applewhitern BSN, RN

ICU

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All Content by applewhitern

  1. applewhitern

    Like my job but the building is making me sick!

    applewhitern replied to Cougar1113's topic in General Nursing

    Yeah, I have that problem, too. With me, it is mostly the cigarette smell that lingers on the smoker's hair and clothes. I come into the report room, and immediately start coughing and my eyes...
  2. applewhitern

    Doctor vs Nurse

    applewhitern replied to anne919's topic in Patient Safety Issues

    I agree with Emily that it sounds like you are diagnosing patients. You can document an assessment of your findings, and what you did about any abnormal findings, but you cannot diagnose the
  3. applewhitern

    I am struggling with patient families lately.

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

    I get sick of the family members, too. The boyfriend/girlfriend thing gets out of hand, too, cause it seems like they are always piled up in the patient's bed with them, and act ticked when you come...
  4. applewhitern

    Facebook dilemma

    applewhitern replied to calliesue's topic in General Nursing

    I have but a tiny number of facebook "friends," and I NEVER talk about work. Our administration regularly checks their employees facebook accounts (yes, they do!) and you will be fired if you talk...
  5. applewhitern

    ACLS class as a student? good or pointless?

    applewhitern replied to procrastinator911's topic in Job Search, Interview, Resume

    I don't understand why anyone would say "you don't really need it." I have worked at hospitals where each floor handles their own codes. You can have a code anywhere; you don't have them just in the...
  6. applewhitern

    MD's hand writing

    applewhitern replied to Leonardo Del Toro's topic in Patient Safety Issues

    The point is that you shouldn't have to call the MD to clarify a handwritten order, and you certainly shouldn't have to rely on someone else to decipher it for you. Since our docs put orders in on...
  7. applewhitern

    Misdirected aggression

    applewhitern replied to malenurseFl's topic in General Nursing

    I guess it depends on "who" you're telling. I come from a family of doctors and engineers, so they all feel sorry for me. Most of my friends are other nurses or teachers, or some other type of...
  8. applewhitern

    what did you get for Christmas from your employer?

    applewhitern replied to AlphaPig's topic in General Nursing

    Absolutely nothing. We did have an employee lunch, but it was a "bring your own dish"
  9. applewhitern

    The math doesn't add up

    applewhitern replied to noyesno's topic in General Nursing

    Monkeybug, I am not kidding here, but we once had a new mother who wanted to name her baby girl "lady parts." She said she heard someone saying the name while she was in labor, and just fell in love...
  10. applewhitern

    Forced wearing of nursing cap.

    applewhitern replied to onetiredstudent's topic in General Students

    When I was in high-school, girls could not wear slacks to school. Females wore only skirts or dresses, no pants or jeans, period. The male students wore pants and jeans, of course. I found that to...
  11. applewhitern

    Is it OK to give baking soda and water to LTC patient without a doctor order?

    applewhitern replied to Blackcat99's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Cienurse, I had to learn all that stuff, too, but I went to RN school in the 80's. I still see grains ordered occassionally,
  12. applewhitern

    What's your patient load?

    applewhitern replied to germsjackson's topic in Emergency

    Our standard med-surg load is 1:8. ICU is 1:3. Really tho, it is rare for us to have that many; they make every effort to staff us well. I have no idea what it is like in any other departments, as...
  13. applewhitern

    Black - The New White For Nurses?

    applewhitern replied to JerseyBSN's topic in Scrubs, Uniforms, Gear

    I personally think a solid primary color looks much more professional, like hunter, burgundy, navy. The least professional, in my opinion, is cartoon character scrubs. When I worked Pediatric ICU,...
  14. applewhitern

    Black - The New White For Nurses?

    applewhitern replied to JerseyBSN's topic in Scrubs, Uniforms, Gear

    BlueDevil, I do have a totally white cat! I was just thinking how I would look with white cat hair all over my black scrubs when I read your
  15. applewhitern

    To Swab or Not to Swab......

    applewhitern replied to Testa Rosa, RN's topic in Patient Medications

    I was taught to swab, as they aren't considered sterile. I always swab! It takes so little time to insure the patient's
  16. applewhitern

    Do you work at Hilton?

    applewhitern replied to Brian's topic in General Nursing

    Some people simply will not have anything good to say about someone else, period. It is just their personality. Our hospital is spotless; we have a great housekeeping department and it shows! The...
  17. applewhitern

    MD orders via computer

    applewhitern replied to gracedRN's topic in Patient Safety Issues

    I have been doing computer charting for about 9 years now. I love it. I no longer get writer's cramp in my old fingers. The docs put their orders in, and it really is much easier than trying to...
  18. applewhitern

    Patient sitter?

    applewhitern replied to aachavez's topic in General Nursing

    I haven't seen sitters in many years. Nowadays, the family has to hire and pay for a sitter themselves. And yes, the ones we do occassionally have do nothing but "sit." Apparently the families tell...
  19. applewhitern

    What are the nurse's rights regarding difficult family members?

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

    I can tell you that if I called the police on someone at the hospital where I work, I would be immediately terminated. Clock out, don't come back. The last time a patient threatened me, I was put on...
  20. applewhitern

    Washington state to make Medical Assistants work under RN license?

    applewhitern replied to Psychtrish39's topic in General Nursing

    We have MA's that work as nursing assistants at our hospital. They only take vitals, and do general patient care, such as clean-up, baths, etc. They do not give any meds whatsoever! After working...
  21. applewhitern

    Why is it okay for Doctors to yell at Nurses?

    applewhitern replied to GlowBear500's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    I have been an RN for a long time now, and I do remember when doctors would throw charts and raise their voices at the staff. I have worked with some who made it their goal in life to see just how...
  22. applewhitern

    When patients discharge... transportation

    applewhitern replied to BonnieSc's topic in General Nursing

    Our patients stay in their rooms until someone arrives to pick them up. We escort them to their vehicle. This has been the case everywhere I have worked. The point is to avoid a lawsuit if a...
  23. applewhitern

    Is it OK to give baking soda and water to LTC patient without a doctor order?

    applewhitern replied to Blackcat99's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Yes, I think you would need an order, and don't be surprised if the doctor does not give you one. I assume the patient wants this for heartburn. Baking soda with water is very good at relieving...
  24. applewhitern

    Assessments every shift?

    applewhitern replied to Ntheboat2's topic in General Nursing

    Right now I work in med-surg. After being an RN for 23 years, I can do an assessment pretty quickly. I always look at my patients at the beginning of my shift; if I don't know what they looked like...
  25. applewhitern

    nursing retirement

    applewhitern replied to kristen312's topic in General Nursing

    I agree with Esme that if you become ill, you are just "out of luck." I had to "cash in" all my retirement plans to pay for my son's astronomical medical bills. He was found to have stage 4 cancer...