Darkfield

Darkfield has 4 years experience.

Latest Activity

1. Death- your experiences

   Darkfield posted a topic in General Nursing

   I'm taking an informal survey here. I work in critical care and I see quite a lot of death. My attitude towards death has become quite callous - when someone is sick, they should be a DNR, and when...

2. Death and Dying in the ICU

   Darkfield replied to nikkicoliCCRN's topic in MICU, SICU

   I work in the northeast. I think our attendings are very good about addressing code status with the families when it starts looking bad or when the pt is very elderly or has a poor quality of life. If...

3. Nurse burnout/Moral distress/Compassion fatigue

   Darkfield replied to Lee238's topic in General Nursing

   Not all places are that terrible! You might feel bad for leaving, but if it is for your own sanity, do it. Go somewhere else, and switch to days. Having no circadian rhythm is a killer. I know what...

4. Ever seen a pt live after 5 chest tubes?

   Darkfield replied to Darkfield's topic in MICU, SICU

   He went for a trach and came back with a 6th pleuravac, draining the pericardium and two jp's, draining the puss around his treachea instead. Then I was off for a few days. There is a happy thank-you...

5. Chlorhexidine Baths

   Darkfield replied to ckh23's topic in MICU, SICU

   We started using them after evidence showed that MRSA is found (not on those stupid yellow gowns) most often in the basins. My friend counters that by getting a new bath basin each time she bathes...

6. "Stupid" questions and working as new RN

   Darkfield replied to lillystarrn's topic in General Nursing

   I've been a nurse for about four years and I find myself making a lot of little mistakes, but you learn. I do stupid things, but I never do stupid things more than once. If you break a rule, think...

7. How do you measure temperatures?

   Darkfield replied to EMSnut45's topic in MICU, SICU

   monotherm foley caths. Unless you've got a freak ICU pt that doesn't need a foley (that happens) or someone with a 3way, it's the way to

8. Ever seen a pt live after 5 chest tubes?

   Darkfield posted a topic in MICU, SICU

   Had a guy who aspirated his own vomit when he was drunk, ended up with empyema, loculated fluid collection, all out white out left lung. Five chest tubes. He was in the OR for a trach when I came on...

9. Name the nurse to patient ratio and the hospital in NY!

   Darkfield replied to JennyBSN's topic in General Nursing

   exact same at my place a little further upstate. 7 max at night on med surg and it only goes down. I worked days with a 5-6 max and it was unbelievably busy and sometimes unsafe. Would never take more...

10. Is it possible to titrate paralytics?

    Darkfield replied to Diprivan/Vented's topic in Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, CRNA

    I'm guessing the original poster doesn't actually know what a paralytic is-it is completely inappropriate to suggest for a post-extubation pt. The fact that the nurse in question's response to...

11. Dopamine infused by infusion pumps

    Darkfield replied to laurentm38's topic in MICU, SICU

    Just have to reply to this as well; the pressor you use has a lot to do with why you are using the pressor. If the pt is septic, for example, you'll want levophed because it constricts the periphery...

12. Dopamine infused by infusion pumps

    Darkfield replied to laurentm38's topic in MICU, SICU

    I can't imagine ever ever running a drip like this on my old med surg floor. I may have had insulin twice and a lasix drip; otherwise the only thing resembling a drip was a pca. And why would a line...

13. feels like a real icu today

    Darkfield posted a topic in MICU, SICU

    I just want to say I had the ultimate patient last night. Sometimes I feel like a terrible person because I like it when people are really sick, but I don't actually want them to be sick, right? But...

14. How about your favorite Old Wives Tales related to health?

    Darkfield replied to NurseyTonyaLPN's topic in Nursing Humor

    I know a lot of Europeans that wear scarves around their necks when they have colds...I saw a German girl do it in India, and it was about 85 degrees

15. Sedation..Your thoughts?

    Darkfield replied to Da_Milk_of_Amnesia's topic in MICU, SICU

    That is not a ton of propofol. Are you sure you're not talking about mg instead of mcg? Most people I've met can stay awake on 15 mcg/kg/min. In answer to the original question, if the pt was...