applewhitern BSN, RN

ICU

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All Content by applewhitern

  1. applewhitern

    Septic from Venepunture

    applewhitern replied to skittlebear's topic in General Nursing

    Apparently, in my state, anyone can draw blood on an immunocompromised patient. When I would take my son to the cancer center for his chemo, his labs were always drawn by a lab tech, or an MA, even...
  2. applewhitern

    Septic from Venepunture

    applewhitern replied to skittlebear's topic in General Nursing

    I agree the problem here sounds like poor prep, or re-sticking with the same
  3. applewhitern

    Dobhoff Tube Insertion

    applewhitern replied to infirmiere77's topic in General Nursing

    A Dobhoff, or any type of weighted tube, placed by stylet, cannot be checked for placement via "air burp" method. It must be checked via Xray, then we would place the patient on their left side for...
  4. applewhitern

    Dobhoff Tube Insertion

    applewhitern replied to infirmiere77's topic in General Nursing

    Wow, that is strange. We (RN) inserted them all the time at every hospital I have worked at. If they keep taking away stuff the nurse used to do, pretty soon they won't need us at all! We used to...
  5. applewhitern

    Losing respect for nursing students

    applewhitern replied to kjnsweets's topic in General Nursing

    Yes, Roser13, I agree part of the problem might be instructors who have very little clinical experience. I have met quite a few of those. I never wanted to teach, or to go into management, because I...
  6. applewhitern

    Losing respect for nursing students

    applewhitern replied to kjnsweets's topic in General Nursing

    My post was quite a few comments ago, but what I meant by "sitting" was the students who are only there for a few hours, yet take up all the seats in the report room. We get report on all patients,...
  7. applewhitern

    Patient and Visitor Violence: What Do We Know? What Can We Do?

    applewhitern replied to NRSKarenRN's topic in Patient Safety Issues

    Yeah, we have very poor security, too. Actually, the last time a patient got violent with me, I got suspended from my job. Nothing happened to the patient. They had to "punish" me because of how it...
  8. applewhitern

    In trouble for giving good care

    applewhitern replied to rockingsr's topic in LPN, LVN Corner

    Cheer up, at least she didn't yell at you for giving poor care. And by all means, don't quit. If you ever find another job, do not burn bridges with this one. These blow-hard types are usually just...
  9. applewhitern

    Health assessment for telemetry unit

    applewhitern replied to Lev's topic in General Nursing

    We had a completely separate physical assessment class in our BSN program that focused on head-to-toe assessments, so that is usually how I do it. With experience, you will be able to do this...
  10. applewhitern

    How do you do double check insulin in an isolation room and scanning?

    applewhitern replied to tokmom's topic in General Nursing

    Same here. We only double-check the insulin type, and dosage, but not the patient. This is done in our med room. We discuss who it is for and what their blood sugar was at that time, but we don't...
  11. applewhitern

    Bedside report

    applewhitern replied to martymoose's topic in General Nursing

    Well, as soon as you wake the patient up, they will want to get up and go pee. Or want pain medication. Or something, anything to slow you down! Half of our patients are too confused to...
  12. applewhitern

    Anyone applying to Faulkner state for Fall '13?

    applewhitern replied to ~Melissa~'s topic in Alabama Nursing

    I have taken many classes at Faulkner, and also at the University of South Alabama and University of Mobile. Both of my kids went to Faulkner, too. I imagine most of my old professors have retired,...
  13. applewhitern

    Once a student, always a student? How do you keep up with the healthcare changes?

    applewhitern replied to Kimberlyace's topic in General Nursing

    I read a lot, especially anything to do with healthcare. There will always be new medications, new warnings, new this, new that. If there is anything really important, your facility will probably...
  14. applewhitern

    Conversation with my kids this morning

    applewhitern replied to JeanettePNP's topic in Job Search, Interview, Resume

    This reminds me of what I did yesterday..... when I was a child, I had a cedar "hope chest." Well, I still have it. Yesterday I got together some stuff I had been saving, and put them in the cedar...
  15. applewhitern

    Charting...what to say?

    applewhitern replied to chrisrn24's topic in General Nursing

    We use computer charting, but if I do write a note, I just write whatever I want to. Sometimes I will use "I" and nobody has ever said anything about it. If it isn't "I" then who is
  16. applewhitern

    Thoughts on new grad being made charge?

    applewhitern replied to mwc1230's topic in General Nursing

    I graduated, received a 5 day orientation, and was made charge nurse of a telemetry unit all in the same week. But that was in the 80's when there was a real shortage of registered nurses. I had...
  17. applewhitern

    Which is more stressful: med-surg or SCU?

    applewhitern replied to Nurse ABC's topic in General Nursing

    Which is more stressful? It really depends on your own particular job, every hospital environment seems to be different in respect to what services they provide, etc. I worked for several years in a...
  18. applewhitern

    Inability to make a decision..is this what depression and anxiety do?

    applewhitern replied to Marshall1's topic in Health, Stress Management

    Sometimes when you can't make a decision, you should just not make a decision at all. Stay where you are and finish that master's degree. Why subject yourself to even more anxiety by starting a new...
  19. applewhitern

    Should you become a nurse if....

    applewhitern replied to MaybeaNurse7's topic in LPN, LVN Corner

    I am an introvert, but I am a great nurse. I am also quite shy, but being a nurse is easy for me. I think it is because I know what I am doing, I don't have to make small-talk, unless I want to. I...
  20. applewhitern

    RN total patient care...

    applewhitern replied to julz68's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    You know what it is like when you go into a patient's room to do one thing, and end up taking them to potty, cleaning their bed, getting them some ice, etc.? Well, that is what primary nursing care...
  21. applewhitern

    RN total patient care...

    applewhitern replied to julz68's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    I have been an RN for 24 years now, and I have only worked at one hospital that even hired LPNs. The one I am at now does. In every ICU I worked at, we did total patient care, with no aides...
  22. applewhitern

    Got anything good to say?

    applewhitern replied to MaybeaNurse7's topic in LPN, LVN Corner

    Libran, you get an annual bonus? Wow. OK, what I like about my profession: I can basically work whatever shifts/hours I want to. Hmmmm, that's about
  23. applewhitern

    Losing respect for nursing students

    applewhitern replied to kjnsweets's topic in General Nursing

    We only have enough chairs in our report room for the nurses who actually work here. It amazes me when I come in and see students sitting, taking up every single chair, and not getting up and...
  24. applewhitern

    Saying no when work calls

    applewhitern replied to TerpGal02's topic in General Nursing

    Wow. Having done staffing, I must say it is rude to "simply not answer the phone" or "just say no" all the time. The person doing the scheduling has no idea who will be calling in sick each day....
  25. applewhitern

    Fake nursing/CNA licenses or what?

    applewhitern replied to Blackcat99's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Surely their license is checked prior to hire, along with their criminal background check, drug screen, etc. Here in my state, the nurses have to provide their new license to their employer every two...