akulahawkRN ADN, RN, EMT-P

Emergency Department

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All Content by akulahawkRN

  1. akulahawkRN

    Investigating Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome

    akulahawkRN replied to Brenda F. Johnson's topic in General Nursing

    I first saw this about 3 years ago and one of the more interesting things is that the typical antiemetics only work for a little while. Since then, any time that I have a patient whose complaint...
  2. akulahawkRN

    Foley Catheter Issue?

    akulahawkRN replied to JustANurse2018's topic in General Nursing

    Just a couple of observations. One is that when inserting a catheter into a male, even if you get good urine return, keep going just a bit. The male urethra is very long compared to the female urethra...
  3. akulahawkRN

    Dropping the "Nurse Card"?

    akulahawkRN replied to RNJay_'s topic in General Nursing

    I don't use the "I'm a Nurse" or "I'm a Paramedic" card. Ever. I never ask for any kind of "special consideration" or anything like that. To me, anybody that does that is basically demanding a "get...
  4. akulahawkRN

    Best choice for emergent desaturation in COPD

    akulahawkRN replied to CraftyKitten's topic in Medical-Surgical

    A SpO2 of 56% and being unresponsive is a very big deal. In that situation, you'd better know the patient's code status because if the patient isn't a DNR/No Code, then you probably should have...
  5. akulahawkRN

    Any advice for a new grad in the ER??

    akulahawkRN replied to traumajunkie22's topic in General Nursing

    Being a medic is both a help and a curse. Depending upon the ED where you'll end up working, you could end up getting a basic set of nursing protocols where you'll be officially allowed to do certain...
  6. akulahawkRN

    Any advice for a new grad in the ER??

    akulahawkRN replied to traumajunkie22's topic in General Nursing

    For the first couple shifts, keep your ears open, your mouth shut, and be prepared to try nearly anything. The world of the ED is just very different from nearly everywhere else. Trust that you know...
  7. akulahawkRN

    Best stethoscope for an ER Nurse?

    akulahawkRN replied to verbalsjint's topic in Emergency

    Just about any stethoscope that is comparable to a Littmann Classic II SE will be an excellent stethoscope for you to use both in school and afterward as you begin your career. These run around $60-80...
  8. akulahawkRN

    Is getting a Bachelor of AS in Allied Health worth it if I intend to become an RN?

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

    As long as the degree awarded is exactly the same as one awarded if you attended the physical campus, and the University is Regionally Accredited the same as any other College or University in the...
  9. akulahawkRN

    Treating Dehydration DT Physical Exertion

    akulahawkRN replied to NurseNurseNurseNurse's topic in General Nursing

    Someone whose fluid loss is purely through sweating, without additional PO intake, will eventually become hypernatremic. In that instance, it is very reasonable to rehydrate with 1/2 NS. What you...
  10. akulahawkRN

    Loss of a patient

    akulahawkRN replied to SMS1980's topic in General Nursing

    What you do is you make peace with it. We do the best we can to nudge someone back toward life but ultimately that nudge isn't enough because it's either "their time" or their illness is too great....
  11. akulahawkRN

    School Shootings

    akulahawkRN replied to OldDude's topic in General Nursing

    I'm going to put on a bit of a different hat, one from the "bad guy" side. If you take guns away from the regular folks, that would make criminal life much easier. I could still get any gun I want. I...
  12. akulahawkRN

    School Shootings

    akulahawkRN replied to OldDude's topic in General Nursing

    I do absolutely agree that guns do have to be deglamorized. They should be returned back to what they used to be: a tool. There is also a reason why I try to get to know all my neighbors. Some I know...
  13. akulahawkRN

    School Shootings

    akulahawkRN replied to OldDude's topic in General Nursing

    You're almost right. Handguns are relatively low energy weapons, yet they're used in the vast majority of homicides (murders, accidental deaths of others, and justified shootings) in the US. Rifles of...
  14. akulahawkRN

    School Shootings

    akulahawkRN replied to OldDude's topic in General Nursing

    This is generally true of most teachers but this is not true of all teachers. It doesn't actually matter if there any armed staff (or teachers) on a school campus... if people are allowed to legally...
  15. akulahawkRN

    School Shootings

    akulahawkRN replied to OldDude's topic in General Nursing

    Those "armed security officers" were police officers working in a role of "School Resource Officer" and they are armed and able to quickly respond to violent incidents. The SROs at MSD in Parkland,...
  16. akulahawkRN

    Another Tragedy

    akulahawkRN replied to OldDude's topic in School

    It's very tragic that we've had another school shooting. The shooter was confronted relatively quickly, one of the officers that responded was also wounded. Given what has been discovered about the...
  17. akulahawkRN

    Looking for tips on getting hired Sacramento/ Roseville hospitals

    akulahawkRN replied to Kfitz_9917's topic in California Nursing

    Since you have a BSN, I would suggest looking also at UC Davis Medical Center as they preferentially hire BSN nurses (almost exclusively 100% of their hires are BSN or higher) and look at Kaiser...
  18. akulahawkRN

    Help! I missed the grade cutoff

    akulahawkRN replied to 2manybooks's topic in General Students

    I am going to have to echo some of the above. You need to get touch with your program/school adviser asap. I suspect that it's actually relatively rare for a program to allow a student to complete a...
  19. akulahawkRN

    Legalities in Flight Emergencies

    akulahawkRN replied to MNRNBSN's topic in General Nursing

    As long as you're volunteering to help (and you're not being compensated for the work) you will be covered by Good Sam laws, you just have to basically avoid gross negligence. In short, don't do...
  20. akulahawkRN

    Oxygen therapy in ED

    akulahawkRN replied to nikki199's topic in Emergency

    Respiratory Therapists get a LOT more education in ventilation and perfusion than most other folks, RN's included, as they are educated to be specialists in that arena. You'll find that hospitals do...
  21. akulahawkRN

    Oxygen therapy in ED

    akulahawkRN replied to nikki199's topic in Emergency

    First off, congratulations for landing a job in the ED. It's going to be an interesting ride! I pretty much say that ED nurses have to be part squirrel because we're always going this way and that,...
  22. akulahawkRN

    Just gave Epi for the first time

    akulahawkRN replied to MHDNURSE's topic in School

    Giving Epi that early might be a little aggressive, but it sounds like it was certainly reasonably appropriate. Good job! From my own practice and experience, I might have chosen weight-based...
  23. akulahawkRN

    Associates or bachelor

    akulahawkRN replied to Sanchez788's topic in Nursing Career

    If at all possible, do the BSN. You'll likely have more job opportunities if you do. Consider this: if you have all your lower division GE done, you don't have to go back to do that stuff, you just...
  24. akulahawkRN

    Trimalleolar fracture lessons learned

    akulahawkRN replied to CPO1893's topic in General Nursing

    While I personally haven't had a trimalleolar fracture, I do know that recovery is going to take a while, if you're looking for a decent recovery. You're about 3 weeks into recovery and starting PT in...
  25. akulahawkRN

    End of CCT Nurses in California?

    akulahawkRN replied to TraumaSurfer's topic in Flight, Surface Transport

    While it is true that most EMT's and Paramedics have no clue about the many specialties of nursing or much of whatever else happens in hospital, they do know one thing about Flight/CCT nurses: their...