pricklypear

pricklypear

Telemetry, ICU, Resource Pool, Dialysis

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All Content by pricklypear

  1. Mouthcare

    pricklypear replied to Floridanurse's topic in MICU, SICU

    We have some mouth moisturizer that we use pretty regularly along with BID brushing and Q2 rinses. It can be applied with a sponge. It's water based, which is less corrosive than vaseline (petroleum...

  2. Rotten teeth from Ventilator?

    pricklypear replied to Nurse-o-Matic's topic in MICU, SICU

    I can't recall ever having a pt in our unit come in with perfect teeth only to have them rot out within 5 weeks. Most of our patients who end up being long term vent pts had medical problems to begin...

  3. What does a Respiratory Therapist Do That An RN Can't?

    pricklypear replied to steve0123's topic in MICU, SICU

    Just like with anything else - there are good ones and bad ones. A great, team-minded RT can be your best friend, and a bad one can ruin your whole night. Where I work, we have examples of both...

  4. Respiratory Therapist VS Nursing

    pricklypear replied to airis's topic in Nursing Career

    OMG. Whoever told you this has a somewhat lopsided view of the whole situation. It's not about who has how many or what kind of patients. Are you under the impression that RTs are the primary...

  5. to sedate or not to sedate...

    pricklypear replied to dfk's topic in MICU, SICU

    We always sedate, unless the pt is already unresponsive. Seems like they'll do less gagging if they're sedated, therefore less likely to

  6. vancomycin iv over 1 hour

    pricklypear replied to endlesssummer1's topic in Medical-Surgical

    1 gram ofvanco should be given over 90 minutes. I would probably run 1.5 gr over 2 hours at least. But that kinda sucks for an outpatient to have to sit around for 2

  7. Dilute IV meds or not?

    pricklypear replied to HappyJaxRN's topic in General Nursing

    Diluting it isn't going to delay the onset of action. And, yeah, that's the beauty of lopressor - it works quick. But I wouldn't ever push lopressor quickly (less than 5 minutes per 5mg) because it...

  8. Dilute IV meds or not?

    pricklypear replied to HappyJaxRN's topic in General Nursing

    It really just depends on the drug. Some drugs do not need to be diluted (like lopressor). You have to be careful with the amount you dilute with, also. Some drugs ( I can't think of any off hand)...

  9. open visitation in icu??

    pricklypear replied to tennessee rn's topic in MICU, SICU

    I know that happens a lot. Usually it's me who gets the "they let me stay last night" speech! If there's one thing I draw the line at it's family staying in the room (in ICU). I always tell them...

  10. How do you cope with the death of a patient?

    pricklypear replied to jhawkgirl's topic in General Nursing

    I think I cope by putting my energy into the family. The patient really doesn't need anything anymore, but the family is left behind in the wake of everything. Most families do pretty well, but I...

  11. wearing perfume to work

    pricklypear replied to acaringnurse's topic in General Nursing

    Reading all this stuff, and recalling how stupid people seem as they walk by training an almost visible cloud of "scent" reminds me of something I heard a long time ago. I can't remember where, but...

  12. Need advice about new job... please help!

    pricklypear replied to bluesky's topic in MICU, SICU

    I agree that this could be a good opportunity for leadership and innovation for you. On the other hand, being the "newbie" you could engender bad feelings from your coworkers for being an "upstart,"...

  13. heparin protocol

    pricklypear replied to rookreck's topic in MICU, SICU

    We only need 1 therapeutic level before we go to daily. That's how it was at my last job as well. Do you find that you often don't get a therapeutic level the second time? If you are consistently...

  14. wearing perfume to work

    pricklypear replied to acaringnurse's topic in General Nursing

    Policy, schmolicy. Of course, every hospital I've ever worked in has had a policy against it, but it's never enforced. I just looovvvee some of the RTs who breeze through with half a bottle dumped...

  15. Just needed to get this off my chest.

    pricklypear replied to EDValerieRN's topic in Emergency

    Valerie - I understood what you meant. All I can say to you is thank God there are people like you willing to do the job you do. I work in an adult ICU. I see people die all the time, usually after...

  16. open visitation in icu??

    pricklypear replied to tennessee rn's topic in MICU, SICU

    I think I commented on this aspect of totally open visitation earlier, but I believe this is true for many people. Especially older folks with large, concerned families, church friends, etc. It's...

  17. Why do unit nurses have bad reps?

    pricklypear replied to SheriLynnRN's topic in MICU, SICU

    I think my hospital operates in a bubble. I don't think the docs get fussed at about anything. Which doesn't make sense to me when the hospital eats the cost of non-ICU pts in ICU. The last...

  18. Your employer's policy re: *snow and ice*?

    pricklypear replied to nervousnurse's topic in General Nursing

    i haven't been justifying staying home during all bad weather. only weather which is dangerous and driving long distances in it could endanger my own life. as far as getting home, usually by 12...

  19. Why do unit nurses have bad reps?

    pricklypear replied to SheriLynnRN's topic in MICU, SICU

    uhh, happens all the time where I work. Lord knows how they get away with it, because insurance is going to look at that and say, "You're kidding, right? We're not paying for this pt to be in ICU...

  20. I'm ANGRY and TERRIFIED!!

    pricklypear replied to kwagner_51's topic in General Nursing

    No, it sounds to me like someone capped the line between use with a needle in a cap instead of some other type of cap to keep the pt end sterile. I'm sorry that happened to you. Does your facility...

  21. How do I become a nurse's aide?

    pricklypear replied to cherylnj81's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    A nurses aide can be called a few different things. CNA (certified nurses aide), nurse tech (usually a nursing student working as an aide - sometimes with increased responsibility or duties), PCT...

  22. Feeling guilty about poor practice

    pricklypear replied to SheriLynnRN's topic in General Nursing

    Good for you!! Would you come be the manager of my unit? I am overwhelmed with examples of poor practice every day. Stupid things that can and have caused problems. I have done everything short of...

  23. I'm so ANGRY!!!

    pricklypear replied to KEVIN88GT's topic in NCLEX Exam, Programs

    Unfortunately, I don't think you have to be particularly bright to pass NCLEX. You just have to know how to answer the question. Most of the nurses I know who had trouble passing were extremely...

  24. I'm so ANGRY!!!

    pricklypear replied to KEVIN88GT's topic in NCLEX Exam, Programs

    I think this is the key for your fiancee. She obviously KNOWS the material. She probably knows way more than she needs to. I think it's partly test anxiety, as others have mentioned, but mostly her...

  25. I'm so ashamed...

    pricklypear replied to ALMED's topic in First Year After Licensure

    I may be off base here, but has anybody considered the (mitigating/aggravating) factor of the OP having her FIL as a patient in the same room? Could his presence in the room have somehow derailed her...