Elenaster

Elenaster

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All Content by Elenaster

  1. PA catheter Quiz

    Elenaster replied to gwenith's topic in MICU, SICU

    I got 8/10 and feel pretty darn good about it. We actually don't see too many Swans in my neuro ICU. I agree, who the heck cares who invented it! Thanks for the quiz,

  2. Newsweek letter to editor

    Elenaster replied to CoffeeRTC's topic in General Nursing

    Pretty ill-informed resident, I must say. He's probably just an intern that has to do a good deal of scut work and is bitter because his upper levels treat the nurses better than him. He'll learn, it...

  3. ICU visiting hours

    Elenaster replied to NeuroICURN's topic in General Nursing

    I've worked in Neuro ICUs with both policies, and I have to say I far prefer scheduled visitation, with additional visitation at the nurse's discretion. The open visitation only works with strict...

  4. Speaking of pregnant nurses...

    Elenaster replied to stella123 rn's topic in General Nursing

    I had to push it because the pt's maintenence fluids had K+ in them. The techs can only push with NS. They usually have their own RN down there to do it, but it was late at night and she was gone....

  5. Speaking of pregnant nurses...

    Elenaster replied to stella123 rn's topic in General Nursing

    Nicu gal, I went in to push IV contrast between the two scans. They weren't actively shooting at the time, but the machine is always "on." Will you ask him if this was hazardous? I told the MRI people...

  6. Speaking of pregnant nurses...

    Elenaster replied to stella123 rn's topic in General Nursing

    I wish I could avoid taking care of the MRSA/VRE patients, but anymore we have so many in my ICU that it's nearly impossible to avoid. Especially since we don't know that many have MRSA until their...

  7. Ventriculostomy is a surgical procedure!

    Elenaster replied to Elenaster's topic in Neuro Intensive Care, ICU

    Thanks for the responses! It's been awhile since I posted that information, and since then the problem has improved somewhat. Neurosurgery still will place drains in "inoperable" patients and then...

  8. Ventriculostomy is a surgical procedure!

    Elenaster posted a topic in Neuro Intensive Care, ICU

    I will attempt not to rant and rave about this, but I just wanted to know if any of you have a similar situation in your units. Here's the situation: I work in an 11-bed Neurosurgical ICU at a level I...

  9. We love Jnette!

    Elenaster replied to ChicagolandRN's topic in General Nursing

    Me too, me too. Jnette's the best! Truly a wonderful

  10. 107.1!

    Elenaster replied to Tweety's topic in General Nursing

    I've seen a few greater than 106F, always in patients with head injuries that have the "hypothalamic storm," as well call it. They often shake, shudder, and appear to be seizing, as well as become...

  11. Bait and Switch

    Elenaster replied to barefootlady's topic in North Carolina Nursing

    18.00/hr with no benefits!!! Where in NC are you looking? That's a joke of quote for an RN with 20 years. I know that Forsyth Hospital in Winston-Salem pays 40 bucks/hr for their supplemental...

  12. ICU or stepdown?

    Elenaster replied to Gldngrl's topic in General Nursing

    Sounds like ICU all the way to me. Nipride gtt, CVP, a-line are all indicators, but the q1hr VS, q1hr UOP, and q4 assessments sounds like too much for a nurse with 3-4 patients. BTW- a nipride drip...

  13. New ICU Neuro Nurse

    Elenaster replied to RocknRN's topic in Neuro Intensive Care, ICU

    I actually have alot more patience with patients that are neurologically compromised than the ones that aren't and are just being extremely difficult (pulling off leads, removing themselves from the...

  14. ICP question

    Elenaster replied to pghfoxfan's topic in Neuro Intensive Care, ICU

    It's actually pretty high IMO. We treat ICP >20 if sustained for greater than 20 minutes. I've believe "normal" ICP in an upright person is Is your friend hypertensive? Has she had other...

  15. interview

    Elenaster replied to tcrn's topic in Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, CRNA

    I thought about this for awhile, and basically came up with the same thing as smiling. Since neo only works on alpha receptors, it's a more "heart friendly" way to keep the BP up and improve...

  16. Winston Salem

    Elenaster replied to szccdw's topic in North Carolina Nursing

    Keep in mind that Baptist is a huge hospital and working conditions will vary from unit to unit. The really good thing about Baptist is they have a year-long nurse internship, where new grads have...

  17. Size of hospitals ICU???

    Elenaster replied to RN2BUKY's topic in Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, CRNA

    RN2BUKY, I believe NCgirl is correct about the acuity of the unit being of greater importance than the size of the unit. Any of the adult ICUs at UK would certainly be adequate since it is a Level I...

  18. Interview

    Elenaster replied to dreamcr's topic in Neuro Intensive Care, ICU

    Why don't you try saying something like "I understand that the brain heals differently in different people, even if they have suffered the same type of injury. I'm very interested in learning about...

  19. Do redheads have more pain during labor in your opinion?

    Elenaster replied to becca.utns's topic in Ob/Gyn

    This redhead will add her $.02 as well.... I barely remember the pain of labor, and I made it to 8 cm with no meds. Now the pain after the c-section was INTENSE, but my epidural was gone and I had no...

  20. A Natural???

    Elenaster posted a topic in Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, CRNA

    Last week, I had to attend a code review that was mandatory for newer nurses in my unit. We have a big, fancy SIM lab, and even though it was on a dummy, I had a ball intubating him and running...

  21. KAplan Prep Review

    Elenaster replied to Trauma Tom's topic in Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, CRNA

    Thanks for the tip, Tom. I'm gearing up to take the GRE and have been researching some of the self-study books. I'm glad to know that the Kaplan method worked for you on the GRE and congrats on your...

  22. BSN sophomore standing for CRNA apps

    Elenaster replied to MJB's topic in Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, CRNA

    MJB- I can appreciate your ambition and your motivation to accomplish your long term goal rapidly, but why don't you try breaking your goals down into chapters or segments, where you can take pride in...

  23. Difference between the ICU's

    Elenaster replied to shirleyTX's topic in MICU, SICU

    I work in an enormous (>850 bed) teaching hospital and we have a total of 9 adult intensive care units that break down as follows: 2 MICU (medicine) - most of the types of patients listed above,...

  24. I took the Job!

    Elenaster replied to Yellow Rose RN's topic in MICU, SICU

    I totally agree, and I too went straight into critical care after graduating from nursing school. I don't regret it at all and I somehow doubt that going the "traditional" route of working M/S first...

  25. A Natural???

    Elenaster replied to Elenaster's topic in Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, CRNA

    Thank you all for your thoughtful replies. I think I'm going to have meditate on this for a while and decide what's best for myself and my family. In the meantime, I can at least prepare for and take...