SRobinson

Dianer, Almost two years ago we lost our Athletic Director at school. He ran up a flight of stairs to the playground and arrested. Our efforts were unsuccessful. Later, the autopsy revealed he'd had a cerebral aneurysm. I still get emotional thinking about it. I'd been in alot of codes but had never worked on someone I knew. One positive outcome from the experience: I now carry a turkey baster in my emergency bag for suctioning. (Alot of emesis with an aneurysm). We are just getting set to have AED's on campus.

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) has a flier directed to TEACHERS. It's called when to send a child to the School Nurse. You may want to contact them and pass it out at your school.

PPP--P*** Poor Protoplasm (We've all run across those kind) Pet Rocks/Fossils---water and turn every two hours We had our own terminology on the Med floors as well.

I've had to remove contacts from others eyes a few times. I prefer to stand behind them and grasp the lower portion of the lens between thumb and forefinger, they come right off. I tell them to stare straight ahead with eyes wide open. If it's someone with "jumpy eyelids" that can't stop blinking,I will lift the upper lid and pull slightly on the lower lid to gain access. It can be scary if you've never done it.

The bottom line is that Owners of these ALF's want to make a profit.The owners usually are "in bed" with certain lawmakers (state level) and the laws made regarding ALF's favor the owners. They hire med aides/techs because the residents live in ASSISTED living. The med tech is supposed to ASSIST the resident with taking meds. But we know that most in assisted living need a higher level of care/supervision than they get in ALF and meds are administered. Been there, seen it. Used to go in to ALF's when I worked in HH.

The bottom line is that Owners of these ALF's want to make a profit.The owners usually are "in bed" with certain lawmakers (state level) and the laws made regarding ALF's favor the owners. They hire med aides/techs because the residents live in ASSISTED living. The med tech is supposed to ASSIST the resident with taking meds. But we know that most in assisted living need a higher level of care/supervision than they get in ALF and meds are administered. Been there, seen it. Used to go in to ALF's when I worked in HH.

What is it with Nursing Home DON's and Administrators? I worked in LTC for about 10 months a few years ago as a Weekend Supervisor. The DON was afraid of the Aides. The thinking of those in Management is just appalling. The situations I encountered with staff was horrendous: 1) I sent an Aide home, suspended her, because she attacked another Aide that she was angry at over an assignment. The DON practically apologized to the offending Aide and she was back at work the next week with NO penalty. 2) Aides constantly left their assigned area to talk to their buddies. 3) They all wanted to take breaks/lunch/smoking times together. 4) They came in late, and left early. 5) They had their buddies clock in and out for them. 6) When I stood up to them, let them know what I expected of them...just to perform their job....I received harrassing phone calls at home and at work. Made it a point to contact the police and file a report. I had them come to the facility and made sure that everyone I suspected of being involved knew what was going on. Of course, I "played" the victim and just couldn't figure out WHO was doing this to me. The phone calls stopped after the police made their visit. 7) The DON was a relatively "new" RN, she had about six years experience, not any in management before this position, and was intimidated by any suggestion I made. The remedy for any problem was creating another piece of paper that the Professional staff or the Aides had to fill out. It became evident if you came to work on time, did your job, had good rapport with residents/family members you were a problem. On the other hand, if you came and went as you pleased, called out frequently, slept thru part of your shift and didn't give a hoot about the quality of your work you were held in high regard and they would practically beg you to stay...of course you had to threaten to quit on a regular basis. My venture ended when Administration decided that Supervisors and Unit Managers weren't needed any longer (I guess they thought the Aides were doing a great job running the place!). They were in a scramble to make up for lost revenue when the facility lost their ability to admit new residents under the govt programs due to too many problems following a state audit. They turned to the LPN's in the facility after I left and had made them rotate doing House Supervisor responsibilities. Another management decision that was met with opposition. I would not go back to LTC. The bottom line for these facilities is making a profit for those at the top....is why I won't work at most hospitals either. Sorry to be so negative but it won't get any better til those at the top change their mindset. Most mgt looks at those giving bedside care as being expendable/disposable..."a dime a dozen".

I work as a school nurse and following a divorce a few years back needed extra income. I worked as a supervisor in a long term care facility for about ten months doing a baylor schedule...two 12 hour shifts every weekend. I stayed tired, but got out of debt.

To quote a very wise man..."Stupid is as stupid does" Thrusting my hand into a cactus comes to mind when I think of someone sticking a hand in a sharpes container. She obviously was wigged out over losing the pill.

I live in the metro Atlanta area. Anyone in the area familiar with Univ. of Phoenix in this area? online or their local campus?

We have an OTC/Authorization for treatment form that Parents sign. We keep Tylenol, Ibuprofen, cough drops, Benadryl (for Allergic Reactions only), Tums, Calamine lotion, and Sting Kill in stock. Parents may send in meds(rx or otc) in for one week without a Physician note for a temporary condition (Allergies, infection). They may also send in Medicine that we give PRN for conditions such as allergies...Our policy is to always call the parent first so as not to duplicate doses. We have a Medication form for long term (daily) medicine like stimulants which require a Physician signature. I keep Vaseline, Vaseline lip therapy (like chapstick in a tube), and dry skin lotion. Home remedies? I do use warm salt water gargles for sore throats, have a hot pot to heat water in to make warm compresses (fold thick papertowels and place in a baggie, pour just enough hot water on towel to moisten, but not dripping and close, make sure all air is expressed, then cover with papertowel....they work wonders on "cricks" in necks & for menstrual cramps). We have contact solution for problems with lens: I pour it into plastic medicine cups for use so the bottle doesn't get contaminated. We keep eyewash in stock and use it more by the drop for getting debris out of eyes than for using the little cup ...and I throw the cup away after single use because I have no way to autoclave/clean properly.... I've kept syrup of Ipecac but have recently read where it's not recommended anymore. I've not had to use it in the 7 years I've been in School Nursing. Icepacks...can't live without them. I make them out of gloves, covered with a papertowel, quick and inexpensive and don't leak like baggies. I keep a few cold packs on hand for emergency use. I could go on and on, but...won't.

ONCE upon a time benevelent, compassionate souls looked on the ailing masses and out of a heart of compassion started what we call HOSPITALS today. The first Hospitals were started by Churches. Thru the years, like everyone else in our culture, the Churches decided they did not want to be in the sick people business and gave away their hospitals (to governments, then to big business). Yeah, I know there are a few that remain today, but for the most part, Hospitals are owned by BIG BUSINESS. CEO's at the top are the ones making their millions and satisfying the shareholders. The ORIGINAL INTENT of why Hospitals are HAS BEEN LOST....to bring comfort to the hurting, healing to the sick. That is why there is the association of a "calling" is so attached to Nursing and to Medicine. Too bad it's pretty much a distant, hazy memory now because everyone suffers.

I worked in Home Health for a long long time and at one point we had several patients in our area who had MRSA. They all belonged on one Managers caseload but several of us had covered for her when she was out. I had seen two of them but did not touch their caths (both had in urine), then I had one patient who had it in a wound. So everyone on our team was swabbed. Guess who had it in her nose. I was placed on a course of Bactroban. I think I acquired it from sniffing my patients wounds too much....(later, he did develop gangrene). Just joking.....but, seriously, MRSA is everywhere. It's not a problem unless your immunity is compromised. I wonder if I could add those letters after my name now??? Sorry, it's been a long week so far!!! You have learned alot with this incident, lessons you won't soon forget, and you will be a better Nurse for it.

I find it ironic that we in the profession of caring for others somehow can't extend it to our coworkers. I, too, have worked in an environment that was dog eat dog, having little cliques, folks causing great turmoil just because they could. It just goes to show that for every hard working, dedicated, Professional Nurse....there's the opposite, malcontent, who thrives on keeping everyone stirred up. I think that you probably radiate caring, have more energy than the folks who are on your unit and they are intimidated. They look in your eyes and see what they are not, and that can be a bitter pill to swallow. I'll step down off my soapbox now..........

This is my 7th year at a private school that has a large add/adhd population (. When I started this job, I wasn't very sure how I felt about add/adhd. After my first six months I was convinced that it is a valid disease! I have seen kids who take medication on a daily basis who miss their morning medication at home. They are totally different people when they come into my office. As for physician's who haphazardly put children on medication....that is rare. The kids I see everyday go thru a ton of psychological testing and counseling before the prescription is written for stimulants. I always am amazed at the arguments I hear about this not being a disease. The fact that this population takes a stimulant that has the opposite effect on them than the rest of us, that they are able to focus and LEARN, is enough to convince me that it is real.