Roy Fokker BSN, RN

ER/Trauma

Member

All Content by Roy Fokker

  1. Roy Fokker

    What supplies do you carry on you?

    Roy Fokker replied to Nire83's topic in Emergency

    My brain Other than that - stethoscope on a clip on my left hip, a Mcgyver'd contraption of hemostat, tape and trauma shears on my right hip (run hemostat through hole in tape roll, clip hemostat to...
  2. Roy Fokker

    On the positive side . . .

    Roy Fokker replied to KimICURN's topic in General Nursing

    I'll never forget the letter the mother of a 13 year old OD sent us. It was a harrowing code but we saved the pts. life. Now the patient has moved on, is doing great, making good grades in school and...
  3. Roy Fokker

    doctors using to ER to adment ?

    Roy Fokker replied to Trekfan's topic in Emergency

    Less resistance and less hassle for whom?Is it ok to clog the ER with non-emergent patients making it more difficult for emergent patients to get the care they need and deserve? "I'm sorry you've been...
  4. Roy Fokker

    Advice to the LTC nurse...

    Roy Fokker replied to southernbeegirl's topic in Emergency

    I hear ya. It's a common complaint as well with a lot of primary care docs who deal with the general populace too. I even had a rant about it a while back... I totally agree! For the record, I don't...
  5. Roy Fokker

    What helps you get through a shift ?

    Roy Fokker replied to xtxrn's topic in General Nursing

    Nothing beats working with a good crew! There's a couple pod partners I absolutely LOVE working with - we gel well, support each other, no BS, get stuff done, keep the meat movin'... all while...
  6. Roy Fokker

    bad feeling

    Roy Fokker replied to birdie22's topic in General Nursing

    Heh! Reminds me of this... You should read the whole thread in any case. Know that you're not alone. We've all been there. At some point in our careers. The two most important teachers in life are...
  7. Roy Fokker

    How many of you have to pay for parking for your work?

    Roy Fokker replied to ~Mi Vida Loca~RN's topic in General Nursing

    I don't pay for parking. Don't know any hospitals in the area that charge for parking. This is a mix of urban/rural area (but not a city like Chicago or NYC). I suspect that if land is at a premium,...
  8. Roy Fokker

    Nursing doesnt define you

    Roy Fokker replied to Mrs. SnowStormRN's topic in General Nursing

    I kinda-sorta stumbled into nursing. I don't think it defines me. I'm good at what I do but it's not my "passion" and it's never been a "calling" :) I think it all started when I was a wee kid and...
  9. Roy Fokker

    Orientation Issues with Prioritization

    Roy Fokker replied to suzem's topic in General Nursing

    (emphasis mine)I think this is the key issue here. The question is: 1. Should I treat this patient's BP of 170/107 with her morning BP meds STAT? OR 2. Should I continue on to my other patients,...
  10. Roy Fokker

    Shout Out for Nurses working in the Hurricane

    Roy Fokker replied to Sehille4774's topic in General Nursing

    We lost power. One of our floors upstairs sprung a leak. Water all over the place, cascading down one stairwell. We coded three people - one of 'em was very, very young (I felt really bad not just...
  11. Roy Fokker

    Nurses in the path of Hurricane Irene

    Roy Fokker replied to Horseshoe's topic in General Nursing

    We were expected to show up - braving the rain, the winds, downed power lines and other hazards of the road.... .... and "top management" decided 'the storm doesn't warrant emergency status'. Meaning?...
  12. Roy Fokker

    My nursing judgement call.....thoughts?

    Roy Fokker replied to knittingfan283's topic in General Nursing

    You did the right thing. For future reference - it's ALWAYS better to call RRT than to call a Code Blue! It stems from the old maxim "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" ... i.e....
  13. Roy Fokker

    singing?

    Roy Fokker replied to butterfly134's topic in General Nursing

    I sing/hum/whistle constantly! :) "Where words fail, music speaks - Hans Christian Andersen".
  14. Roy Fokker

    ER handoff report to floor

    Roy Fokker replied to PatricksRNMommy's topic in Emergency

    My personal thoughts: * At my facility, the protocol is to call for report. If nurse is unavailable to take report, wait 10-20 minutes and call again. If nurse is still unavailable to take report, fax...
  15. Roy Fokker

    Dealing with the death of a patient...for the first time

    Roy Fokker replied to NursingStudent!'s topic in General Nursing

    I doubt you'll find many nurses who can say with absolute certainity that they have no 'favorites'.We maybe professionals, but we are first and foremost humans. I'll never forget about losing "M". I...
  16. Roy Fokker

    "The Golden Hour"

    Roy Fokker replied to Tait's topic in General Nursing

    I work ED. And I'm not surprised that my post is against the general grain of thought so far in this thread. The only unit that has this policy in place is ICU. Cannot bring a patient up from ED to...
  17. Roy Fokker

    Night shift -- can you just take it easy, please?

    Roy Fokker replied to SoundofMusic's topic in General Nursing

    "My shift is more bad ass than yours!" "No! MY shift is more bad ass then yours!" I usually find that it's not a "shift problem" but more a "nurse problem". It doesn't matter if you're coming in at 7a...
  18. Roy Fokker

    Certifications/training for a new ER nurse

    Roy Fokker replied to ertrek84's topic in Emergency

    If you're already working as an ED nurse, I wouldn't get the EMT cert. Not because it's not a valid cert. but because of the reason already mentioned - the focus of EMT is different from ER. Give...
  19. Roy Fokker

    What is your policy for suicidal patients?

    Roy Fokker replied to PinkRocksLikeMe's topic in General Nursing

    If the complaint is SI/HI/intoxication (drugs or alcohol) - the FIRST thing done is change out of street clothes, all belongings labeled and locked with security and a 1:1 observation initiated. No...
  20. Roy Fokker

    Why Dogs Make the Best Friends

    Roy Fokker replied to HM2VikingRN's topic in General Nursing

    Ain't nothing else in the world like the unconditional love of a dog :) Heck, it's the only reason I want to buy a house - so I can have
  21. Roy Fokker

    Chest pain do you need an EKG order?

    Roy Fokker replied to usRNs's topic in General Nursing

    I've actually been 'lectured' on not obtaining an ECG on a 18 year old patient who presented with focal, reproducible chest pain. Why? "Because the chief complaint listed in triage is chest pain. If...
  22. Roy Fokker

    Do you get over it?

    Roy Fokker replied to StL_Momma27's topic in General Nursing

    I haven't the faintest so I'm just throwing this out there - how about shaving cream or shaving lotion?It helps with the poop - maybe it'll help here
  23. Roy Fokker

    ER and strange phenomena

    Roy Fokker replied to EmergencyNrse's topic in Emergency

    The night I sent out four head-bleeds in under five hours. Or the night when every single one of my patients was an active GI bleed - all with hemoglobins under 7! I think I single handedly depleted...
  24. Roy Fokker

    NRB & COPD your input please

    Roy Fokker replied to crb613's topic in Emergency

    I too am not too fond of the "he's COPDer - can't give him O2!" Too often people forget the whole "treat the patient not the numbers/history" aspect of it. I agree - NRB is NOT high flow. I'm also a...
  25. Roy Fokker

    Do you get over it?

    Roy Fokker replied to StL_Momma27's topic in General Nursing

    I usually don't ever think about it. Sure it grosses me out at that particular time ... but once it's done, it's done. That's a nice 1:4 ratio going on