flo136

Latest Activity

1. Where to go after the ICU?

   flo136 replied to MyTachyUsername's topic in Critical Care

   I have friends that hurt their back and were tired of the hard physical labour of adult ICU, and they went in neonatal ICU or paediatric ICU. Also a step 'back' in intensity is Recovery (post...

2. When does it stop being scary?

   flo136 replied to JustAnotherNursemaybe's topic in Critical Care

   I started in ICU, did the specialist ICU course after 6 months and 1 year's worth of consolidation afterwards. Crazy times! But after about 8-9 month mark, after getting the course under my belt, it...

3. CRRT: My Mistake

   flo136 replied to BC1441's topic in Critical Care

   I did something similar years ago learning CRRT but forgot to document the fluid off amounts. I felt like rubbish because they thought I was a 'good' ICU nurse. However, the nurse in charge told me...

4. "Patient Satisfaction" in the ICU

   flo136 replied to AlmostThere19's topic in Critical Care

   Certainly there are patients and families that can be 'challenging' with their requests but ICU is still an amazing speciality to work in. Every shift can be so different and exciting professionally....

5. Bouncing back after a bad shift

   flo136 replied to mph53953's topic in Critical Care

   We've all had shifts like that. I find as much as I dread returning to work, it really helps to find out what happened to the patient. And talk to a trusted friendly colleague, someone whose opinion...

6. I want to quit during SICU orientation

   flo136 replied to lynnburg's topic in MICU, SICU

   What

7. Things you wish nursing school would have taught you?

   flo136 replied to Clover19's topic in General Nursing

   I wish I had learnt more about managing agitated and confused patients. I always felt so useless managing them, so ineffective. Making time to sit down and talk with a patient and their family. I...

8. Night shift mentality: keep them alive until day team comes on

   flo136 replied to stacylethani's topic in General Nursing

   I'll be honest- the doctors on night duty lack much experience, let alone the guts to make big decisions. We often feel like we are just babysitting the patients until someone in charge with a clue...

9. Open visitation in the ICU

   flo136 replied to Mini2544's topic in Critical Care

   I love it when the visitors sit by the bedside for hours glued to their mobile phone. Or watch the whole unit work, not interested in their loved one in bed. Visitors- they drive you nuts! I've got my...

10. does anyone regret this career?

    flo136 replied to cantdoit's topic in General Nursing

    I don't regret it. There is so much variety, every day is different, and what we do is so important. But I am finding it harder, 20 years down the track. I love doing critical care but I find today's...

11. Burn ICU Question

    flo136 replied to NeuroNP's topic in Critical Care

    I worked in an Australian city public ICU that had a burns speciality for 3 years. A few random thoughts that entered my head when I read your note: The rooms are really hot, which is hard to work...

12. Why go into trauma/critical care nursing?

    flo136 replied to melissacarey's topic in Critical Care

    I agree with all the comments of life-threatening situations: fast-paced, exciting, etc. But also I like the nurse:patient ratio and also the support available when things go wrong. I have equipment,...

13. It will get better...right?

    flo136 replied to Lovelymo79's topic in CCU, Coronary, Cardiac

    Give it a good six months. I felt like I made so many errors when I started. The patient deteriorated, and it was all my fault? Of course not, but I could not see why. I was so tired and stressed, the...

14. Titrating multiple drips

    flo136 replied to Good Morning, Gil's topic in MICU, SICU

    I agree with the other posts about experience guiding inotrope titration. But also, with disease processes such as sepsis,or multi-organ failure, you will get a feel for how far to go up or down....

15. What have your co-workers done to make a shift go more smoothly?

    flo136 replied to xtxrn's topic in General Nursing

    Help each other out, without asking. Little things like turning pts, suction- all the two-hourly things we do. It's just done in time for breaks. And done well. Using each other rather than the...