akulahawkRN ADN, RN, EMT-P

Emergency Department

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All Content by akulahawkRN

  1. akulahawkRN

    Master Cardiology stethoscope?

    akulahawkRN replied to candacern59217's topic in Scrubs, Uniforms, Gear

    I have a Cardiology III stethoscope that has been at my side for about 15 years now. It's still going good. You apparently have a Master Cardiology and that's quite a decent steth. I would say that...
  2. akulahawkRN

    IV piggyback question

    akulahawkRN replied to Hockeynursing's topic in General Nursing

    The hospital I'm at uses a one-way valve setup for our primary lines. Pump or no pump, as long as you connect the secondary tubing below that valve, the piggyback won't go into the primary bag. Just...
  3. akulahawkRN

    Gun Owning Nurses

    akulahawkRN replied to hppygr8ful's topic in General Nursing

    My perspective on this subject is really simple. I own guns, I carry them, I train with them and I know (unfortunately) that I'm a better marksman than most cops. I very much respect the 2A and...
  4. akulahawkRN

    What Do You Keep in Your Car for Emergencies?

    akulahawkRN replied to anitalaff's topic in General Nursing

    The things I would keep in my car for "roadside" emergencies would likely be a bit different from the typical stuff you would find in a commercial first aid kit. The primary reason for this is that...
  5. akulahawkRN

    Gun Owning Nurses

    akulahawkRN replied to hppygr8ful's topic in General Nursing

    This is pretty much exactly what I meant. There are many semi-auto rifles out on the market and one of the most popular rifles is the AR-15 and its clones. Over the past 30-ish years the news media...
  6. akulahawkRN

    Gun Owning Nurses

    akulahawkRN replied to hppygr8ful's topic in General Nursing

    I'm also a gun-owning nurse. I happen to own a few rifles (none are currently the scary/black kind) and a few pistols. I also have a CCW license and I do carry nearly every day. Firearms and nursing...
  7. akulahawkRN

    Never been in a code?

    akulahawkRN replied to maybug's topic in General Nursing

    Your experience isn't all that unusual. I've been through around 2 dozen now, the last 5 or 6 were as an ED RN. Most of the codes I've worked over the past 16 years or so have almost all been as a...
  8. akulahawkRN

    How Long is/was Your First Semester Hours?

    akulahawkRN replied to Shookclays's topic in General Students

    If I recall correctly I first semester clinical hours were something like 324. They broke it down something like this: for the first six weeks you are basically in boot camp to become a CNA. Our...
  9. akulahawkRN

    Emt problems

    akulahawkRN replied to Brandie333's topic in General Nursing

    I have been on the "other side" of this situation more than a few times. Please understand this one thing: when I'm working 911 or in any other EMS role, your physician is NOT in my normal chain of...
  10. akulahawkRN

    Are Nurses Considered "First Responders?"

    akulahawkRN replied to SunnyPupRN's topic in General Nursing

    I am a first responder, but not in my role as an RN. I'm a Paramedic and have been able to function in that role for more than 15 years. Nurses, unless they're specifically trained for the prehospital...
  11. akulahawkRN

    Is it realistic to work full time and attend ADN school?

    akulahawkRN replied to Miiitchhh's topic in Male Nursing Students

    I worked full-time and went to school full-time. It was far from easy though my work did allow me to study there IF it didn't impact my work duties at all. Also, quite fortunately, my work schedule...
  12. akulahawkRN

    Scary ER RNs

    akulahawkRN replied to applesxoranges's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    In my ED, we don't normally co-sign potassium. In our ED, when we mix antibiotics, we use vial adapters that attach to IV bags. There are medications that we pull fluids from an IV bag and mix in a...
  13. akulahawkRN

    Sacramento City College ADN Spring 2017

    akulahawkRN replied to Lunadr16's topic in General Students

    I'm a relatively recent grad of SCC. I remember what it was like for me about 5 years ago, when I first started there. Your first 5-6 weeks will be entirely on-campus and you'll be there most of the...
  14. akulahawkRN

    Full time work and Full time school

    akulahawkRN replied to Analgesic's topic in General Students

    I worked full time and went to school full time. My work schedule was an 8-hour/day, 5 day/week deal. School was 4 days/week. Somehow I managed to make it all mesh. No, it was not easy. Yes, it was...
  15. akulahawkRN

    Failed in clinicals

    akulahawkRN replied to Exhuasted's topic in General Students

    I'm going to first say that I'm about 2 years into working as an ED RN. Why do I say this first? It's because I want you to know where this story ends, so to speak. I was supposed to graduate in 2013...
  16. akulahawkRN

    Failed first semester

    akulahawkRN replied to Nurhope's topic in General Students

    I failed nursing school (3rd Semester) and was ultimately offered a seat in 2nd Semester as they moved content from 3rd to 2nd and I had to follow that content. A good friend of mine from school...
  17. akulahawkRN

    took NCLEX with 265 did i pass?

    akulahawkRN replied to djparrish88's topic in NCLEX Exam, Programs

    First of all, at 2 hours after submitting the test for score, the PVT likely will NOT be accurate. You need to wait around 24-48 hours for that. This is because the exam is scored twice, with the...
  18. akulahawkRN

    quitting school, pls help.

    akulahawkRN replied to mrsmarah's topic in General Students

    OP: one of the biggest reasons why so many of us are advising you to "stick to it" is because once you're done with nursing school and you have your RN license, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO...
  19. akulahawkRN

    Barcode scanning in ED?

    akulahawkRN replied to Emergent's topic in Emergency

    Our system won't accept 2D barcodes so we can't use a patient sticker. Our wristbands have 2D and 3D barcodes printed on them and the system will only accept the 3D barcode. This, I can only assume,...
  20. akulahawkRN

    Barcode scanning in ED?

    akulahawkRN replied to Emergent's topic in Emergency

    I work in a small ED that recently started scanning meds. By and large the system works generally well. There are meds that will NOT scan properly. For instance if I have an order for a saline bolus,...
  21. akulahawkRN

    SO BAD at drawing blood, starting IV's??

    akulahawkRN replied to Chimio's topic in General Nursing

    Yes! This does help. There's a rhythm to doing an IV. Mine is pretty much like this, even in "crash" situations: I open my supplies, get out the tourniquet and apply it. I feel for a good vein,...
  22. akulahawkRN

    SO BAD at drawing blood, starting IV's??

    akulahawkRN replied to Chimio's topic in General Nursing

    Not to toot my own horn, but I'm pretty darned good at getting IV sticks. It took me way more than 5 sticks to get here. I'm usually pretty good at being able to put an IV catheter into just about any...
  23. akulahawkRN

    Sacramento City Nursing program Spring 2017

    akulahawkRN replied to Lunadr16's topic in School, College Programs

    SCC alum here: You should expect to have Orientation sometime in December, probably mid-month. You should receive (soon) a list of things you'll need to bring to Orientation and certainly at...
  24. akulahawkRN

    Pearson Vue Trick: Is 24 hours too soon to check?

    akulahawkRN replied to Triphoenix36's topic in NCLEX Exam, Programs

    Try the quick results (if available in your area) after 48 hours, or as soon as the link to check the quick results are available. The QR will be far more accurate than the PVT ever will because it's...
  25. akulahawkRN

    Behind on charting?

    akulahawkRN replied to rhernandez748's topic in General Nursing

    Computer charting or paper charting, try to do it as you go along. Some things may have to wait for while to be charted, but on the whole, try to get to charting throughout the day. Back when I was an...