k-flo

Why is pt edematous? Low albumin? Maybe pt needs albumin infusion. If renal function is not impaired, maybe pt can receive normal saline along with lasix.

We had a pt come in for cc of "I need to sign up for food stamps and Medicaid" Also a pt with possible genital herpes for 7 months. Really? Ever heard of a clinic?

I'm sorry but that is not "a huge mistake"

Is there such thing as claiming safe harbor in your state?

When I worked as a PCT on the floor I didn't need one at all but the techs at the ER I work at have one because they have to do a lot of manual BPs on trauma pts, but some get away without having one.

I only had 4 SATA and I passed...

The only thing I can say it's stop trying so hard, just makes things awkward. Just mind your own business, use your free time to learn more things. Whatever relationship evolves just let it happen naturally.

If the pt is reporting anxiety in addition to hearing voices, haldol and Ativan should be given together. Ativan is for anxiety and haldol is an antipsychotic, the pt will probably fall asleep but the haldol will help them wake up with a clear mind.

I would take the ICU job, critical care experience is a huge plus to getting hired in the ER. Good luck!

I live here in San Antonio, I don't think I would want to live anywhere else. I wish the weather wasn't so hot but I manage cause I love it here.

If you're that concerned why not just wait after you get a job? I have a coworker with the same haircut you described who got hired where I work so it may or may not be a problem but just play it safe for now.

I once had a floor nurse report me to my charge nurse in the ED because I sent a patient up who's colostomy bag was full and an ordered foley was not done. Granted I did not know the bag was full and I communicated in report that the pt needed the foley. I felt terrible, but what that nurse did not know is that I got a pt next door by EMS who was a stroke alert who had an attitude that made it difficult for us to assess him. Shortly after, I get another EMS pt in respiratory distress. We had 3 nurses and 1 tech for 12 pts, that day we were busy with nothing but truly sick pts one after the other, they just kept on coming. In my neck of the woods diversion is only a courtesy, EMS can always choose to override our request and bring the pt anyway, which sure does happen a lot. I'm sorry you got inconvenienced at shift change, but for us in the ER, the pts keep coming whether it's shift change or not, getting a combative pt that needs to be restrained at 1859 does happen, we can't tell them to wait till we're done with shift change. Same with chest painers, traumatic arrests, etc...

One last one: For the love of God please just please stop acting like a huge va jay jay... You made a conscious decision to go bull riding like a "tough macho man" now take that shoulder dislocation like the man you pretend to be, I already gave you enough dilaudid for now. Why is it that the guys with the most tattoos and the bigger muscles are the worst cry babies?? I'm not saying all but generally. I always just want to tell them to man the eff up!

To the young, walkie-talkie pt: No, I definitely will NOT arrange transportation for you, you can walk over to the bus stop or use the free phone in the waiting room to call a friend. To the pt with anxiety: You walked the 10 mins it takes from the parking garage here and now you suddenly need a wheelchair? It is NOT my fault you don't have insurance, nor is it the hospital's or anyone's fault. You will never be able to get out of the homeless shelter if you don't start taking some ownership. You don't have any injuries or broken bones, I will not give you an excuse for a month off from work, you're lucky to get a week. To the person who keeps asking me how much longer: If you would stop interrupting me maybe I can get your DC papers soon.

I stumbled up on this old thread and just wanted to say 6 months of working in the ER and it has been the best experience of my life! I only had to work a whooping ONE night shift and then officially switched to days. My orientation period was amazing, so many supportive people! I've been on my own for 2 weeks now and I feel great. Love my job, thanks everyone for your replies and advice. :)

I took it today too. 2 hours and I'm guessing 80 questions because I got to 75 and it just gave me a few more questions after that. Although it was a pretty tough test I felt good when I finished. I just got the good pop-up and I am pretty confident I passed couldn't be more relieved right now.

Thank you for reading my post I seriously cannot stop thinking about this and I need to vent, my husband is not in healthcare and he's the only one I've talked to but I feel that he doesn't realize how upsetting this is for me. Today I worked a 12 hr shift as a CNA and tomorrow I'm back for another one. We have a new guy orienting on our floor and tomorrow the director decided to assign him to orient with a CNA who has been working there for 3 weeks! I have been working there for a year and 1 month, PRN but I've been working 3 shifts a week since April 'cause I am done with class. I feel pretty bad about this, I consider myself a good CNA, I'm always there for my nurses, unlike other CNAs, I try to never say no, I always get my vitals done on time, I round hourly, I just don't know why I'm being dissed like this. This person has been our director since March and I feel like she doesn't even know me. She knows the new CNA who she assigned to be a preceptor because she hired her. How can I approach my director and address this? It is something I'm taking personally and I want to know what it is that I am doing wrong for her to decide to pick a preceptor who is pretty new herself over me who has 1 year of experience. I've never called in, never been late, not a single write up, and no complaints from anybody (that I am aware of). The only thing I can think of that might have placed me on a negative light with her is that I told her I would be leaving when I pass the NCLEX to another hospital system to work as a nurse. She has been telling me to stay every chance she gets and I always tell her I will think about it. But at this point this situation makes me want to run far away from this place. I never promised anyone I would work there as a nurse upon graduation so if anything, she should appreciate my honesty since I am giving her 2 months notice.

I had a patient with hepatic encephalopathy tell me to get all my children under control pointing to an empty corner and she also said "look at all the little kittens" while pointing to the floor. First experience with hallucinations, my face was like this lol

I'd say go to the interview and see where it goes from there. Sounds like you are leaning more towards ER from what I read on your post, you can always transfer later to another floor if you don't like it, since you'll already be within the hospital system. I'd say ED would be a great advantage for a new grad because it will help you develop your prioritization and critical thinking skills, you will become familiar with a lot of meds, you will see a variety of conditions. Maybe I'm a little biased towards ED :) If you decline the offer as a dialysis nurse, wait till you have a formal offer for the ED and just call the dialysis nurse job and tell them that with regret you are going to have to decline the job because a better offer came along unexpectedly. Good luck to whatever you choose.

What to do in preparation? um lets see... sleep A LOT, spend lots of time with family and friends, enjoy the summer!

I think you should meet with your instructor and let her know what's going on. Maybe he/she can offer some advice and help you work out a plan. After all, they write the test they know best where the questions are coming from. Just my two cents :) good luck!

This sounds very familiar. My friend works at a hospital here in San Antonio who is going through the exact same thing right now. Hang in there and I hope you get a job soon! :)

Thank you! how about interpreting EKGs? I feel like nursing school did not do a very good job in that area, do you know where I can find some help with that?

Just wanted to say I got the job! Any advice for a new grad in the ED?

I found that sometimes it is very hard to please all the nurses, especially since on my floor sometimes I can be assigned to 4 nurses (we split the floor half and half). When I first started working it was hard to say no because I wanted to please everyone, one nurse would say "can you help so and so go to the bathroom" then seconds later a nurse wanted me to wheel someone down for discharge, and as i'm walking to do one of those things, a nurse peeks her head out of a room and says "can you come help me real quick?" When you start working you'll realize "real quick" is not actually quick. So as you finish doing that, inevitably one of the nurses will say "did you help that pt to the bathroom?" and they will get frustrated if you didn't do it. So I realized I can't please everyone and communication is important, you need to let your nurse know whats going on. If you can't get to something right away, be honest about it, don't just say yes because you want to be nice 'cause it can come bite you in the butt later. Like the post above me said, just do your job and get along with everyone, and communicate. It sounds cliche but it really is all about teamwork.