katiep

Hi, we use this type of vacuum wound drain for short term drainage post operatively of hip and knee replacement wounds. the idea is that in order for the drain to be 'vacced', the chamber collecting the exudate, needs to be in a squeezed closed position and the lower of the 2 clamps closed( to the sealed collection bag) the first clamp (nearest to the patient ) remains open, exudate is then under a vacuum pressure drawn into the ball-like chamber and can be measured once in the collection bag. When the collection 'ball' is full or needs emptying, clamp off to the patient, open the lower clamp and squeezing the 'ball' empty the exudate into the bag. Close the lower clamp and release the upper one and away you go. Hope this is of some help

Welcome Lisa!! I really hope you enjoy your training, remember! a warped sense of humour should be a pre-requisite to nursing; well it can certainly help :chuckle Also, we are not obliged to like every one that we look after, but obliged to look after all those we don't. It's a real privelege to look after people, all the very best.

Hi, just a bit curious to enquire how the 'acuity' of your particular areas is measured/assessed? Where I work in the UK, we use a 'GRASP' Score to determine the dependancy score for each patient. Each aspect of care that the patient is likely to receive within a 24 hour period is added up, to give an overal score for that day, e.g. headings include admission for each patient, activities of daily living, giving of medication and which route used, observations, educating patients, need for wound dressing etc, measurement of drains, catheters, you get the idea, I am pretty sure that nothing really comes of them though. The whole total for each patient is logged alongside the number of hours for each member of staff, for each shift. How do other staff out there moniter their ratings please??

Hi, to answer your query on moving and handling equipment etc. hope this is of some help to you. The use of 'slide sheets' for patients to be moved up the bed,assisted to roll over in bed and so on are invaluable, one placed under the buttocks and remembering to place one under the heels too to avoid shearing; a good tip is to then place a bed sheet over the slide sheets, thus moving/sliding the patient holding the second sheet using a transference of weight, with correct stance and posture.The bed sheet can then be removed without disturbing the under sheet at all, which tends to happen else wise. For transferring patients out of bed that are non weight-bearing, a hoist such as the 'ARJO' maxi plus appropriate sized sling is advised; watch weight limitations for the slings though. Standing aids for those patients with the ability to weight bear can be used to transfer from say chair to wheelchair, etc. Other moving aids include 'slippy boards', 'banana boards' useful if your patient has to transfer from chair to wheelchair and they have good upper body strength, it helps promote their independance too. Sorry this has turned into a mini essay, anyhow hope it's of some use www.arjo.com is the only site I've come up with so far regards kath parry:coollook:

Hi,the highest number of admissions in 20 yrs of being an RGN was when I worked nights on a 28 bed dental/ophthalmic ward, back in 1994 ish. We had 10 admissions from A&E, ranging from acute asthma episodes, possible MI's, suspected CVA's - OD's. There were 3 of us on shift, only 2 trained, worse still, the bed manager, made us admit patients in between patient bed/locker spaces . . .!! We filled in an unsafe form/critical incident form in a.s.a.p and told the bm we weren't taking any more less we had more staff, we were already looking after post op max/fax & dental patients & now cardiac monitors were appearing too! We didn't get extra staff . it was grim .Surprise, surprise the ward got closed down soon after this until better staffing levels could be achieved take care Kath