suga_junkie BSN, RN

At the risk of being controversial, I think it should be like that. Vaccinations for the safety of the individual child and society at large, particularly immuno compromised people and children too you to be vaccinated yet, and blood transfusions for...

If you want to be an RN, I'd say go for it straight out. It's 3 years to do your RN or 18 months to do EN but then another 2 years full time at uni for an EN to RN conversion. Also trying to do full time uni, 4 week prac rotations and juggle a family...

You think the human body as nature intended is bizarre and horrendous? I think the logic of circumcising just "in case" the foreskin becomes too tight later is akin to deciding to remove a child's tonsils, appendix etc at birth just in case they caus...

This was posted before in another thread. It's really interesting. A brain dead child's body was kept artificially "alive"'for 20 years. Have a look at the autopsy photos of his brain. It is absolutely possible for a young, strong child's heart to ke...

Umm, no. I earned over $65000 AUD in my first year. Our pay goes by a level system too, so every year you go up a pay level for at least 9 years, then more if you become a clinical nurse etc. I also get extra pay, a qualification allowance, as I did ...

A manual BP would still be accurate wouldn't it? I would never trust the number off a machine for a BP that high. Anything over 180-ish systolic I'll double check with a manual

Australia is NOT short on new graduate nurses. There are many many local grads without jobs. It is also almost impossible to get a hospital job as an RN without doing a grad program. I'd suggest getting some experience, at least 2-3 years, before mov...

Paracetamol (acetaminophen) Heparin/ Enoxeparin Fentanyl Pregabalin Oxycodone Cephazolin/Timentin/Tazocin Also lots of antihypertensives, antiarrhythmics, Metformin and PPIs (patient's regular meds)

For our hip and knee replacements, catheters usually come out on the morning of day 2. The surgeons are usually are ok with them staying in a day or two longer if the patient is really immobile.

I don't see a problem with her praying if she does it during her allocated breaks. I know of several nurses who do this, they're certainly entitled to use their break time to discreetly pray for a few minutes. But she should definitely not leave the ...

What about a buzzy? I hear they're really good :) http://buzzy4shots.com/health-care/

Care to elaborate?

40-something y/o females, particularly those with psych issues. Some of them can be so whiny/demanding and also manipulative. Also 16-22ish y/o having minor (often orthopedic) surgery. You'd think they'd had open heart surgery without anaesthetic the...

Me personally, I am not for bigots! As a nurse, it really bothers me to think that some of the nurses out there are bigots by choice. All I can really say is, this may be best kept to yourself at the work place to prevent anyone realising what a judg...

I was like you. A little over a year into being an RN has really changed my point of view! As far as I'm concerned, venting to another nurse who understands makes it 100 times easier to go back into the patients rooms with a smile on my face and act ...

No, because it's part of NURSING, it's our job. I really don't get your point. Why do nurses have to be martyrs that should do everyone else's jobs as well as their own without a word of complaint? Let's get rid of housekeeping/kitchen staff/orderlie...

I'm pretty sure the vast majority of hospitals in Aus do not take new grads into ICU/ED. Most grad certs in critical care require at least one year of nursing experience first. As it should be, IMO.

The nursing market in Western Aust is also terrible at the moment. Many locals missed out on grad programs so international students have next to no hope in getting one. The hospitals must offer permanent residents jobs first. It is pretty much impos...

Are you aware that an Australian university is going to cost you upwards of $25000 PER YEAR as an international student?

So this is the second time you've failed nursing? Once in Canada, now in Australia?

It is extremely hard to get a grad program in Perth at the moment. Hundreds of Aussie grads have missed out and it is almost impossible to get a job in a hospital without one. Also, hospitals MUST take Australian citizens first for grad programs so e...

I'm not a NP but I have one in my neighbourhood with his own practice. We also have several GP clinics with NPs you can see rather than the GP. They can prescribe and refer. I've gotten antibiotics, contraception etc from them. Our hospital also has ...

I agree! To be quite honest, I'd prefer to do my own vitals, ECGs, fluid balances etc. We don't have respiratory techs either, we do all the resp stuff, plus showering, mobilising and toileting our own patients. This is all with 1 nurse for 5-6 pati...

Wow, way to make sweeping generalisations about a large and diverse group of people. Yes, I'm sure all new nurses think they know everything and act recklessly without consideration of the consequences. Here- I'll make my own sweeping generalisation...