scoochy

The challenge of working in an ICU is great! I say go for it, and hope you have a positive outcome!

After working in a SNF for two years where the conditions were TOXIC, I had had enough. I gave my 3 week notice, and when I was done, I was so done...compassion fatigue. I have been out of work for four months, and now I feel ready to search for a new job. Money is tight, but I am doing OK. What a relief to be gone from such an unhealthy environment.

Perhaps you could have titrated it in the evening. However, once you did that and say he did well, I would have let him be for the night so as to get a restful sleep. Early mornings in a nursing facility can be harried, to say the least. You would not have been able to closely monitor him if you titrated it @ 6 or 6:30 a.m. The day shift nurse could have done an assessment on him after report was completed, and titrate 02 based on her assessment.

Was the patient being worked up for dysautonomia?

Not in a million years. It isn't like it used to be, to say the least...

Does your state have an Ombudsman for the elderly? In the state where I live, the telephone number for such person is posted @ the reception desk, and on every bulletin board in facilities. Call ASAP. This act of abuse can result in legal consequences.

Great idea, but workers at my place of employment are forever changing their phone #s. Personally, my employer does not have my cell phone #. Call me on my land line; if I chose to work extra, I will answer. Otherwise, the answer is no.

Agree 100% with you, Nascar Nurse!

I agree 100%; I have no problem reminding people they are not at a party, or in a bar; rather they are working in a health care facility that just so happens to be a person's home........

Four miles, door to door. Depending on the number of school buses I encounter, it can take up to 15 minutes. There are no highways involved; it is great! For 26 years, I drove 40 miles/day; depending on traffic, it would take 30 minutes to 1.5 hours to get to work; yuck....I don't miss that commute at all!!

It is not within the scope of nursing practice to arbitrarily make changes in the rate of infusion of TPN or EN.

I envy you; best of luck and hope there are many happy days ahead!

Verbal abuse; a thick skin will be necessary for future encounters with this physician. How about speaking with your immediate supervisor about this issue? Make the supervisor aware of this incident....report it in a timely fashion, before you are reported and falsely accused of some thing or another. This physician sounds like he would have no qualms bad mouthing you to the patient; I have seen it happen, and it wasn't pretty.

Caliotter, You are not alone..........

HOT FLASHES............

GOOD ONE!!!!

Read the threads started by JohnnyDoGood; you will gain insight................

I'm surprised Memorial Day is not included in the list!

You've got that right!

Dear mrf0609, I apologize for hijacking your post!

1. You will be considered a new graduate. 2. I would not even apply for a job without taking a refresher course; do yourself a favor; take the refresher course...to be honest, without it, you would not be considered for employment.

I worked in an acute care setting (ICU & PACU) for over 25 years before I "called it quits." I have been working in LTC for the last 1.5 years; it certainly is a lot more than giving meds, doing tons of paperwork, and supervising unregulated staff. Time management is a valued skill in LTC; many have not been able to grasp this skill. Try admitting 2 residents, no unit secretary, passing meds to 25 residents, a resident fall, and sending a resident out to the ER who was a full code and had a cardiac arrest in the LTC facility. This occurred two weeks ago on the 3-11 shift, on one unit. We have no free-floating supervisor. This is the epitome of time management. Having cared for "fresh" open heart patients, multiple traumas, heart transplants, liver transplants, etc.., I can say that caring for this acute patient set is "easier" than working in a LTC facility.

DNR=DNR=DNR=DO NOT RESUSCITATE. I would be very upset if, after making the decision to have an advanced directive such as DNR in place, a nurse took it upon her/himself to override the DNR order.

Having had an ACDF with autologous bone graft in the past, here is some help: 1. It is of the utmost importance to assess neuro status. 2. Assess pain level. Was the bone graft taken from the patient's hip? If so, there will be more pain at this site than at the neck (my personal exper- ience). It hurts!!! 3. Provide optimal positioning; i.e., HOB elevated, arms supported by pillows. 4. Ice to hip if bone graft taken from hip. I have given you some assistance, but you will need to do some research re: the surgery itself. If you understand what this surgery entails, nursing interventions will logically follow. Arterial line..this is not a nursing intervention. Put on your thinking cap; what are possible adverse outcomes of arterial line insertion, and how would you be able to prevent an adverse outcome??

Take a specimen cup (urine spec cup is best), cut a hole in the cover; insert the venting port, and voila, you have a collection container..............