justanurse replied to askater's topic in MICU, SICU
Don't take the assignment unless you're trained in caring for the vent patients. You need at least some orientation in what care you should provide these patients with. Some training on the...
And, so far haven't been burned. I re-read my orders back so I know & the Doc knows I've got it right. Did hear about a very good Critical Care nurse who worked in ER and had a Doc tell her to...
justanurse replied to askater11's topic in MICU, SICU
I worked 4 years in orthopedics until I went to CCU on the "buddy-plan". I worked 10 years in CCU and then did CN over our CCU/PCU (tele). I loved it (most of the time). It took me 8 or so years to...
IABP = Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump This device is a near ventilator size machine attached to an arterial line placed into the patient's femoral artery. On the end of the line is a balloon that is...
I've just landed my ?dream job. I will go from making $44K to $34K (which is only a grand or two less than I made last year before my big raise), but I will have two months off with pay, and can...
justanurse replied to robguerrero_rn's topic in Cardiac
The physician usually orders a dosage to begin with. You can increase the dosage every 30 - 60 minutes to get the desired effect of pain control that your patient needs. Possibly more often at the...
justanurse replied to teresab_2000's topic in General Nursing
No regrets to having gotten "only" an ADN degree. I went straight out of high school, knowing I wanted to be a nurse. I received a full tuition scholarship to our local community college for my ADN....
Yep, did that too. I took over as one of the Charge Nurses in our CCU 3 years ago. For two years, I wore many hats. Many times I had 3 patients right along with everyone else, praying "please, God,...
Hi, telemetryrn. Here are the sites I have found helpful with my palm: www.rnpalm.com/software.htm www.pdamd.com This one will probably have more options for you, since your software probably...
Be very careful. Check out your policy. At the hospital I work, we had a state review last summer. A nurse received an order to give Haldol to a patient who was very uncooperative & combative...
I am so sorry for what you are going through. My own personal feelings are that that patient should be held accountable for her actions. As we all should. Should she be allowed to hurt others just...
This is a hot topic in the CCU I work. Our policy is 30 minutes visiting 5 times a day. Our staff would like it to stay that way, but it never does. It is very difficult to enforce strict visiting...
I got a palm handheld for christmas. It's very nice, the one I got has 8M of memory and cost $250. You can get a handheld computer for ~$600, that has 32M memory, even. I've downloaded a lot of...
Ours is paying a $50 bonus for a shift (either staying over 4 hours, or working an extra day), when it's deemed "critical need". On extra days, that are listed as needing help at the beginning of the...
I'm with Jenny P. As of last spring, I am cargiver to my husband. Let me tell you, just because you know what's going on, doesn't mean anyone thinks you do. Doctors and nurses start to explain...
justanurse replied to nursesrthebest's topic in General Nursing
How appropriate that this is the first post I look at when I've been off from here for SEVERAL days. I've got a Dr. p***ed off at me at work. He was being a jerk and flambouyant in complaining how...
justanurse replied to AnnieRN's topic in MICU, SICU
In our CCU we were given an 8 hour instruction course in caring for our patients with IABP. We only get a few each year, so it takes each nurse several hours to get back in the swing of caring for...
Nancy, just because you get your lunch breaks and legal 15 minute breaks doesn't mean we don't work short. Most days I don't get a lunch break other than 15 minutes to go get it and scarf it down,...
For short inservices, bring it to the nurses. Post some times that you will be around, do 2-3 short & sweet inservices on the unit. If your nurses generally feel they can't take lunches away for...
justanurse replied to CYBERNURSE2000's topic in MICU, SICU
In our ICU/CCU units the RN always transports with a patient and stays with them through tests. The only time the RN leaves the patient, is if there is an RN in the testing department that is there...
No RN's at our facilty (~200 bed hospital) intubate. We have Respiratory Therapist Supervisors who do the intubating much of the time, upon doctor orders, or during a code. If needed, RN's may use...
At our facility, it is the responsibility of the physician to remove the IAB. He will generally hold pressure about 5 minutes then expect the nurse to take over. Usually they want us to hold for 30...
t-s-l: Do not feel so discouraged. I worked with a wonderful nurse that did not pass her boards the first two times. She make it on the third time, though. I worked with a different nurse who...
justanurse replied to randomnamees's topic in Nursing Humor
I am so glad, I am so glad, I am so glad....... Hey, how much do they get paid? If it's more than I'm making, at least I'll make better money for getting something stuck there every day. I've worn...