shellasee

Hello, Wondering what other hospitals are doing in relation to pediatric patients who come back from surgery with epidurals in place, requiring either continuous gtts or boluses of medication. Do the nurses administer the medications or just monitor the meds? Do the anesthesiologists administer? Who removes the epidural? We are a general med surg unit with ADC in mid 40's with RN/LPN care pairs.

We used to use them all the time then our previous pharmacy director cut them due to costs. We then had 1 insulin incident and 1 narcotic incident, both in the PICU, both on plum pumps. It looks like it was the pump gone wild, so now we use the buretrols on any child under 1 year of age. We use them also for HAL and continuous Chemo. We put in 2 hours worth.

The class has gotten tougher this past year with some new reccomendations. It's a great class, especially since ours focused on shock and trauma. When I reupped 2 years ago I wasn't real happy because it dealt more with pre hospital scenarios, but I've taken it every 2 years for 10 years now and always learn something new. This year I retook the full 2 day course for refresher. We didn't have to read the whole book, but definitely took good notes during the lectures and keep the book in several places on the unit.

Wow, we have an RN with 3-4 on all shifts or an RN and LPN with 4-6 on days, evenings (depending upon acuity) and nights takes 6-7, but complains when they get 7!! It's a pediatric med surg unit. You should hear the complaints when we have to take 6 on days and eves. We should be counting our blessing it looks like!!!! 7 years ago it used to be an RN with 2 LPN's for 8 on days, 10 on eves and 12 on nights. That sucked for the RN!!

Was in Clearwater last year while visiting my friend from Jupiter. Fell in love with your city. How bad did you get hit by Charley?

Hello, I haven't been able to get in contact with my friend in Jupiter. Can anybody tell me how bed they got hit? She didn't evacuate and looked like they were in the eye at about 1am last night.

I have a best friend who lives in Jupiter that didn't get out with the evacuation. No gas, major traffic, worried that they would get hit while sitting in the car somewhere. Have been in contact at least 2 times a day for the past 2 days. I'm not there with you all, but my prayers and thoughts have been nowhere else. She is a peds ICU nurse in Miami who has been off due to an injury. Luckily, because she was part of the group that reports to duty when they are on hurricane watch and can't leave for a couple days. With an hour and a half drive, she'd be going nuts worrying about her family. Now she's hunkering down in a boarded up house, fortunately, at the highest point in Jupiter. She's a pacific northwest girl and freaking!!! I'm here in the pacific northwest, worrying as well. I pray you all get through this safely.

Wow, I'm a nurse manager who is salaried and works 50 hours a week. Can you tell me what hospital you work at that gives bonuses for that? I lost money the last 2 years as a manager, and I can't get a second job because all my time is taken up by my manager job. I don't want to even calculate how much money I really do make because I don't want to cry. I also struggle everyday with decisions I don't like and with defending my staff. Then I get to go home and continue to get calls throughout the night, just so I can screw my staff every chance I can. I even lay awake at night dreaming of ways to do that. Maybe I should move to your hospital where it sounds like I can be guilt free and get extra money. Please!! Not every hospital or manager works like this. If anything our staff run the show. We have implemented a shared governance. We got a director that got us 21 new nursing positions her first 6 months on the unit because the staff came to us with a problem and a way they thought it should be solved. Implemented 12 hours and 8 hour shifts. MOved senior staff off of weekends if they preferred. Weeded the garden of the negative staff that were bringing the moral down for years (as told by their peers). Arranged for an LPN to be taken away from the bedside to spearhead organizing the supplies and equipment that always had to be hunted for, AND took the heat for the overage of FTE's by having her do charge recapture and showing how much money she was finding that wasn't being charged for. She more than paid for her salary and probably more. If you work for a manager who has "crossed over to the dark side" then maybe it's not the manager, but the organization. Why would you choose to stay in that kind of environment.

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: I JUST GOT HOME FROM A BUSY WORK DAY, WORRIED ABOUT MY FRIEND WHO'S A NURSE IN FLORIDA AND DIDNT GET EVACUATED IN TIME FROM WEST PALM BEACH COUNTY. THIS IS THE FUNNIEST THING I'VE HEARD ALL DAY. SHE WILL NEED A LAUGH WHEN ALL IS DONE. THANK YOU.:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Hello, We are a pediatric, general med surg unit, with 54 beds. Our care model is either 1 RN with 3 patients or one RN and one LPN for 4-6 patients, depending upon their acuity, but the typical assignment is 5 on days and eves 6-7 on nights. No CNA's or PCT's. 12 RN travellers, who are pretty much staff. Been with with us awhile. mix of 8's and 12's, but mostly 12's (7a-7p/7p-7a). Approximately 70%RN's and 30% LPN's. Looking for advice and input on trying to do self scheduling. We have anywhere from 16-18 nurses on any given days and eves. Nights decreases to anywhere from 13-15. Seems like an undoable situation, but want to get more info. Thanks:rotfl: