Katmae RN

Hope your mother will be OK..how old is she?her heart is large the doc said ,which makes it less effective in pumping,thus the chf. what is her pulse running? does she smoke? Maybe they want her pressure lower to prevent her heart from working so hard. Good luck with her recovery and hope she will be fine.

don't ya just hate the ignorance or doctors..pulling wires with a inr of 3.4..duh what an [language edited by moderator]

Wow did i put that post in the wrong place or what..I just read neonatal nurses. I'm babbling about a 98 yr old woman jeez. But euthanasia does cross all age groups..and it is us nurses at the bedside with them.

The docs order the prn meds for comfort..it's the nurse who decides when and how often to give them in what i have experienced. We are with the patient 24/7..and witness all that they go thru in a hopeless, terminal condition. Last night a 98 yr old lady we have been caring for has become emaciated,lifeless as a ragdoll, except when she is disturbed to change her, or turn her. Lost 30 pounds in last month and refuses all food and drink. All her adl's are done by nursing staff. Finally last night the doc ordered Ativan for her prn. She gets very sob and anxious when we touch her. She has periods of 1 minute apnea and you really have to look closely to see if she is still with us. It has been suggested we get an order for morphine if she is still anxious after ativan. Depending on the nurse..isn't it possible that she could be helped along with the end of her life. It's the nurse's interpretation of what should be given, and why at that point. Difficult dilemma, watching someone die by the "inch" for days and yet not want to be the one who gave her the final dose. Those of us who have cared for her for years, don't want her suffering to go on.We all know it's time and that she has decided to end her life by not eatting or drinking. I dunno..just venting. Hope she is at peace soon.

Was the man treated with TPA? Nitro IV, Morphine ,ASA ? Or just told the doctor will be here soon (Haha) I can't imagine the damge done to his heart muscle if not..and then if such did happen, it should be brought to the attention of someone higher up. It is disgusting that the cardiologist didn't show up for 6 hours. He should have his license pulled if he cannot own up to his obligations to patients when on call. Unless of course he had someone else check the patient in the mean time. What type of hospital do u work at? Like how many beds etc. What state is it in? These kinds of cases are what make me wanna leave healthcare..it happens all the time, physcians who don't give a ****.

Hi I am wondering what the jobs are like in the Virgin Islands. What kinda of work in nursing, and how many patients are you responsible for? Sounds wonderful. How are the living conditions you have as a traveler? Thanks Kathleen

Thanks for the refresher Bruinlaura :)

its been 18 yrs since i had to study the cranial nerves..so my memory, is well lets say, dull. Can someone please name the nerves to match the nmemonic . Thanks

Iowa here. Moved 4 yrs ago from NJ. I love the peace of the midwest. The hospital i work at has 25 beds and is a critical care access hospital.

Pam my thoughts are with you as you struggle through this difficult time. When I "let" my Dad go it was one of the hardest things ever. I'm sure your Mom will be grateful to you and the family for letting her go from this suffering. If you believe in Heaven, you know she will be in a much better place. God bless you and your family.

LOL Carotid..a day in the life of a holiday in the ER. Too funny. My turn is coming at 23:00. Hope all the cardiac people ate lightly!Course the serotonin levels just might make them sleepppp hopefully. Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

I find squeezing saline down someone's trach or et tube is cruel. The patient coughs and gags even worse than just suctioning. It must be awful! I know when i swallow something and it goes down "the wrong pipe" it is very uncomfortable and scary. There are other methods to thin secretions like warm humdified trach collar, albuterol tx's mucomyst etc.Also a simple trach cleaning to clear it of a plug. I think its barbaric to use saline.

Glad to hear that your Dad had good nursing care, and that you got to be with him when he left this world. I too got called in when he turned bad and got to be with him. I too am an only child..and Dad meant the world to me.Such a relief to see his suffering end. It was such a spiritual thing..almost like i saw his soul leave his body. He went just as i finished saying a Hail Mary..pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. It was as if she reached out her arms and took him to Heaven to be with God. I'm not a church goer or bible type..but this was truly was a spiritual experience. I miss him daily and remember things we did and said..as I know you will. In time the pain lessens and you'll feel him in your life, always there when you need calming from fear or stress. I remember saying to my Dad a few days before he died that he could let go..that i would be alright..and that we would see each other again in Heaven. What a look he gave me..like are you sure. He knew how much pain i would have to endure without him. I'm just thankful for all the yrs with him and that he was my Dad. Good luck in your new career and I am sure your Dad was very proud of you. Kathleen

I took off a total of 3 months to go to my Dad, and find out why he was having chronic diarrhea, 10 lb weight loss, and cough. The docs he saw never found out the cause until I came out there to his home state..and insisted they do further tests. It was cancer of the lung with mets to the liver. I luckily got to stay with him for the remainder of his life..which was six weeks. It was the hardest and most awful experience i have ever been thru. His hospital care was the absolute pits..and i vowed i would never work in the profession again. After I buried him, i took 6 more weeks to get my act together. I am back in nursing and got past the feelings i had about hospital care. Don't ya know my first night back i get assigned to a person dying, the same manner my Dad did..boy was that tough. It's been a year and a half now and I believe my dad watches over me, protects me, and comforts me, as he did in life. Work is much easier with him just a prayer away. I hope your pain eases and memories of your Dad sustain you. My dad left me in a financial situation I was able to do this. If I had to work right away I can't imagine how hard it would have been. Take care, Kathleen

I appreciate this refresher of iv calculation thanks Angel

[ QUOTE=nursemeow] Nice to hear Deborah Heart and Lung is still a great place to work. I spent 13 yrs there and it truly is a terrific place. I moved to Iowa 4 yrs ago and boy did I stumble trying to find anything remotely resembling Deborah's good staffing and administration. Luckily I found a comfortable place to work. Enjoy your career there!

How sad Purlple. It's really a tragedy how ethical issues such as this woman has have not been adressed by the medical profession or society. I often think when caring for such a tragic patient..if only the public could see what goes on here for 24 hours with this patient. I think it would be a real eye opener. I doubt anyone in the decision making process has experienced such a heart wretching sight. Hopefully these types of situations will be addressed soon.

Guess after 17 years at the bedside I have seen a great deal of human suffering. Prolonged by trach's, GT's etc. My own Dad in the end with terminal cancer as well. I got to be with him as he left this world..and although it was deeply painful to me, I saw his body relax after a last breath..and it was such a relief to me to see his suffering end. I feel he went to Heaven to be with our creator. I am not a church goer or a person who tries to push my values on others. But this is what helps me form what I feel is right or wrong about prolonging life in cases that we have talked about in this thread.

I was referring to Terry Schiavo in my earlier post. I saw her husband and his lawyer on Larry King discuss the long drawn out process involved in letting Terry go. Then after years of fighting in the courts for what they believe were Terry's wishes Jeb Bush stepped in to put her feeding tube back in. I work with a woman who for 14 years has laid in a bed..turned every two hours, fed by tube, bathed, cleaned of her incontinence. She cannot move, cannot communicate other than moan at times. Her husband and son have since died. It really takes a toll on one's concept of what life is and isn't. The tube feeding prolongs her "life" indefinetly. Medicare has paid hundreds of thousands, if not millions to keep her alive this way for fourteen years. I picture Terry when I care for her. Helpless, totally dependent, not able to decide anything, eat anything, say anything..I would not want to be kept this way, and I can't imagine anyone who would. So who will speak for helpless Terry. What parent could ever want this for their child? Maybe it's because I am a Christian and I know death is not a punishment..but a gift in such circumstances. Yes death is difficult for their survivors, but for those afflicted with such illness, it is a blessing to be free again. I am against tube feedings in cases of this kind, or any terminal illness.

According to Jeb Bush yes we must be fed by tube. Those Bush's just love telling us all what we're gonna do.

Made a med error years ago..a fellow nurse took a phone order the previous night for a patient with pain. Order Demerol/Vistaril iv push . A few of us got caught giving this. The vial writing is so tiny on Vistaril..but it does indeed say Do Not Give IV..I learned the hard way UGH. So used to that combo IM. Patient was fine thankfully, but I learned an invaluable lesson..read the vial thoroughly. So add Vistaril to the list :)

It's scary..health care being at the bottom of priority in our country. I haven't heard any solutions to the problem yet. Even something as simple as making your payments to health insurance company being tax deductible. I pay 2800.00 a yr. for a 1800 deductible..and 5400.00 max a yr.Many middle class families can't afford the rates. It's very sad.

I feel negatively about the Magnet status. It seems like a ploy for hospitals to brag with for patients to come to that hospital. Show me a $5.00/hr. raise when we get it and I'll respect it more.

Lmao

People who are totally dependent on nursing for their every need. We have one lady who has been comatose for 13 yrs. A bee sting/anaphylaxis case. She appears comfortable most of the time, but can't imagine never being able to sleep more than 2 hours straight. We have to turn her and clean her. She has never had a decub in all those years. Her eyes open with her cares, but never focus. Sometimes I feel she knows it's me, I talk to her everytime i am in there. Tell her what i am doing etc. Sometimes she just seems to stare back at me..i swear she loves my red hair :)