akulahawkRN ADN, RN, EMT-P

Emergency Department

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All Content by akulahawkRN

  1. akulahawkRN

    Some of Us Are Trying to Help You...

    akulahawkRN replied to Music in My Heart's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    RunBabyRN, in my last semester, we had a clinical component we had to complete and we also had a preceptorship as well. Most of us stayed on our "home" units for our preceptorships precisely because...
  2. akulahawkRN

    Some of Us Are Trying to Help You...

    akulahawkRN replied to Music in My Heart's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    When I was in school, if I'd never worked with that particular RN before, at the beginning of the shift (and as needed throughout the day) I'd go over my scope of practice, beginning with my "never...
  3. akulahawkRN

    Some of Us Are Trying to Help You...

    akulahawkRN replied to Music in My Heart's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    The so-called "never" list is simply a short list of procedures that a school does not want their students performing. For instance, my program would have been OK with me placing a Salem Sump tube but...
  4. akulahawkRN

    My best friend is now a patient on the floor I work on

    akulahawkRN replied to EmergencyChocolate's topic in HIPAA Challenges

    I like the suggestion of temporarily being reassigned to a different floor. If that's not possible, I would highly advise that you follow the practice of "what goes on in the hospital, stays in the...
  5. akulahawkRN

    Some of Us Are Trying to Help You...

    akulahawkRN replied to Music in My Heart's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    When you have a nurse asking you if you want to do a skill and you don't know if you can do it, you politely decline, but offer to observe. Of course, if you're offered a skill that's definitely out...
  6. akulahawkRN

    Goodbye...

    akulahawkRN replied to Music in My Heart's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    I take a break from some of the forums I'm on... even if they don't dog-pile on me for something. Taking a break helps keep me grounded in actual reality instead of getting all caught up in the...
  7. akulahawkRN

    Some of Us Are Trying to Help You...

    akulahawkRN replied to Music in My Heart's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    Regardless of what "pressure" may have been applied at the time, I think it was completely appropriate for the nurses to offer that experience to the student. It's incumbent upon the student to know...
  8. akulahawkRN

    EKG tips and tricks in the ER?

    akulahawkRN replied to alliecatrn10's topic in Emergency

    As Esme has indicated, many people live with a 1st degree block. The higher blocks indicate that more tissue is involved. A 2nd degree type 2 block, where some beats are conducted normally and...
  9. akulahawkRN

    Taking the TEAS twice within 5 days

    akulahawkRN replied to nurseshellyRN's topic in TEAS Exam Help

    Something to remember is that schools often will take only the first score that's above 62 within a certain window of time. If that's the case with Sac State, retaking the exam may not actually help...
  10. akulahawkRN

    EKG tips and tricks in the ER?

    akulahawkRN replied to alliecatrn10's topic in Emergency

    To that "worry list" I would add a 2nd Degree Type II block. Those I worry about because they can progress to a Type 3. Throw in a 2nd Degree Type II and a BBB and I start getting really worried......
  11. akulahawkRN

    Some of Us Are Trying to Help You...

    akulahawkRN replied to Music in My Heart's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    This is very common, and is the case in my program early on, 1st and 2nd semesters primarily. 3rd and 4th semesters allow certain invasive procedures to be performed with primary nurse supervision if...
  12. akulahawkRN

    School/Life Balance - How Do You Do It???

    akulahawkRN replied to tnbutterfly - Mary's topic in General Students

    During school, I had no choice but to work full-time and attend school full-time. I was reasonably fortunate in that generally my work schedule did not conflict with my school schedule. On the few...
  13. akulahawkRN

    How to deal with headaches during school, clinicals or while on the job?

    akulahawkRN replied to Summers3's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    If you're getting headaches on a somewhat frequent basis you should have that looked into. Most people don't get headaches and if they do, they normally aren't exhausted by them. Get it
  14. akulahawkRN

    Some of Us Are Trying to Help You...

    akulahawkRN replied to Music in My Heart's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    I had a few nurses that were like that in school. Remember why you're in school. You're not there to huddle around the nursing station or break room. I would be willing to bet that if you show some...
  15. akulahawkRN

    Took NCLEX 2nd time

    akulahawkRN replied to atom2013's topic in NCLEX Exam, Programs

    It's easy (and very common) to feel like you failed when you actually passed. That's because of how the NCLEX is designed. It will rapidly find your level of ability for that day at that time. At some...
  16. akulahawkRN

    I don't know how to study

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

    Actually, I quite suspect that you do know how to study, you just haven't learned a method for dealing with sciences yet or that you haven't learned how to efficiently study for the way you learn...
  17. akulahawkRN

    EKG tips and tricks in the ER?

    akulahawkRN replied to alliecatrn10's topic in Emergency

    While I definitely second that recommendation about Dale Dubin's book, don't overlook other EKG resources. EmCrit.org has links to several other resources for learning and interpreting EKGs. Here's a...
  18. akulahawkRN

    Does/Can an RN give anesthetics before procedures such as skin biopsy, laser surgery,

    akulahawkRN replied to 50kn's topic in Ambulatory Care, Clinic

    If that's the case, then every PICC nurse that I've ever observed has been exceeding their scope of practice because as part of the SP that they follow, they administer a small amount of lidocaine...
  19. akulahawkRN

    "Why are you leaving your current position?"

    akulahawkRN replied to wkate's topic in Job Search, Interview, Resume

    I would tend to agree with the PP. Don't mention the staffing issue on your current unit. Doing so just sounds negative and like you're really just trying to escape a "bad situation" instead of the...
  20. akulahawkRN

    75 Questions... Temporary license still valid

    akulahawkRN replied to ammanke64's topic in NCLEX Exam, Programs

    I'm in California and I had an Interim Permit. That permit stayed valid for about 36 hours after I completed the NCLEX. Then they cancelled my IP and about 15 minutes later, my RN license showed up....
  21. akulahawkRN

    NCLEX PN- Ran out of Time

    akulahawkRN replied to tatum210's topic in NCLEX Exam, Programs

    Sorry to hear that you failed your exam. Failure isn't the end of the world. I would suggest waiting until your Candidate Performance Report arrives before you seriously restart your quest for earning...
  22. akulahawkRN

    Primary fluids and piggyback meds

    akulahawkRN replied to whitneyraeRN's topic in Patient Medications

    You need to check compatibility of the primary (whatever it is) against the piggybacks (whatever that is) because some medications aren't compatible with non-normal saline
  23. akulahawkRN

    Difference between apical pulse and pulse monitored on display

    akulahawkRN replied to redeyelpn's topic in Cardiac

    Automatic BP cuffs can become inaccurate when there's an irregular rhythm or when there's some beat-to-beat variability because of frequent PVC's or (in the case of slow rates) escape beats to...
  24. akulahawkRN

    IV question

    akulahawkRN replied to dannygirl04's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    While I doubt there was any risk of air embolism, it sounds like the set had been disconnected from the catheter hub for a while, given that there's dried blood all over. This leads me to think that...
  25. akulahawkRN

    Trying to be readmitted

    akulahawkRN replied to kringkring5144's topic in General Nursing

    The OP has pretty well chronicled the issue earlier this year. To the OP: I'm an example of someone failing out and being readmitted. I'm now an RN. I remember some what happened earlier this year...