doozie12

I agree with grannynurse. I for one am one of the nurse who has chornic back pain due major back surgery that I had to have bacause of a work injury because we were short staffed and have to take pain meds on a daily basis as prescribed by the PM doc the hospital sent me to and I take methadone, baclofen, darvocet for breakthrough and ambien to sleep 3-4 hrs a night. I have to work I have a family so not working is not an option. These meds do not effect me other than making the pain managable (not go away it, never gets below a 5 on a pain scale of 1-10 ). I am better able to function when the pain is not crippling. And yes the hospital knows what I am taking they are paying for it ( I get a a pay slip from employee health to get it from the hospital pharmacy ).

Yes we have Lpn's in our picu and Nicu and I have worked bouth ends and yes I do have the skills to work there. Making that statement lpns don't have the skills is to broard I have met some RNs that didn't have the skills needed to be on a regular floor nor would I want them to be my nurse. Every nurse is capable they just need to be orintated.

Hi Sorry to hear about your friends child. First your friend needs to choose a different DR for her child one that deals in gastric problems and will consult a respitory doc as well. This problem should have been caught long before now but that is neither here nor there. Did they have a PCG witha PH probe if not that that may be the next test they need to do. They need to ask if he is aspirating when he is drinking the liquid or is he refluxing and that test will tell them. If he is refluxing there are meds that may be given to help with the reflux and also a surgery (Nissen Fundoplication). My next suggestion might be if the thicking agent is too expensive she may look into the dhs services provided in her state to help help with the cost maybe the wic program and the hospital should have a social worker there to her her find resources to help with the childs medical. She also may try to use baby rice cereal in liquids it really doesn't have a tasste and she can add as much as she needs to make it thick enough for him. Another idea is to talk to the Peds nurses about a good dr that deals with the childs problem they are a very good resource as to which drs are the best they work with them on a daily basis. And I agree with the others try to stay in your scope but let them know that there is hope and point them in the right direction to get it. I just say this becuse they are probably grasping at straws and will take every thing you say to them as gospel and if you say something to them that is wrong or even phrase it wrong they may hold it against you and might hurt your friendship which would be a shame since you are such a caring friend and kutos too you for looking for them some help. another idea about the thicking agent is maybe contacting the manufacturer directly and telling a supervisior the problem with the cost and see if there programs which might off set it through the company or if the company knows of any insitutions that may help them. a peds nurse:rolleyes:

Hi You need to look at the excelcersior program ( not sure o the spelling though it used to be called the regents program from New York State Unniversity). They will look at your past transcripts and you can complete the courses you need by self study guides and taking a test at the end of the study Guide at a Testing center ie Sylvan learning centers. You do it at your own pace and it is kinda like the boards test multiple choice questions. There are I think 7 core courses in nursing Then it is a weekend clinical at a hospital you choose off the list many states have a hospital on it and not a difficult clinical invasive procedures are done on dummies the first night ie.. shots caths Ivs tube insertion and ect and you will probably only do one or two to get checked off. Then you write the dreaded careplans. The next day you will follow a nurse and do about 4 things while she observes you assesment teaching drsg change and the like. Then on sunday they call you in and tell you if you passed or not then send the result in. They will send out a letter to you in 2wks to a month asking where are you going to sit for boards and if you want to attend the graduation ceramony in NY. Just a Thought:rolleyes: