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morphine ivp
Where. I work we start with toradol 30mg, zofran 4mg, a liter of NS, and Morphine 4mg q5m x 3 doses. I give the toradol, zofran, fluid, and 1 dose of morphine. Then send them off to CT. The morphine starts to work faster that the toradol and tends to relax the patient a little, enabling them to stay still for the CT . True kidney stones HURT! Many patients never require the additional doses of morphine, many do. We do not use Demerol in the hospital where I work. Once the CT confirms its a stone and able to pass, we make sure the patient is somewhat comfortable, has a ride home, give them a screen, a urology referral, some teaching, an Rx for ibuprofen 600mg, percocet 5/325mg 5-10 tabs, and zofran 4mg ODT. A true kidney stone is very painful, I have no problem giving narcotics when narcotics are needed.
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prn med help
From the information you providex, I would have given the prn ultram and passed on to the day nurse that you did so. It is up to that nurse to decide if they will give the scheduled ultram, hold the ultram and to document why. The patient requested a medication that they were ordered to be able to get q4h prn. From what you stated the order did not specify to hold prn med if within 2 hours of scheduled dose.
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IV's
Patients in the ED often tell me their IV hurts...hurts when they bend their arm, hurts when they touch it, hurts when they look at it. Usually they just hate IV's. If I cant find an actual problem with the line to indicate a need to change out the line I still always offer to start an IV elsewhere to see if it's more comfortable and then discontinue the IV. I am usually told "No! I hate being stuck I will deal with it". I let them know I will be more than happy to do it if they change their mind. Sometimes the patients pain isn't even related to the catheter, when they turn their wrist a certain way the tegaderm pulls on their skin or arm hair or other minor things. Regardless what I have experienced is that 9 times out of 10 the patient just wants to vent about the IV but doesn't want anything done about it-well except for their problem to go away so they can get the IV out and go home.
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Yearly Bonus Ripped Off?
25% is just the Federal tax. I pay state taxes as well, mine are 6% I believe. Maybe some states pay a higher state tax, not sure. Between Federal, State, Medicare and SSI, net pay could be close to 40% less than gross pay when it is all said and done.
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Pain assessments - gabapentin?????
Where I work, gabapentin administration also generates a pain assessment field and 1 hour re-assessment. So does 81mg of aspirin and Tylenol given for fever. We have been told if the medicine is not given for pain to put "0" in the pain scale field and then comment in the comment box "given for fever" or "ACS protocol". Many people are just skipping the pain assessment all together which is making the hospitals scores go down and making it look like we don't address pain.
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Got a letter today, asking me to join hospital union - join or not join?
When I was hired at a union facility there was no option to not join. Being in the union was a requirement. Unions have many great advantages but also some disadvantages. I have been passed up for a promotion because someone with more seniority bid on the same job as me, even though I was better qualified. I do think it is good that they gave her a chance even though it didn't work out for me. The good outweigh the bad in my opinion.
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Ideas for improving flow...
I just meant that every cardiac arrest doesn't go to the cath lab, at least not where I work.
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Ideas for improving flow...
What do you mean cpr in progress has to go to the cath lab?
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What's in your pockets?
Trauma sheers and a pen. Everything else I could need is readily available in the ED.
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Is it OK to say no to a nurse?
It is never ok. Its just my opinion.
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Is it OK to say no to a nurse?
You should not feel bad for saying no ever as long as you are polite and have a valid reason. If appropriate I would tell the nurse you are in the middle of cleaning up another patient and will be done in xx minutes. I think she was rude regardless but maybe she thought you were taking vitals or do something you could easily walk away from? Maybe she too had been busy 5 minutes earlier and sat down thinking you had gotten to it? Thats probably not the case but everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt at least once.
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Annnnnd it happened anyways...
I was induced at 39 weeks with my 2nd child. (cervidil no pitocin) There were no complications, I had the baby without pain meds in less than 5 minutes of pushing. Sounds like she wouldn't want a medical induction anyway but I just wanted to say not all go bad or are more difficult.
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Items a new nurse needs 1st day of work!!!
The hospital where I work does not allow staff to use their own O2 sat because it would mot be calibrated and its accuracy can't be determined. Definitely do not waste your money, they aren't cheap either! Congrats on the job.
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Pain Management in the ER
That is certainly not the case everywhere. I feel like we over treat pain. Sometimes it seems like everyone except migraine sufferers get morphine or dilaudid.
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Nail and skin care
We are not allowed to use lotion from home where I work, the hospital provides fragrant free lotion made by the same company as the sanitizer. According to infection control, we cant use our own lotion because it could interact with the hand sanitizer and break down the gloves. I dont know if that is true but the hospital lotion does work well plus the hand soap and sanitizer have emollients in it to prevent dry hands. I find using warm water instead of hot helps prevent dry hands the most though.