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Double-Helix BSN, RN

PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU
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Double-Helix has 9 years experience as a BSN, RN and specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

Double-Helix's Latest Activity

  1. Double-Helix

    Love school nursing, but can't pay my bills.

    Double-Helix replied to jupitercrash's topic in School

    You’re working 4 hours per day M-F, right? Why can’t you pick up an evening or weekend job that will allow you to earn more while continuing school nursing? I‘m sure there are LTCs and skilled facilities looking for staff for those hours.
  2. Double-Helix

    Nurse Gives Lethal Dose of Vecuronium Instead of Versed

    Double-Helix replied to Nurse Beth's topic in Nurses

    Perhaps the timing. If the patient requested an anxiolytic immediately before the scan was going to start, the medication ordered would need to have a short onset. PET scans involve injection of a radioisotope about 1 hour prior to the scan and imaging should not be delayed too far beyond that one hour mark or imaging becomes suboptimal. It would take an additional 30 minutes or so for an oral medication to become effective.
  3. Double-Helix

    Nurse Gives Lethal Dose of Vecuronium Instead of Versed

    Double-Helix replied to Nurse Beth's topic in Nurses

    The article says that the nurse couldn't find "Versed" (brand name) in the Pyxis. So she tried to search for it using "VE" (again, implies she was looking for the brand name. My assumption is that the nurse didn't realize that the medication would be profiled under the generic name, "midazolam."
  4. Double-Helix

    Grading system

    Double-Helix replied to teetee1023's topic in Student Assist

    Yes. It's very common in nursing schools. The average of your test scores must be above X%. Other assignments like projects and papers are only factored into your grade if your test scores are adequate. This is because your ability to answer test questions is most definitive of your understanding of the content. Homework can be done with partners, using books or online resources so it doesn't prove that you really have a grasp of the material. If you can't pass the tests with the minimum amount of knowledge required, than the extra assignments should not be used to raise your grade over the passing mark. Of course, some people are poor test takers. Unfortunately successfully becoming a nurse is based on the ability to answer test questions, so programs try to identify this weakness early on.
  5. Double-Helix

    Are my hours being cut?

    Double-Helix replied to alieu4's topic in Students

    PRN means "as needed" and it sounds like you're not needed so frequently due to the availability of others with similar skills who probably are full or part time. Your decrease in hours may be temporary or long term- that's the nature of per diem work. Time to start looking for another PRN position to supplement your income.
  6. Double-Helix

    Topic help

    Double-Helix replied to Ashleymarie1320's topic in Student Assist

    Pretty fancy term, huh? A phenomenon is simply the concept or topic. "Of interest" means that you are interested in it. I agree with Ruby Jane that your instructor may be able to provide more guidance toward specific topics. Or better yet, come up with a few nursing-related topics that interest you and ask him/her if those are acceptable.
  7. Double-Helix

    Tube feedings: To pause or not to pause?

    Double-Helix replied to melisach19's topic in Student Assist

    But how did this thread progress two years ago without someone pointing out to the OP that "parenteral nutrition" is given intravenously?
  8. Double-Helix

    Nurses who fail pre employment and employment drug test

    Double-Helix replied to JustANormalGirl's topic in HIPAA

    This is rather confusing to me. The lab and the employer will obtain a HIPAA waiver for results that are not protected by HIPAA? Then why is the waiver required?
  9. Double-Helix

    To appeal, or not to appeal. Desperately seeking advice!!

    Double-Helix replied to Sunnyday1234's topic in Student Assist

    The student handbook says an average at or below 74.49 will not be rounded up. It doesn't say that 74.5-74.99 will be rounded up. The handbook doesn't address this situation all. You can certainly inquire to the Dean and ask for policy clarification, but there is still a very good chance they will tell you that rounding graded between 74.49-74.99 is at the discretion of the instructor. I'm glad you take ownership for your ooor performance. I suggest you make a concrete plan regarding improving your study habits so you don't end up in this situation again. Best of luck.
  10. Double-Helix

    New grad pediatric interview questions

    Double-Helix replied to Sunshine54327's topic in Pediatric

    Why Peds? Only you can answer that. What draws you to pediatric nursing? Use this forum as a practice interview. Tell us what YOU think. How would YOU answer those questions? We can help you with phrasing or help adjust your responses, but if you go into that interview with scripted responses from other nurses, what happens when you're asked a question you haven't thought of in advance?
  11. Double-Helix

    OR vs Post Surgical - Which would you pick

    Double-Helix replied to 2018nursewi's topic in Career

    Is there any way you could shadow in each role for a day and see what you like best? OR circulating is not for everyone, but some love it. PACU nursing will vary depending on the type of surgical facility. An inpatient PACU that recovers ICU level and pediatric patients will likely be more intense than one that recovers primarily elective, simple surgical adults. There is something to be said for no weekends and holidays, but that also depends on your current lifestyle and living situation. If you have children or are planning a family in the near future, for example, there are many benefits to M-F. If your ultimate goal is to travel through nursing assignments, experience in a widely-applicable speciality like PACU May give you more options. It's all relative. I'd start by asking to shadow and see what work environment feels like it's a better fit for you.
  12. Double-Helix

    Safe Harbor and a Pedi/ICU harbor

    Double-Helix replied to RECOVERYPACU's topic in Safety

    I agree that this patient, excepting the postpartum status, was an adult trauma patient. This entire situation likely could have been avoided by some open dialogue and by having a postpartum nurse come to the PACU to assist with monitoring for the immediate postpartum complications.
  13. Double-Helix

    What are my chances? :/

    Double-Helix replied to Teachertorn's topic in Students

    These are question you need to direct to your program of interest. How they calculate GOA, what credits will transfer, and how recent your previous courses need to be are all dependent on the individual program. You may find that you are not competitive enough for NYU, but there are many other nursing programs in your area that you may qualify for. You'll just need to do some research.
  14. Double-Helix

    Robots, automation, and A.I. tech to replace nurses?

    Double-Helix replied to DannyBoy8's topic in Nurses

    I'm intrigued, but not threatened. There are many less conplex and more profitable medical professions to automate than nursing. Nurses use far more critical thinking, nursing judgement and therapeutic communication to guide our care than most non-nurses realize. Why my patient gets picked up from the unit by a robotic anesthesiologist that takes the patient for a robotic surgery performed without supervision (and indeed one day they may), I'll start to worry about my job. I think this quote from your last article link said it best about robots and the nursing profession: "This is one industry where it seems the integration of robots will lead to collaboration, not replacement."
  15. Double-Helix

    Being an advocate

    Double-Helix replied to tonicole's topic in Nurses

    This is not a battle. The OP simply reported a concern. It's the manager's responsibility to take it from here. Where's the fight?
  16. Double-Helix

    Being an advocate

    Double-Helix replied to tonicole's topic in Nurses

    The responses you get are going to be based on individual experience, history and the culture on your unit. My hospital, for example, encourages reporting all "near miss" safety events when someone could have been harmed but wasn't. Others subscribe to a more "no harm, no foul" mentality. The fact is you tried discussing the potentially unsafe behavior with the charge nurse and when she didn't acknowledge your concerns, you reported a situation that you felt was unsafe. Whether everyone here agrees with you or not doesn't really matter.
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