KatieMI BSN, MSN, RN

ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine

Member

All Content by KatieMI

  1. KatieMI

    Family member died in the hospital...too many questions

    KatieMI replied to CoffeeRTC's topic in General Nursing

    (((So sorry for your loss))) The truth is, people do die and it usually happens without any kind of schedule or announcement. Someone who had triple bypass couldn't be named to be "in good shape"...
  2. KatieMI

    I didn't become a nurse to feed people's addictions. Do *nurses* have the right to refuse

    KatieMI replied to Thankgodforativan's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    You cannot ethically refuse to give patient something that was prescribed by provider. Just as you cannot refuse to go into L&D room to assist a patient whose moral/social/sexual choices are in...
  3. KatieMI

    Scared to death over PPD

    KatieMI replied to maddyfan4's topic in General Nursing

    Been there, done that... TWICE. One time had to do CPR single resquer with mask on a guy who turned out to be positive. I know how scary it is... it is a blessing that you can get isoniazide quickly...
  4. KatieMI

    How to Not Die in the Hospital

    KatieMI replied to Nurse Beth's topic in General Nursing

    Re. family members in the role of "advocates": where I work, it is encountered pretty often. In 95+% of cases it is more than one person permanently camping in the room, sometimes charged with family...
  5. KatieMI

    How to Not Die in the Hospital

    KatieMI replied to Nurse Beth's topic in General Nursing

    I would add a few things. Some of them might sound blunt but... - learn who is who and who is doing what. If you feel a new and significant pain, for one example, pain, immediately ask for your NURSE....
  6. KatieMI

    Is the Baby Boomer Generation not going to get good care?

    KatieMI replied to Cola89's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    It is not about having even enough of them, it is about giving them functions which were before strictly within nursing scope of practice. Think about incredible fun of having someone with even no MA...
  7. KatieMI

    Is the Baby Boomer Generation not going to get good care?

    KatieMI replied to Cola89's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    Thank you, Ruby Vee! I actually meant it much softer than you wrote - I mentioned in my first post in this topic that, IMHO, it is ok to repair wear and tear as long as we do not speak about totally...
  8. KatieMI

    Is the Baby Boomer Generation not going to get good care?

    KatieMI replied to Cola89's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    Just to let you know - I already live with a costly, incurable, potentially deadly health condition. Yet, I do everything in my power and then some more in order not to end up like population I work...
  9. KatieMI

    Is the Baby Boomer Generation not going to get good care?

    KatieMI replied to Cola89's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    To The Commuter, I am sorry that you have to go through it. The part of the problem is that it is difficult for poorer and poorly/uninsured to get preventive services, but once they develop serious...
  10. KatieMI

    Is the Baby Boomer Generation not going to get good care?

    KatieMI replied to Cola89's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    Yes, it is a human "nature" to make bad choices. It is not a "nature" of society to support such choices, and the society has only limited responsibility to deal with the results of such choices. The...
  11. KatieMI

    Is the Baby Boomer Generation not going to get good care?

    KatieMI replied to Cola89's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    I would like to see ethics committees to be given more than "recommending" power and able to work beyond hospitals. At least, "futile care" conclusion should mean automatic DNR status. Where I am,...
  12. KatieMI

    All about insulin

    KatieMI replied to nurseonduty24's topic in Long Term Acute Care

    1). It is a med error. Incident report, doctor to be called, etc. as per local policy. 2). Levemir has no peak, and 5 units is a tiny dose. 95% possibility that nothing will happen. Doc may decrease...
  13. KatieMI

    IM injection gone subcutaneous?

    KatieMI replied to Psychrn6685's topic in Patient Medications

    1). It sure did not went into muscle. It went into fat. 2). It is 100% OK. 3). We all feel like idiots from time to time. It's fine, too. Now, breathe and try to relax. It was supposed to be this...
  14. KatieMI

    Refusing to do Surgery Outpatient due to Bleomycin in 2008

    KatieMI replied to DowntheRiver's topic in General Nursing

    While it should be the one to health care provider, according to TOS... - formal one: risk of chronic pneumonitis, PFT and VQ scan are required to make sure there is no chronic restrictive defect and...
  15. KatieMI

    IM injection gone subcutaneous?

    KatieMI replied to Psychrn6685's topic in Patient Medications

    Relax. The standard 1.5 inch needle goes into muscle in pretty much two cases: either cachectic or a bodybuilder. The norm thickness of fat on ventrogluteal place is at least 2 inches, and usually it...
  16. KatieMI

    Is the Baby Boomer Generation not going to get good care?

    KatieMI replied to Cola89's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    Among Medicare beneficiaries, in 2013 17% received skilled continous care. Which means they were either in SNF or short way somewhere near. That is the reason why I allow myself a piece of cake twice...
  17. KatieMI

    Is the Baby Boomer Generation not going to get good care?

    KatieMI replied to Cola89's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    I am sorry that it hurts your feelings but facts are here: Medscape: Medscape Access 1 out of 5 has DIAGNOSED diabetes, 40% obese, >50% prevalence of DIAGNOSED HTN. That's not cancer or OA. These...
  18. KatieMI

    Is the Baby Boomer Generation not going to get good care?

    KatieMI replied to Cola89's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    Boomers will get care - but I am not sure it will be the kind of care they imagine. I like to tell people that, for the last 500.000 years or so, humans were evolving in a world where living beyond...
  19. KatieMI

    I can't do chest compressions (CPR) will I be terminated?

    KatieMI replied to 42pines's topic in General Nursing

    The restrictions look a bit of extreme to me. No more than 1 min standing and 5 min walking? That's less than walking from the parking lot and getting into elevator. Honestly, I think that it depends....
  20. KatieMI

    Asthma attack - hypocapnea?

    KatieMI replied to crnc's topic in General Nursing

    First, when there is no complete closure of small airways, patient will hyperventilate and blow CO2 out. If attack gets worse, normocapnia and then hypercapnia develops. No wheezing with poor air...
  21. KatieMI

    What nursing career would suit my mother?

    KatieMI replied to OrganizedChaos's topic in General Nursing

    One more important question is what your mother actually can do, physically, mentally and financially. School of nursing, and especially ABSN programs are brutal for anyone not acccustomed to intense...
  22. KatieMI

    The Enemy... The Nurse Manager

    KatieMI replied to I.Am.A.Nurse.'s topic in Nurse Management

    I just want to say that, despite of everything I got from management so far (and there were some terrible things indeed), I deeply appreciate the OP's post. OP, you are not a $100 banknote to be...
  23. KatieMI

    Things LTC Nurses wish EMTs and Paramedics would understand.

    KatieMI replied to downsouthlaff's topic in General Nursing

    Why do you think that you did something wrong? It is just a fact that 98% of general population has no idea who in healthcare business does and knows what. For the majority of people, there are...
  24. KatieMI

    Nurses' salaries from a Russian's perspective

    KatieMI replied to Pasolopi's topic in General Nursing

    To clarify things, I was born in Russia, worked as a nurse there before medical school and then repeated it all here in the US. First of all, there are quite a few kinds of nurses (and therefore...
  25. KatieMI

    Vein finders

    KatieMI replied to lkhrn's topic in General Nursing

    In my population (many dark-skinned, severely obese or edematous patients) Illumivein works good enough as far as locating veins, and by applying pressure on them you can estimate caliber and depth to...