bb007rn

I knew I wanted to be an RN when I was 14... went into college after HS, then "life" happened, (married, kids, divorce...) I was a STNA for a long time in between, a stay-at-home mum, a HHA, and an Assistant Funeral Director for almost 2 years. I fin...

I hated all the med-surg clinicals I had in nursing school.I have never worked med-surg as an RN. I precepted on a burn unit, first job was in ER (4 years) and then neuroICU... I was a "late-bloomer" RN, though, completing my degree at age 34, so I ...

I am fascinated by how well and quickly the body can heal itself. As in burns, I did my preceptorship many moons ago on a burn unit...I was utterly fascinated shift by shift at the stages/degrees of healing of human skin. (This probably contributed t...

((((HUGS)))) and prayers for you and your family....I cannot even imagine, and therefore have no other words. (And the freezer idea sounds great to me!)

I love the Hemp Hand Protector by The Body Shop, it's a bit pricey, but you only need a little bit and it works wonders! (and it doesn't have a sickly sweet smell to it, either)

this! ^^^ and this: RASS scores are important... they let you know how well that propofol/versed drip is working and justify your titration of the same. They in no way ever took me away from patient care. But then, I easily learned how to prioritize ...

I can't stand vomit. By the time each of my 4 kids was 2, they knew where the bucket was... Give me suctioning, lancing of boils/abscesses, bring on the compound/open fractures, large gaping wounds needing sutures, burn debridement, decubs, maggots...

I learned when I first became a nurse the importance of 1)not bringing work home 2)not taking home to work 3)how very important it is to find ways to decompress and destress on days off. I am not a "social" person by nature, I do not find comfort in ...

I show before I go in to work, always have. I wash my hair 3xs a week. I work nights then come home wash face, hands and feet (I've got a thing about cleaning my feet before I go to sleep) then grab some "breakfast" and go to sleep. I NEVER use ...

oh, and gloves, there are various sizes of non-latex exam gloves in it, too! Much of this stuff can be found online, just search for military surplus medic kit... some can be quite pricey, but when you figure the cost of finding the stuff individuall...

My hubby (Army Veteran of Desert Storm) and I hike/camp, so we have quite the first aid kit, varied sizes of sterile gauze, steri-strips, butterfly band-aids, assorted bandaids, kerlix rolls, hemostats, tweezers/forceps, ACE wraps, finger splints, va...

I am Pagan, also and only once did anyone have any issue about it. (I don;t even remember the context) I do have people comment on my " pretty charms/jewelry"... I get the "Star of David, are you Jewish"-thing a lot. And if I choose to respond, "No, ...

IMHO, better that those who failed NCLEX more than once spend more time studying, less time praying to pass!

Over the years, I have learned the best bet is to go to a Uniform store and try on various scrub types. No one person look as professional in one brand of scrubs over another brand due to body type/shapes. try on a few and figure out which styles mos...

this! 15 bed ICU, no phones in most rooms (was a neurosurgICU) (except we all had pagers and someone would either find which room we were in or would webpage us.) We were always good about telling whomever was sitting near "our" phone that we page...

Apparently I am one of those nurses who must change places about every 4 years or so. (I think I get bored with being in the same unit at about that time!) I worked 4 years ER, 4 years NeuroICU, 1year travel nursing (still NeuroICU). Now I do private...

Three cheers for closed suctioning systems! (one of the greatest medical inventions ever!)

or a nice plate of homemade cookies...works like a charm! (though in my case it was homemade pies, apple, blueberry, peach, mmmmm.. now I've made myself hungry!)

Antiperspirant/Deodorant on the soles of the feet keeps away patient stinky foot smells

I agree ER is cardio, NeuroICU weight/strength training! \ I have had back surgery (from work as RN? I am not sure, but 4 pregnancies, many of my younger years as a STNA/CNA/HHA, and assistant funeral director, then RN, several MVAs over my life all ...

Not a single one of us "more experienced" nurses has never made some mistake in our careers. None of us are infallible or perfect, but we strive to be as close to it in our practice as we can. We do that by asking questions, even at critical moments...

Every nurse has "that one thing", that one thing they just cannot stomach. (mine is emesis/vomit/retching..... ewwwww!) You may get over it, a little biofeedback, a mantra (this is not gross, this is not gross) talk to the patient during suctioning, ...

I started my career in ER, fast-paced, fun, difficult, quite a learning curve. I loved it. No techs, but we did have EMT-P's to help out, and a few LPNs, until we didn't our facility one day just told the LPNs, hey, you're not wanted in ER anymore ...

While I am not a Vet, nor do I work in the VA, I am the wife of a US Army Desert Storm Vet. Both of my grandfathers served during WWII (one stormed the beaches at Normandy D-Day+2 and lived to tell about it, not that he did. The other served in the P...

(((hugs)))) The only way we learn is by asking questions, no matter how obvious they may seem to us! (sometimes, one just experiences what I call a "brain fart") ICU's require teamwork, utilize your teammates, never be afraid to ask a question in reg...