divaRN*

When talking to the anesthesiologist before I had surgery (he did not know I was a nurse) he asked "any questions?". I said "Yes. Do you plan on using an ETT or LMA?" He stared at me shocked then responded, "That is a good question but before I answer I have a question for you, what do you do for work?". hehehe

what is the reasoning behind not being allowed to push propofol but you can push paralytics and other anesthetics?

What and when do you eat on a 12 hr night shift? I try to be good and eat small healthy meals frequently while at work but then i go home and eat everything in sight. I feel hungry and cant stop eating. this only happens after night shift for me. anyone else experience this? any suggestions?

We use IV tylenol at my hospital. However it is not the PO liquid drawn up in a syringe

When I work days (or any shift) I always eat before I go in. You can not count on always being able to take a break first thing. Also this is a huge pet peeve of mine. I used to work nights and a few day shifters would come in on time/ borderline late, punch in and then be MIA because they were on their "breakfast" break. Meanwhile I am waiting to give them report so I can go home! Eat before you come in or come in early enough and eat before your shift. Rant over. Sorry :)

with IOs it is the infusion of fluid/ medication that hurts. not the actual drilling part. that is why lidocaine is pushed prior to using the line in conscious patients. i have hit bone with IM injection before and my patient didnt notice. i think it is worse on the RN than the patient!

I have the same problem. Tried using a regular clip and my badge only half flipped so it was sticking out awkwardly. I have to get into locked rooms to so a reel is more convenient but still flips! I have tried everything from reversing the badge and hanging my nursing pin on it for counterbalance nothing works. Mine is also always on the wrong side and im constantly getting asked who I am, my name etc. However one of the facilities I work at has an additional badge that reads RN in big letters. It hangs behind the picture one, is longer and double sided so at least when my badge is backwards you can still see the RN.

definitely not a fan! once my vocera called someone's phone and all they heard was my patient screaming all sorts of profanities at 2am. oops. and when i actually need someone it takes me just as long to get the thing to work as it would take me to physically find someone.

this is one of my biggest pet peeves! we work hard and do not deserve to be treated like that by someone who knows better. i will ask them why they are acting inappropriately (sometimes this is enough, sometimes there is something bothering them and they will talk to me about it), ask them if they would like it if someone was treating them this way, warn them that i will call security, tell them this behavior will not be tolerated, if they are refusing treatment/ threatening to leave if i don't do "xyz" i will tell them they are not being held against their will and offer to call the MD so they can sign out AMA (calling them on their bluff works everytime, if they let me get as far as calling MD the second MD shows up they agree to treatment). also setting boundaries works great too! just make sure you pass on to the new RN what the rules are. just be very firm, stick to what you say and they will realize the behavior is not tolerated.

At one of the hospitals I work at the charge nurse makes the assignment. At the other, everyone picks their assignment before our shift starts. While this is good if you want your pts back from the day before, it lets the lazy ones get the easy patients all the time. And if 2 RNs want the same pt it usually goes to whoever has more seniority. I like when the charge nurse makes the assignment, this is the fairest way because they take pt acuity into account. Now that does not mean it always works out.

Ambien :)

I drive 20 minutes to the hospital where i work part time and 40 minutes to the one where i work per diem. 40 minutes is pretty much my max after a long night at work all i want to do is go to bed! that long drive can be brutal.

When I worked med-surg I would bring my meds in the room with me. Do my assessment and then medicate. In ICU I have more time and I usually pop into the room to say "hi" and see what the pt might need me to bring back. Ill also grab a set of VS at this time. Then Ill go get my meds (or chart depending on when meds are due) and administer them. there is no right or wrong answer. It is what ever works best for you. But make sure you ALWAYS check a BP and HR or BS if giving cardiac meds, diuretics and insulin.

I told the MD about a low BP yesterday and I sat in their work area with the intern and resident debating different treatments (restart neo gtt or IVF bolus). The resident finally looks at me and says "well what do you want me to do?" I starred at him and he said "well idk what to do and you guys usually come in here telling us what you want ordered" hahaha.

legal nurse consultant? not sure what experience is needed.

Vocera, PCA keys, random meds that pts refused/ couldnt be given due to parameters (colace, tylenol, lasix, BP meds etc), NS flushes, empty vials of medication, telemetry strips, butterfly needles/ IV catheters (if i only bring one into the room i am guaranteed to miss!), random labels, of course a handful of alcohol wipes, more pens than i showed up with, pts eye drops.

I would still be a nurse just not work as many hours :)

a lot on policies and procedures, how to use hospital equipment (IV pumps, chest tube, hover mat etc).

they look like OR scrubs. If you are going to price a scrub top at $450 at least make it cute.

i have never seen one of those used and i could never wear one. as it is pens are always falling out of my pockets when i am doing care. nevermind if i had a whole pack of things strapped to me. i would spend more of my time picking things up off the floor (gross)

homework? no thanks

A house with that much space/ property in RI? I didnt think they were that inexpensive. I thought the cost of living was pretty average compared to the rest of the country. What city? And I am also surprised to hear of an offer for $60 to someone with 1 yr of experience.

I started when i was 22. I frequently get questioned by my patients and family members "are you in nursing school? when do you finish?" After I already introduced myself as their nurse. I tell them that I already graduated and they look shocked / surprised and say "you look so young!" and I respond "thats because I am" they usually laugh and thats the end of it. No one has ever complained about my age. Just a lot of questions :)

oh also having to go off the floor with your patient for a test and having to stay with them the entire time, meanwhile you are thinking of the 1000 things you could be doing on the floor instead of sitting in the MRI control room :) but it is also a nice mandatory break from the chaos of the floor

In nursing school your only focus is on assessing the patient, giving meds, performing interventions and charting. You also have a lot of time to get this done because you have 2 pts. As a nurse you are expected to do all of the above while calling doctors for orders/ waiting around near the phone for them to call back, having to call many different doctors because each of your pts has a different one (on med surg i would be super excited to find out if 2 of my pts had the same MD:) ), giving numerous updates to family and patient, putting orders into the computer, checking orders and scrambling to get a STAT order done that the MD forgot to tell you about , solving "domestic disputes" between patients (they dont always get along with their roomates), trying to start an IV on a patient with horrible veins that wont hold still, having a patient crash while you have meds due for your other patients, running around trying to find someone to help you give a boost (in nursing school your classmates were always available), also a lot of things are not done the same way as in school (remember when you were taught the "book" way and the "real" way?), NOT having to construct elaborate care plans for your patient :) (careplans are usually quickly jotted down in whatever free minute you have), running up and down the halls all night for bed alarms, telemetry alarms etc. oh man i could go on forever. overall real nursing is much different from student nursing but in a good way :)