akulahawkRN ADN, RN, EMT-P

Emergency Department

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All Content by akulahawkRN

  1. akulahawkRN

    Finished my prereqs, what should I do now

    akulahawkRN replied to malenurse2013's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    Apply everywhere you're qualified and can afford. The "for-profit" schools may be very good or not so good, and because of their expense, should be your last option. Like a PP stated, you should check...
  2. akulahawkRN

    Getting subjective data

    akulahawkRN replied to MizMaverick's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    As Esme has said, unless your patient is unresponsive, even these patients usually are able to communicate somehow so that their basic needs can be met. Look for how your patient communicates and...
  3. akulahawkRN

    Paramedic to RN vs Traditional Programs

    akulahawkRN replied to bobo_200_5's topic in School, College Programs

    Stay away from The College Network. The benefit you might get out of a program like Excelsior is that it's fast and they expect you to already have much of the clinical stuff from your Paramedic job....
  4. akulahawkRN

    Getting subjective data

    akulahawkRN replied to MizMaverick's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    You might want to consider teaching the patient's family or determining if there's another nursing outcome that is more appropriate but perhaps not listed. It's difficult to gauge teaching...
  5. akulahawkRN

    Is it true that the pearson trick doesnt work anymore?

    akulahawkRN replied to xtina213's topic in NCLEX Exam, Programs

    Back in August of this year, they changed the way that payments are processed, in effect, changing the way the PVT is done. In short, it no longer works the way it used to, but it is probably just as...
  6. akulahawkRN

    Ekg Technician & Phlebotomy Tech or Medical Assistant?

    akulahawkRN replied to Cloud-'s topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    PCT is basically a CNA that works in an acute care hospital. They may have some additional skills, but the vast majority of PCT's that I've seen in acute care facilities around my area do CNA work......
  7. akulahawkRN

    Ekg Technician & Phlebotomy Tech or Medical Assistant?

    akulahawkRN replied to Cloud-'s topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    Medical Assistant isn't nursing. You'll learn some skills that nurses do, but on the whole, about the only thing that being an MA might get you is some understanding of outpatient/clinic work. Unless...
  8. akulahawkRN

    Dug myself in an academic hole

    akulahawkRN replied to MusicEMT's topic in General Students

    I would have to say that if you can drop without penalty and if re-enrolling in the next term is a guaranteed thing, then your only truly viable option at this point is to withdraw. For whatever...
  9. akulahawkRN

    IV Sizes?

    akulahawkRN replied to Jennx's topic in General Students

    I've placed 14 ga catheters before, one of those times being for a severely dehydrated patient in her 70's. That case was quite unusual... but suffice it to say that she needed LOTS of fluid quickly...
  10. akulahawkRN

    From mechanic to nurse?

    akulahawkRN replied to the_mechanic's topic in General Nursing

    I have to echo what ♪♫ in my ♥ has said here, among others... The ED that's being referred to is VERY urban and VERY busy. Most of the facilities around my area have a preference for BSN...
  11. akulahawkRN

    what age did you decide to become a nurse

    akulahawkRN replied to Nursetobe25's topic in General Nursing

    I was 31 when I made the decision. I started applying at 33. I was 37 when I got into nursing school and 40 when I got licensed. ETA: People were pushing for me to go into nursing 15 years ago. I...
  12. akulahawkRN

    eBooks

    akulahawkRN replied to HopeThruFaith's topic in General Students

    While I'm not exactly a fan of eBooks, those few eBooks that I've read on my tablet generally mimicked the tactile motions of turning pages to a degree when swiping from one page to the next....
  13. akulahawkRN

    Zofran

    akulahawkRN replied to Paramedic51's topic in Patient Medications

    I didn't say that you were wrong or incorrect in providing fluids... just to be careful about it as it's not good to pop established
  14. akulahawkRN

    IV Sizes?

    akulahawkRN replied to Jennx's topic in General Students

    My three go-to catheter sizes are 18, 20, 22. These three will allow flow rates that are usually prescribed for most patients unless they need to get fluid in FAST. My normal field go-to is an 18 ga....
  15. akulahawkRN

    Zofran

    akulahawkRN replied to Paramedic51's topic in Patient Medications

    Just be careful that you don't end up infusing so much fluid that the patient starts popping
  16. akulahawkRN

    Zofran

    akulahawkRN replied to Paramedic51's topic in Patient Medications

    The drug guides state up to 25 mg can be given by IV or IM. At least one of the guides states that you should avoid giving it faster than 25 mg/min... Also, doses above 25 mg are indicated as pre-op...
  17. akulahawkRN

    Zofran

    akulahawkRN replied to Paramedic51's topic in Patient Medications

    Given a choice, I would probably prefer Zofran over Phenergan as Phenergan is an antihistamine (blocks H1) and can be sedating and can antagonize other sedating drugs. I would expect less sedation...
  18. akulahawkRN

    Zofran

    akulahawkRN replied to Paramedic51's topic in Patient Medications

    It's not showing off. Zofran is a selective 5-HT3 antagonist, not an NSAID. They work in very different ways. In other words, Zofran is good for inhibiting nausea and keeps the barfing to a minimum....
  19. akulahawkRN

    Is a paramedic degree required?

    akulahawkRN replied to KG MSN RN CCRN CEN's topic in Flight, Surface Transport

    Each State's EMS board/program does things their own way but usually they allow licensed RN's to challenge the written portion of the Paramedic exam and then you go do some kind of field internship....
  20. akulahawkRN

    IV catheter changes..

    akulahawkRN replied to RNnewbie2014's topic in General Nursing

    Precisely. Also, usually one facility has no ability to provide direct clinical oversight of another facility or its staff. Same issue occurs in the prehospital setting, unless the ambulance personnel...
  21. akulahawkRN

    Careplan help??

    akulahawkRN replied to HealthcareProf's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    You can't effectively porifice out a nursing Dx from a Medical Dx. You need to look at the assessment and lab data and go from that end of things. Just like any diagnosis, the data drives the...
  22. akulahawkRN

    IV catheter changes..

    akulahawkRN replied to RNnewbie2014's topic in General Nursing

    That's likely partially because they do not have any QA/QI power over those that do not belong to the same facility and that they can not trust that whomever started that IV did so in a clean manner....
  23. akulahawkRN

    Failed 2nd rn

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

    I believe it was the 6th edition, not the Q&A. I'll have to check when I get home to be sure exactly which version I
  24. akulahawkRN

    Failed 2nd rn

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

    I had to work full-time during nursing school. I had no option with that... Occasionally I had to pull either some very late shifts or work graveyard. It wasn't easy. Answering NCLEX questions really...
  25. akulahawkRN

    Urged to withdraw.....

    akulahawkRN replied to happyhealer's topic in General Students

    I failed out of nursing school and managed to get readmitted. I ended up having to repeat 2 semesters due to a program change, but otherwise it would have only been a single semester that I would have...