bear_mom

We have the Alaris pumps and all PRBC's are supposed to be infused with the pump. I like it better than the gravity tubing we used to use. Emily

During my externship I really learned a lot, my preceptor allowed me to grow and learn. Also during that time the manager of the floor I worked on liked what she saw and offered me a position. On the other hand, the manager determined that she did not like of the other externs, so she was not offered a position. Emily

Doctors can't write an order like that anymore at our facility, the order would be like this: Darvocet N-100, 1 Q4 hours for pain 1-3, 2 Q6 hours for pain 4-10. When we are discharging patients on Vicodin or Darvocet, then we write out their discharge instructions the same way. Prior to that, it was up to us as nurses to ensure that the patient wasn't exceeding the max allowed to Tylenol. Also, we recently switched to norco in the hospital to help with the acetominophen problem. (doesn't help with the Darvocet, but we don't use it too often on the surgical floor anyway) Emily

Here too. I might chart "Pt with lg emesis, Zofran given", but that isn't a given. Emily

Loyola University has an on-line bridge progam.

Am I the only one who works at a facility that has a policy regarding social networking sites? About a year ago, the hospital came out with it and while I don't remember the specifics of the policy, it does mention termination if staff are found to have posted any kind of information regarding patients on line. It was likened to having a discussion in the cafeteria where we can be overheard where someone who overhears us can determine the identity of a patient. You never know who knows who.......

We have a roatation set up, each nurse works one summer and one winter holiday. Rotations are: Memorial Day and Thanksgiving, 4th and Christmas and Labor Day and New Years. So every three years you rotate through the holidays. We are changing our schedules around though and decreasing the number of nurses on staff, so I'm not sure how things are going to pan out with our new schedules. Weekends and holidays are going to be an issue - there aren't going to be enough nurses to cover them with our current expectations (ie: 1 1/2 weekends and month and two holidays a year). Emily

Career Uniforms in Saginaw has a decent selection scrubs, shoes and equipment. I buy my shoes other places though, as I like the Dansko and none of the scrub/uniform places around here carry them. Emily

How do know how to treat? Sliding scale is based on a pre-meal blood sugar, not a blood sugar taken after eating. Emily

If they don't have a PIN number then I don't give out any information and cite patient privacy. If they don't have the PIN number and the patient is A&O or there is family in the room, then I will offer to transfer the call. Emily

Holland is a great area to live in (personally, I much preferred living on the west side of the state). Holland has a smaller hospital, but you are fairly close to Grand Rapids which has several larger hospitals. I'm not sure of the job situation there. Emily

You can still carry flushes around???? Since the beginning of the year we haven't been able to carry extra flushes, you can have one in your hand if you are going somewhere to use it. Apparently they are considered medication and have to be kept locked up. Emily

We are going the opposite way, in the last few years they have been phasing out LPNs at our facility and going to primary nursing. In Sept we going to a new staffing model of 1:5 for RNs and 1:12 for techs/aides (we currently don't have techs/aides on the floor, so this will be new). There are only a few of the nurses who will voluntarily still do team nursing, which we sometimes have to do. I will do it depending on who the LPN is. Most of them are great and I can trust that they will do what they say they are going to do and they very rarely have to be delegated to becuase they know their role/job well. I don't really have a preference for which - as long as I have a good LPN. Emily

I worked as an extern before my last year of school. The program I worked at was great - it was 12 weeks long. For 9 of the weeks you followed your RN for 2 days and on the 3rd day you got to go to a specialty area (OR, ICU, Cardiology, ER, Gamma Knife, Invasive Imaging, OB, etc) to give you chance to see different areas. My preceptor was GREAT, I learned so much that summer. I started IVs, put down NGs, etc. It did help me get a job when I graduated, I was still an employee of the hospital and the manager had me fill an empty position. I didn't even have to interview for it. Emily

Ours is overtime, requests, on call, turns. We have been getting HR'd frequently lately (that will change greatly as just had a voluntary seperation and lots of nurses left) and full time/part time doesn't come into play. I'm part time and I was hired to work 24 hours a week just like full time was hired to work 36 hours a week. Probably depends on how you were hired in/contract reads. Emily