brainkandy87

brainkandy87

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All Content by brainkandy87

  1. Organizing yourself in the ER?

    brainkandy87 replied to CAllen44's topic in Emergency

    Paper towels. They're an ER nurse's best friend.

  2. What is your ER's PCI med protocol?

    brainkandy87 replied to NeoPediRN's topic in Emergency

    Cath lab on site with the cath lab team in house from about 0600 - 1700 (maybe 1800 can't remember) and on call the rest of the night. They have to live within 30 minutes of the hospital. As far as...

  3. Protocol for pain management in ED

    brainkandy87 replied to sharifi9879's topic in Emergency

    Protocols for pain management is a tricky thing in the ER, in my opinion. You have so many diverse views on pain control from physicians, even in just one group of physicians at one ER. In my ER, for...

  4. transitioning from floor nurse to ER

    brainkandy87 replied to lawandaluxnurse's topic in Emergency

    If you're motivated enough to do it, you can do it. You have experience in a wide variety of areas, so that will definitely help. However, ER nursing is unlike any other type of nursing. You have to...

  5. What's in your pocket - ER Style

    brainkandy87 replied to Frizbeeboy's topic in Emergency

    Stethoscope around my neck. In my pockets... Trauma shears, pens, Sharpie, sticky notepad, alcohol swabs, syringe caps, 3 mL syringe (1-2), tape, and of course.. my

  6. NG tube in an intubated patient

    brainkandy87 replied to stephynic21's topic in Emergency

    Yeah, this is why I never even bother trying to aspirate gastric contents on an intubated pt. I've seen several difficult NG/OG insertions on intubated pts where gastric contents were aspirated from...

  7. Admitting an open chest pt

    brainkandy87 replied to volunteerpioneer's topic in CCU, Coronary, Cardiac

    This thread is so cool. I know ICU nursing is definitely not for me, as I like my ER patient care length of a couple hours and getting the codes in through the door, but oh how I'd love to see...

  8. EKG or Rhythm Strips

    brainkandy87 replied to Cardiomegaly's topic in CCU, Coronary, Cardiac

    Well, you never want to diagnose from telemetry alone. It's great to monitor for rhythm changes, but if you suspect a change (significant change, anyway), get a 12 lead. I wish our monitors could do...

  9. That kind of day where everything goes right

    brainkandy87 replied to libran1984's topic in Emergency

    Are you doing cocaine? Always good to have one of those "on"

  10. Benadryl and Inapsine

    brainkandy87 replied to brainkandy87's topic in Emergency

    Well, while I tend to order EKG's behind his back (he thinks it's a waste of an EKG), I think the TDP association with Inapsine is overblown (statistically), as there have been like, what? Nine...

  11. Helping the morale in the ER

    brainkandy87 replied to NeoPediRN's topic in Emergency

    Beer and tequila, after work. Banana bag before work. Ibuprofen and lots of laughing during

  12. Using haldol

    brainkandy87 replied to WildOne's topic in Patient Medications

    Another note: I've found Haldol IM to be more effective than IV. I know it sounds completely ridiculous, as the bioavailability of IV logically = better effects. Just my experience

  13. Using haldol

    brainkandy87 replied to WildOne's topic in Patient Medications

    Haldol is your friend. Medicating that man with AMS is not only making your night easier, you're increasing his safety by decreasing his risk of getting out of bed and injuring

  14. Nurse/Patient ratio in the ED?

    brainkandy87 replied to jlan79's topic in Emergency

    For these people that have 10:1 and 15:1 ratios.. did they tell you these ratios when you interviewed? I'm not sure I wouldn't stop the interview and say "not interested, thanks for your time" if I...

  15. Violent psych patients - how do you handle them in your ED?

    brainkandy87 replied to wildlaurel's topic in Emergency

    B.I.T.C.H. Therapy - Benadryl, Inapsine, Thorazine, Compazine,

  16. Maybe I just don't know...

    brainkandy87 replied to Kdids520's topic in Emergency

    As has been said, it certainly depends on the facility/department protocols. My ED is very liberal on protocols and what our docs will let us do. I toss in all sorts of orders for meds, labs, etc. I...

  17. Help! In over my head?

    brainkandy87 replied to docomo's topic in Emergency

    Well I hate to break it to you, but the onus to learn is on you and in the ER, you learn by watching, doing, and asking questions. You're only on your 10th day of orientation. That's not very long....

  18. Feeling broken and there's no way out...

    brainkandy87 replied to RNRichi's topic in Emergency

    That's a patient that any nurse, no matter how many years of experience and new RN's they've eaten, would've needed a hand with. If not with the actual patient, just help keeping an eye on his or her...

  19. JCAHO, how you annoy me.

    brainkandy87 posted a topic in Patient Safety Issues

    So, JCAHO is at my facility this week and, of course, we've been prepping out the wazoo for their arrival. I work in the ER, so there are a lot of department specific stuff for us, as there is for...

  20. Contaminated urine from a foley...

    brainkandy87 posted a topic in Dialysis, Renal, Urology

    So I wanted to get some opinions on this. I had a pt today come to the ER that we had to intubate. He presented with an indwelling cath that was placed at another hospital a few days prior. Pt had...

  21. ER VS ICU NURSING

    brainkandy87 replied to Johnny1414's topic in Emergency

    I'm starting to think "Johnny1414" is really someone else from these forums that got drunk and thought it would be funny to say absurd

  22. applied for nicu got a call for ER interview

    brainkandy87 replied to lawandaluxnurse's topic in Emergency

    That's the great thing about being a nurse: if you are tired of what you're doing, you can go be a different type of nurse. In the ER, you kinda have to be every kind of nurse. Sometimes a patient...

  23. Best advice/book recommendation for new ED nurse

    brainkandy87 replied to evansmum's topic in Emergency

    Well, this book is pretty much as essential as it gets. There's also an app version of it for 5.99 you can get on your phone. I'd also get these apps: Medscape (essential), Epocrates, and

  24. Verbal Abuse...I Gave What I Got...

    brainkandy87 replied to abundantjoy07's topic in Emergency

    I will sternly tell a patient to stop cussing if they are using the F word as much as they are using the word "and" or "the". If they begin to cuss AT me, I tell them they have two options: stop...

  25. JCAHO, how you annoy me.

    brainkandy87 replied to brainkandy87's topic in Patient Safety Issues

    Oh, yet another fun encounter with these people today... I am working in a typically high acuity set of rooms that includes our main trauma room. I've got two CP's, a vent, and an amnesia x 3 days...