begalli

Thanks orcagrrrl. The GI doc I saw told me that as well. However, he didn't think that was the case since the qualitative and quantitative were tested from the same specimen and the restest was done within a week. But he did say I could have had an e...

I don't know if they've research the frequency of changing the stopcocks. I do know that we have received patients from the OR with stopcocks already leaking. Good question.

OP - most all of the hospitals in your area are hiring. One hospital has (too many) ads in the Merc news. If you have applied online to these, maybe you can follow-up with a telephone call to the nurse recruiter for these places. Actually, you shoul...

We are more likely to have open skin on your hands and there are more places for nasties to get trapped and carried around. We wear gloves because we touch a lot of things and the possibility of contaminating stuff is high, including touching oursel...

There ya go OP. Go to your doctor and request this simple blood test for your peace of mind.

This is the difference though. The OP's skin was intact. A scratch that draw blood in nonintact skin.

I want to add that I totally understand your anxiety. I once tested positive for HCV. It was a false positive. It could never be explained by my doctor or the lab but the quantitative test came back ZERO. Nothing. Nil. Zip. So they retested the quali...

From the CDC: "There also has been a report of HCV transmission that may have resulted from nonintact skin, but NO KNOWN RISK from exposure to intact skin." http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/pdf/bbp/Exp_to_Blood.pdf I genuinely don't think you have anyt...

It's all cool if someone chooses not to take a break but don't begrudge those who do. At any rate breaks should be afforded to ALL nurses. Thery're not and that's a problem.

Like someone else pointed out somewhere in this thread, it is probably the physical therapy assistants that you see on the floor. The PT may see the patient initially to asses their needs, but most of the "grunt" work is done by assistants.

Hi Fossil. Even before the staffing laws took effect in CA the ICU's were covered under another law that dates back to the 1970's. AB394 just tweaked it a bit in the wording. RN's cover breaks. One RN never has more than 2 ICU patients and dependi...

Just to clarify...what I posted was with full benefits working a 40 hour week. If a nurse were to work per diem, their rate would be higher because they forgo benefits (insurance, etc).

Yes, I've given it IV, but not routinely. Premed the patient with benedryl and tylenol. We use inhaled mucomyst for lung transplants more frequently than for any other reason.

Does Lortab even come in 10?

Actually I think that what happened made the 7.5 count short by one and the 10 count over by one. This will clearly show the mix-up. Not a big deal.

Is this when you pull 6 ml out; push it back in; and repeat 2 more times and then discard the syringe and attach a new syringe to draw your specimen to send to the lab? I think this is recommended only for central lines. I personally would not do thi...

My daughter has a bachelor's degree in psych with an emphasis on developmental psych. Graduated with honors. The nursing school she's applying to would not accept her because they somehow could not equate her degree - or even the developmental classe...

$105,892.80 (not counting overtime, includes 3-11 differential of 10%) I am barely half-way through this hospital's pay ladder and I'm not counting increases for longevity. Add in benefits if one were to work per diem and this is pretty good money no...

Off topic, but what the heck does this mean?

I can't even imagine working with such an investation. "little nasties" (from the OP) To me that says it all. The unit needs to be closed and bombed (with insecticide) to kingdom come.

Jen - just wondering what you signature means: "A degree may not be the same as an education - but they run hand in hand." I think that until nursing can charge hospitals for our services and totally govern itself and not allow the profession to be w...

I know that crabs = lice. Maybe OP's talking about the same thing.

Is this a rhetorical question? We ALL enter into nursing at the exact same place regardless of our education. NCLEX. But yet you're ripping on nurses who do not have a BSN? How is this their fault except for being so "self-important??" Wow.

I did this in my A&P for nursing school as well.

And this would make a point for moving toward making the entry level into nursing what? Not that I either agree or disagree. But it is a point.