akulahawkRN ADN, RN, EMT-P

Emergency Department

Wee bit about me!

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All Content by akulahawkRN

  1. akulahawkRN

    advanced airway use

    akulahawkRN replied to jedi88's topic in Emergency

    Out here in California, generally speaking, the facility doors are the point where things change for prehospital and hospital staff. Outside those doors, a Paramedic can do a LOT of things where the...
  2. akulahawkRN

    Im 24 and I want to be a nurse badly but my age discourages me!

    akulahawkRN replied to M.C.P's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    If you do go for your ATC, it will be an interesting ride to be
  3. akulahawkRN

    How to get practice starting IVs / drawing blood

    akulahawkRN replied to Izzy11's topic in General Nursing

    IV starts are just another skill. It's not even a nursing-specific skill. There are a lot of other providers that can do
  4. akulahawkRN

    Any good standardized report sheets?

    akulahawkRN replied to dirtyhippiegirl's topic in First Year After Licensure

    You're welcome! There's quite a few out there... if one doesn't work, get inspired and make one for
  5. akulahawkRN

    Any good standardized report sheets?

    akulahawkRN replied to dirtyhippiegirl's topic in First Year After Licensure

    Do a search for "nurse brain sheet" and you'll find quite a
  6. akulahawkRN

    How many people did you lose?

    akulahawkRN replied to ThePrincessBride's topic in General Students

    I'm about to finish 1st Semester of 4. My cohort started with 33, now we're down to 29. Yes, we have lost 4. One dropped right away, one stayed with it for a couple months and realized it's not for...
  7. akulahawkRN

    Work in Alaska?

    akulahawkRN replied to thatchergirl's topic in General Nursing

    Depends upon what conditions you're asking about. I have a friend up there who says that he likes the weather up there. Where he's at, they don't get much snow, but it doesn't melt until April or so....
  8. akulahawkRN

    How to get practice starting IVs / drawing blood

    akulahawkRN replied to Izzy11's topic in General Nursing

    I haven't started a line in several years. I remember quite vividly how to do it, but I know my skill in this is very rusty. I know that I can do it if I had to, but I am nowhere near as efficient as...
  9. akulahawkRN

    New Grad, new job... My First emergency!

    akulahawkRN replied to beatrice1's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Adenosine is given 6mg RAPID IV push. If that doesn't work, then you get 12mg RAPID IV push. As you've found out, it's guaranteed to be one of the weirdest feelings in your chest... Caffeine in high...
  10. akulahawkRN

    Are Male RNs or BSNs Preferred for State Prisons?

    akulahawkRN replied to Shane505's topic in Correctional

    The Corrections Officers at the "New Folsom Prison" didn't just fire rubber bullets and use pepper spray. Some live "real" bullets were also fired and some inmates did get shot. None have died...
  11. akulahawkRN

    New Grad, new job... My First emergency!

    akulahawkRN replied to beatrice1's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    Rates >150 without a reason to be going that fast is too fast and something should be done to "slow it down" especially if the patient is
  12. akulahawkRN

    New Grad, new job... My First emergency!

    akulahawkRN replied to beatrice1's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    IMHO, in AF, if the rate would otherwise be considered "Sinus Tach" or even SVT, I'd call it "RVR" and document the rate. SVT is (to me) is nothing more than a catch-all for any fast, narrow complex...
  13. akulahawkRN

    New Grad, new job... My First emergency!

    akulahawkRN replied to beatrice1's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    The one thing that worries me with atrial fibrillation and RVR is the drop in cardiac output. This drop can be substantial. Normally when the rate goes above 160 you see a drop in cardiac output...
  14. akulahawkRN

    New Grad, new job... My First emergency!

    akulahawkRN replied to beatrice1's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    AFib with RVR means "rapid ventricular response". In short, the atria are quivering and too many signals are getting through the AV node (or bypassing it altogether) at a rate that's way too fast. In...
  15. akulahawkRN

    Is becoming a Nurse hard?

    akulahawkRN replied to Tesslyn's topic in Activism, Healthcare

    Becoming a nurse has been pretty easy so far. If I wasn't ready to take in such a large volume of information, I'd have been hosed on that end. Fortunately, I got used to drinking from the...
  16. akulahawkRN

    Help with patho and nursing diagnosis of a patient

    akulahawkRN replied to maanggohs's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    To me, it sounds like the MRSA caused the endocarditis/valve dysfunction. If the valves aren't working correctly does blood flow well through the heart? If some of the myocardium is dead or has been...
  17. akulahawkRN

    Help with patho and nursing diagnosis of a patient

    akulahawkRN replied to maanggohs's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    I think you've got the answer buried in your post, actually. Which of all those above diagnoses cause/can cause weakness (think impaired function) of the heart? What issues might a weak heart
  18. akulahawkRN

    Mom said no more pain meds

    akulahawkRN replied to Blackcat99's topic in Private Duty

    I'm not a Nurse yet... but I'm no stranger to documentation. Each and every time you assess and determine that the child is in pain, and you request permission to give appropriately prescribed pain...
  19. akulahawkRN

    Why doesn't the NCLEX include skills demos?

    akulahawkRN replied to Cuddleswithpuddles's topic in NCLEX Exam, Programs

    I think that the answer is fairly simple. Because you can not pass a nursing program without passing a clinical skills component, the NCLEX only needs to test on the knowledge stuff. At least that's...
  20. akulahawkRN

    Another one, or two, bite the dust!!!

    akulahawkRN replied to clandestine-approach's topic in General Students

    To the OP: I'm finishing my 1st Semester of RN School in a couple weeks. I currently have an A in the class, and did just fine in clinicals. I completely expect to pass, with an A or a B. I can not...
  21. akulahawkRN

    ESRD pathophysiology

    akulahawkRN replied to lash_18's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    ESRD is "End Stage Renal Disease" and the final stage of chronic renal failure. Most patients with ESRD are on dialysis or hospice, depending upon their wishes. Once a patient has reached this stage,...
  22. akulahawkRN

    Road to Becoming an RN

    akulahawkRN replied to tiffanyxp's topic in General Students

    In addition to the above, you can check the Course Catalog as that should have a listing of all courses that a program requires, including prerequisite courses. It should also have a listing of all...
  23. akulahawkRN

    What are your clinicals like?

    akulahawkRN replied to tintegrate's topic in General Students

    I'm about to finish my 1st semester. My experience has been pretty close to what kadensmom01 has done so far. All my time has been in an acute care facility. I do completely suggest that if you can...
  24. akulahawkRN

    Help decifer an ekg

    akulahawkRN replied to carleah's topic in Critical Care

    At least you got an EKG... While automated EKG machines may spit out something similar to what you posted, learn to read the EKG's themselves. I don't trust the machine's "diagnosis" of the EKG. As...
  25. akulahawkRN

    am I covered by my facility when transporting?

    akulahawkRN replied to shisquy's topic in General Nursing

    While I'm not a nurse yet... I will have to agree with some of the above responses. While you likely will be covered during transport, you should refuse to do those until you and the other "transport"...