Stcroix ASN, PhD, RN

cardiac-telemetry, hospice, ICU

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All Content by Stcroix

  1. Stcroix

    Your first experience with a dead person

    Stcroix replied to ixchel's topic in General Nursing

    About 1/2 way through my orientation I got a code called from the telemetry folks on the 'red phone'. I was standing with two other nurses near the patient's room and in we ran. After checking for...
  2. Stcroix

    Getting your first RN job: The secret rules.

    Stcroix replied to SPG5731598's topic in General Students

    Back to the original question- My advice is to get a job, any job in the hospital or institution where you think you want to work while you are in school. Many institutions will hire from within...
  3. Stcroix

    Alarm fatigue survey

    Stcroix replied to bsn-bridge-student's topic in Cardiac

    Great idea and topic, glad to
  4. Stcroix

    What is your degree in other than nursing?

    Stcroix replied to nija315's topic in General Students

    BA biology - PhD plant
  5. Stcroix

    Too late to be a nurse?

    Stcroix replied to woodland123's topic in General Students

    I graduated at 60, was hired in my ideal job in a hospital 2 months later and am happily working at same for over a year now. I have stayed in good physical shape (a necessity- this job is tough) and...
  6. Stcroix

    Medical terminology according to patients

    Stcroix replied to nursefrances's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    I was discussing an intervention regarding the patient's member and his wife interjected "we call him little Pete" -I bit my
  7. Stcroix

    How did you feel when you got your first nursing paycheck?

    Stcroix replied to Joe V's topic in Nurses Rock

    Honestly, I looked and thought "Where the He## did all of it go?" as I looked over all the
  8. Stcroix

    How urgent do you consider melena to be?

    Stcroix replied to Maddy_Rose's topic in Medical-Surgical

    I think it would be alarming based on other criteria. Is this new to the pt, is their H&H dropping/ very low, are they symptomatic (pale, tachy, diaphoretic)? If the pt came in w a diagnosis of...
  9. Stcroix

    K-rider administration

    Stcroix replied to beautifulskymind's topic in Cardiac

    That is assuming the pt can tolerate the rate. I would say 50% of pts getting a K infusion in a peripheral IV can't tolerate the max rate and need to have it slowed to minimize the
  10. Stcroix

    If you are a male can you ask to only work for male patients?

    Stcroix replied to dbtw's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    OP, this may help: It has been my observation that modesty fades over time. To the point, your female patients probably don't give a hoot who is cleaning them as long as it gets done and you are...
  11. Stcroix

    Not a people person... (Yikes!)

    Stcroix replied to Brian's topic in General Students

    Yes, a nurse needs people skills. When we care for our patients, we treat their ills with our skills of assessment, catering to their physical needs, and delivering ordered care. That is only part...
  12. Stcroix

    Feeling so guilty calling off sick

    Stcroix replied to mclennan's topic in General Nursing

    Where I work, the end of year personal reviews contain several factors, not the least of which is attendance. It doesn't matter why you called out, just the # of times you did- the more you did, the...
  13. Stcroix

    What do u give for food poisoning?

    Stcroix replied to heyitsme728's topic in General Nursing

    Advice on not eating at that restaurant
  14. Stcroix

    First post-mortem today...

    Stcroix replied to SopranoKris's topic in General Students

    A patient of mine passed just yesterday. I was the last person he spoke to earlier in the day. The post mortem care is but a task to me, the hard part is what leads up to that point, especially if...
  15. Stcroix

    Bad experience with CAGE protocol patient

    Stcroix posted a topic in General Nursing

    A while ago I got a new patient from ER who came in for pneumonia and his underlying afib. He was on CAGE protocol for people who drink ETOH regularly. I have had many such patients, but this one...
  16. Stcroix

    Bad experience with CAGE protocol patient

    Stcroix replied to Stcroix's topic in General Nursing

    I did do the 'multiply by two' formula in my expectations. However, that missing question about the last drink got
  17. Stcroix

    What do you do to relax?

    Stcroix replied to Brian's topic in Nurses Rock

    Fishing, particularly grouper fishing. Something about being out on the ocean in a completely foreign environment that recharges my batteries. I love
  18. Stcroix

    Iv mag or k+ which do I hang first?

    Stcroix replied to JenniferG rN's topic in Emergency

    Just yesterday I had an order to run both K and Mg. I called pharmacy and was told they are Y site compatible, so I ran them both through a Y site, problem solved. They were scheduled for the exact...
  19. Stcroix

    IV Amiodarone extravasation

    Stcroix replied to WAheartnurse's topic in Cardiac

    Yes, been some nasty arms with amiodorone. Still, we run them but I keep an eye on them always. I agree with the use of a small IV, as it does less initial
  20. Stcroix

    Preceptorship

    Stcroix replied to AngelofSeduction's topic in General Students

    Tell your preceptor how you feel, overhwelmed, scared, etc, just like you did us. Just as ChipNurse and GrnTea said, be yourself, be honest and be open to all new experiences. Being scared is 100%...
  21. Stcroix

    What is the nurses role when a patient is being discharged too early?

    Stcroix replied to DollyLolly's topic in General Students

    Some info is missing, is he from home, have family, etc? I f he is truly on his own then- you could go to social worker and see if they assess him for rehab/ snf placement. If so, go to Dr and ask...
  22. Stcroix

    You know you're a nurse when...

    Stcroix replied to Joe V's topic in Nursing Humor

    Lunchtime conversation in the break room often contains bowels or their
  23. Stcroix

    Volunteer Ideas

    Stcroix replied to aeleahin's topic in General Students

    Volunteer with a hospital/ business that you think you might like to work for. I did as a transporter at a local hospital the 2 years I was in school. Guess what? I got friendly with many nurses...
  24. Stcroix

    Contact with Mrsa, now I'm so afraid?

    Stcroix replied to mzsuccess's topic in General Nursing

    OP, like many folks, you are confusing the presence of the organism with disease. This is rarely the case. A wonderful professor once taught me the concept of the infectious disease triangle. That...
  25. Stcroix

    Do you have 30 minutes for lunch?

    Stcroix replied to Kurious RN's topic in General Nursing

    30 minutes is a rare event. We keep our phones on our floor and it is almost unheard of where you go without at least one interruption even on the days you eat over 15 minutes- cardiac