP? Had my first balloon pump this week and the 2nd night I had him, his numbers were coming out negative. (The assisted diastolic was...

  17. Signed up for ACLS...what to expect?

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to jmokeefe's topic in General Nursing

    They will give you a booklet that you go by. In it you will have basic heart rhythms and what interventions (meds, defibrillation, etc). Pretty much asystole, Vtach, V fib, PEA, SVT, Afib with RVR....

  18. Advice for new CNA

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to Marissa2619's topic in General Nursing

    Sometimes if you look at a job posting, it might say experience but put in your app anyway. They still might give you a shot! Good

  19. Pick your battles with your LNA.....

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to bluemorningglory's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    I admit, I let "Hun" slide a few times in my shift, even though I was told not to in nursing school. No one has :seemed: to have a problem with it, but they possibly could have and just not said...

  20. Termination

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to FutureERDoc's topic in General Nursing

    BIG no-no! I know a tech that got fired as well for performing out of his scope of practice. As an RN, I would never dream of suturing anything, so the fact that (sorry) you have no certification or...

  21. just finished week #1 of being an ICU nurse

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to nursgirl's topic in MICU, SICU

    Sounds like you are learning a lot already. Those classes are invaluable. Soak it up and take lots of notes! I just busted my notes out the other day to look something up! I've been in the ICU a...

  22. need help with drips and PCU patients

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to kcam213's topic in MICU, SICU

    Our ICU keeps a copy of the ranges for IV titratable gtts. When I first started I made a copy in a shruken size so I can carry it in my pocket. That way I don't have to go look up something I don't...

  23. Arterial Line Question

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to wonderbee's topic in CCU, Coronary, Cardiac

    Speaking of Art lines, ALWAYS make sure your alarms are on! I was standing at my patients bedside that I had just received from PACU with a labile BP. I look up and the pressure went from 100/60 to...

  24. What are the best qualities in the aids on your floor?

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to Silas's topic in CCU, Coronary, Cardiac

    What exactly does your unit have aids do? We don't have aids in our ICU like regular floors do. Our aids are just secretairies... so they only do orders. But I LOVE when they volunteer to do...

  25. Where are all of the "experienced nurses hiding?"

    BellaInBlueScrubsRN replied to SWS RN's topic in General Nursing

    I get ya. I get tired of going to the Critical Care specialty and only seeing "How can I get into ICU/ER". Lemme tell ya, there is no special way. There isn't a special way into ANY CAREER! Luck...