Roy Fokker BSN, RN

ER/Trauma

Member

All Content by Roy Fokker

  1. Roy Fokker

    ICU thinking about ED

    Roy Fokker replied to CGB1's topic in Emergency

    Well, for the most part - I'm sorry to say that when it comes to critical patients - the ED and ICU aren't ALL that different. We BOTH experience 'chronic and often futile care.'The BIG difference...
  2. Roy Fokker

    I hate my new job

    Roy Fokker replied to WannaBNursey's topic in Emergency

    That's actually not uncommon. Level II ED I used to work at, you couldn't do Triage unless you'd been a full blown ED nurse for at least TWO years! Trauma.... well, that's a BIG different story! One...
  3. Roy Fokker

    Do things work/can you find the things you need?

    Roy Fokker replied to Lev's topic in Emergency

    Sorry, my response devolved into a rant and I didn't even address your primary concern in your post. My advice - ask around your fellow staff ('specially the old timers) and see if anyone had or if...
  4. Roy Fokker

    Do things work/can you find the things you need?

    Roy Fokker replied to Lev's topic in Emergency

    We used to have a dedicated position staffed to take care of ED supplies - everything from laryngoscopes, batteries, thoracotomy trays, printer paper... you name it. If it was something you needed and...
  5. Roy Fokker

    Stroke Alerts

    Roy Fokker replied to floridaRN38's topic in Emergency

    General consensus - when in doubt, call the stroke alert. Management wants us to err on the side of caution rather than miss a stroke (and I agree with the principle). 1. For walk in patients -...
  6. Roy Fokker

    A Headache is not an emergency

    Roy Fokker replied to Patient4life's topic in Emergency

    There is no "GYN Clinic" (I've worked dozens of hospitals and hospital systems over many years; I've never come across a GYN Clinic in a Hospital and much less an ER setting.) Triage dictates you...
  7. Roy Fokker

    A Headache is not an emergency

    Roy Fokker replied to Patient4life's topic in Emergency

    Yeah, no. It is actually lose-lose.I didn't become a nurse - especially an ED nurse - for "job stability." In as much as I didn't become a nurse to treat "customers" instead of "patients." This is...
  8. Roy Fokker

    Rant about horrible shift

    Roy Fokker replied to gemmi999's topic in Emergency

    "Never refuse free help" - my mantra for new grads and nursing students. :-) Teamwork makes the dreamwork - as cliched as it sounds, truer words were never spoken. I learned it in my first year of ER...
  9. Roy Fokker

    Why use compression bags when transfusing blood?

    Roy Fokker replied to mmm_016RN's topic in Medical-Surgical

    I've had a patient come in with both frank hematemesis and frank melena. Looked paler than the sheet he was placed on. 6 nurses swarming him and couldn't get a line. The attending couldn't even get a...
  10. Roy Fokker

    What is the drug of choice in your area?

    Roy Fokker replied to Momma1RN's topic in Emergency

    There's a heroin epidemic in my part of the North-East/Atlantic. Sad thing is it's mostly kids/young adults. And they start out pretty innocent - back surgery after injury at work, prescribed Vicodin,...
  11. Roy Fokker

    ER - How to stay calm

    Roy Fokker replied to Lev's topic in Emergency

    "When in trouble or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." :-) Glad you're doing better! -
  12. Roy Fokker

    ICU RN considering moving to ER

    Roy Fokker replied to DesertSky's topic in Emergency

    Oh and don't forget - no more "two patients and I'm done." Your assigned rooms are full? Hey presto! Say hello to your new hallway patient... (This will really hit home when you're cardioverting in...
  13. Roy Fokker

    good bye ER... maybe

    Roy Fokker replied to Ryan RN's topic in Emergency

    Am slowly coming to the conclusion that even me, SuperNurse can't do the ER gig forever. It's not so much the physical aspect in as much as the patience aspect. I had a 32 yr old come in via EMS...
  14. Roy Fokker

    Triage question

    Roy Fokker replied to gvrn13's topic in Emergency

    Yeah, this.I had a 63 year old, well dressed lady check in at 0240 am for c/o a toothache. Now I've had toothaches (just had 2 out of my 7 impacted molars removed last week!). But something about her...
  15. Roy Fokker

    Nurses please give an new ER-Tech some advice

    Roy Fokker replied to Socal_EMT's topic in Emergency

    * There ain't no such thing as "too many vital signs." * As others have said before - please don't be lazy. You don't even have to go above and beyond - at the very least, do your job! Believe me,...
  16. Roy Fokker

    Triage question

    Roy Fokker replied to gvrn13's topic in Emergency

    Good thread. Quick tip for the future when you have patients with dark nail polish or blue nailbeds that interfere with SpO2 collecion: Turn the probe 90 degrees and re-apply to the finger (so it is...
  17. Roy Fokker

    What happened to the "Emergency" in "Emergency Room?"

    Roy Fokker replied to Emergency.RN's topic in Emergency

    That will help only to a certain extant. You can have all the NPs and PAs and Docs you want and they can order all the tests and labs they wish - but at the end of the day, there are only a fixed...
  18. Roy Fokker

    "VIPs" in the ER

    Roy Fokker replied to innercityedrn's topic in Emergency

    My first job (brand spanking new nurse too!) - took care of my hospital CEO overnight. :-) I remember there was more than one nurse that shift who didn't want the assignment. I was "Voluntold" (as...
  19. Roy Fokker

    Delay in transfer to floor

    Roy Fokker replied to bebbercorn's topic in Emergency

    Very similar to what turnforthenurse, BSN posted. I usually make a nurses note in the actual chart (not the comment section on the board. While it is useful to convey certain information, it is not a...
  20. Roy Fokker

    What happened to the "Emergency" in "Emergency Room?"

    Roy Fokker replied to Emergency.RN's topic in Emergency

    I usually (repeat, usually LOL) don't have problems taking care of non-emergent patients. For a whole gamut of reasons: * Every once a while, I do appreciate having a non-emergent/non-critical...
  21. Roy Fokker

    Nursing: The Highly Skilled Customer Service Representative

    Roy Fokker replied to gleanns's topic in General Nursing

    O.M.G! I could hug you about now! The number of times I've had to call pharmacy for re-stocking my Pyxis (I don't get it. My old hospital did a MUCH better job of re-stocking when we ran out of XYZ...
  22. Roy Fokker

    Confessions of a Hospital Administrator: I Feel Your Pain...Pill

    Roy Fokker replied to ServantLeader's topic in Emergency

    Honestly, I'd rather deal with drug seekers than drunks. That being said - my biggest problem with chronic users/pain management patients; is that they take ER beds away from patients with legit...
  23. Roy Fokker

    career ladder to ER

    Roy Fokker replied to Guest02/04/2016's topic in Emergency

    "i want to be prepared for the ER" I've been an ER nurse for years and I can tell you with supreme confidence - "there ain't no such thing as being prepared for the ER." :-) As others have mentioned...
  24. Roy Fokker

    Virtue is its own reward....

    Roy Fokker replied to allnurses's topic in General Nursing

    Many years ago, in school, we were taught that when patients are in pain; their perception on reality alters and therefore so does their behaviour. Fast forward to today, many years and thousands of...
  25. Roy Fokker

    Other departments trying to skip on work with RN's "blessing", aka lazy people wanting som

    Roy Fokker replied to ixchel's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    I honestly don't think any competent nurse would disagree with you over this.I DO think that what most nurses are complaining about is the fact that other departments seem to see nursing as the "GO TO...