BelgianRN

BelgianRN

GICU, PICU, CSICU, SICU

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All Content by BelgianRN

  1. bolus w/o order....yes or no?

    BelgianRN replied to sarahbeth2006's topic in General Nursing

    What's wrong with speaking to the RN herself? Why run to management. If you felt the need to spy on her patient care at least have the courtesy to go head on with her as well. There is too little...

  2. Registration Typos

    BelgianRN replied to Anna Flaxis's topic in Emergency

    "PEP", so i figured hmmm profylaxis. Turns out it stands for "poepen en pech" which is Dutch for "unfortunate sex", the guy had an STD. Or when the patients talk too much some secretaries summ it up...

  3. GCS of a quadriplegic?

    BelgianRN replied to machaix's topic in MICU, SICU

    The GCS was designed with the mindset of neurotrauma evaluation. It gained popularity for other usages and pathologies. But i think the point is moot as to what their GCS is if you have signs he is...

  4. audible brachial pulse

    BelgianRN replied to blanck4's topic in Cardiac

    You can only hear audible arterial pulses when the bloodflow is somehow obstructed. There are multiple reasons: pressure from your stethoscope on a superficial artery, partially clogged artery,...

  5. What's your patient load?

    BelgianRN replied to germsjackson's topic in Emergency

    For every ABC-unstable patient we go 1:1, means the other nurses go up at the same time taking over your load. Medsurg anywhere from 3:1 to 6:1 depending on available staff. Peds generally 3:1....

  6. Working long hours to buy gifts for everyone...

    BelgianRN replied to Brian's topic in Nurses Rock

    I used to do this for years, but somehow felt unrewarding as some members in my family can be really ungrateful. But last year I decided to work Christmas, escape from my extensive family (the easy...

  7. Simultaneous Electrolyte Administration

    BelgianRN replied to sarahc331's topic in Critical Care

    The only issue that we keep having with our new people is simple chemistry problems. Like you can't infuse potassiumphosphate and magnesiumsulphate together since it forms the insoluble...

  8. BiV pacer question

    BelgianRN replied to jo1828's topic in Cardiac

    It is possible to have two ventricular spikes if your pacemaker activates the two ventricles separately and out of sync to some

  9. atrial ecg

    BelgianRN replied to deepurple's topic in Cardiac

    Indeed, an atrial ECG requires atrial pacing wires. The policy in my hospital is that we connect the extremity leads as they should and use V1 and V2 or V3 connected to both atrial wires. I generally...

  10. Blood cultures from old CVC

    BelgianRN replied to maloneys's topic in MICU, SICU

    Standard Practice in our ICUs is when spiking a temperature we draw at least one blood culture peripherally

  11. Primacor and Dobutamine running @ same time?

    BelgianRN replied to brettt's topic in CCU, Coronary, Cardiac

    It is a very common combination for our severe heart failure patients. Both drugs have a different pathway to stimulate the inotropy of the heart. Dobutamine works via your beta receptors stimulating...

  12. ECG Question Need help ASAP

    BelgianRN replied to HeartStat's topic in CCU, Coronary, Cardiac

    The thing that came to mind is that half sensitivity refers to 5 mm/1 mV instead of the standard 10 mm/1 mV. You'd change this value in the light of left ventricular hypertrophy or conduction...

  13. anxiety/desats when repositioning intubated patient

    BelgianRN replied to RNbethy's topic in MICU, SICU

    As other posters have said preoxygenation is helpful. But you could see if you have orders to give a bolus of a sedative for an already intubated patient. This will decrease the oxygen consumption by...

  14. What to do in family emergency situations?

    BelgianRN replied to treeye's topic in General Nursing

    I remember a few years ago a colleague called around 22 pm she wouldn't be in for the nightshifft. She came home found her husband drowned in the tub together with her 1 year old. As she called us the...

  15. Bullies at the work place.. vent

    BelgianRN replied to ohmeowzer RN's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    The thing that has bothered me with the OP's post is the first line where he/she mentions "turned in". It sounds so malignant. You don't turn your colleagues in via a report ever, you just report an...

  16. Pressure Support Mode VS CPAP/BiPAP

    BelgianRN replied to SterlingArcher's topic in MICU, SICU

    Bi-level is the competitor's name (I believe Maquet/Siemens) for Bipap from

  17. Pressure Support Mode VS CPAP/BiPAP

    BelgianRN replied to SterlingArcher's topic in MICU, SICU

    Hey, I'll give it a shot. CPAP is just continuous positive airway pressure. This means that the patients get a set amount of pressure (e.g. 5 cmH2O) applied to either his ETT or via mask. This 5 cm...

  18. A fib in the 40's??

    BelgianRN replied to Morganalefey's topic in Cardiac

    As a general rule you don't want to convert such a slow Afib you run the risk of going into cardiac arrest. As a PP stated such a slow Afib is usually secondary to excessive rate control (e.g. digoxin...

  19. What and How Much Can You Tell to Patient's Family?

    BelgianRN replied to CuteNurseUnl's topic in HIPAA Challenges

    What we sometimes do with VIPs or spectacular conditions/situations. Whenever someone calls claiming to be wife/husband/son/daughter we call them back on the listed telephone number in our PDMS to...

  20. Trouble with understanding pH-related death

    BelgianRN replied to mlbdestined's topic in MICU, SICU

    You have caths measuring it but if I don't have them in my patient I'll just draw blood from a central line or Swan Ganz and determine the SO2 myself via our blood gas

  21. Trouble with understanding pH-related death

    BelgianRN replied to mlbdestined's topic in MICU, SICU

    I think your preceptor was indicating the oxygen hemoglobin dissociation curve. It's true that acidosis causes the curve to shift to the right thereby decreassing the "bond" between oxygen and the...

  22. Pregnancy Discrimination - Interview

    BelgianRN replied to Art_Vandelay's topic in Job Search, Interview, Resume

    Since the 1950s we've come a long way in terms of condom use, birth control and birth planning as well. In the majority of cases having a child is a well balanced choice more than an accidental...

  23. Hypoxia and High flow NC

    BelgianRN replied to 9Bennett6's topic in MICU, SICU

    Working a general ICU in my hospital we frequently encounter this problem. Without knowing about your specific institution I can only comment on mine. For an empty bed in my ICU there are usually...

  24. What's in your pocket - ER Style

    BelgianRN replied to Frizbeeboy's topic in Emergency

    My pockets contain: Pens (2 - 4 diff colors, totally unneeded but looks nice all the colors in a row), penlight, permanent marker (mostly for marking syringes during codes, has been used on foreheads...

  25. Understanding cardiac gtts

    BelgianRN replied to squirtle's topic in CCU, Coronary, Cardiac

    RNerd81 what's the point in increasing renal perfusion if it doesn't stop the patient from going into renal failure or from dieing? Especially if you look at the safety of the drug you're using. In...