oneillk1

:uhoh3:We had this issue... admittedly some staff were seen by the family of the patient making a personal call on their phone. So now we have a blanket ban on cel phones in our unit. BUT! We received word in our communication book that if anyone (patients, visitors) asked why their cell phones would interfere with equipment and the doctor's cell phone would not, we were to say that they have a special chip in their phone that allows them to be used safely!! I think I could probably cough up my own lung before saying that to someone with a straight face!

Enough power so the fridge, toaster, sandwich press, dishwasher, hot water boiler and two microwaves can run at the same time without shorting anything out! And yes it was me that caused people to have no dinner by shorting out the appliances :uhoh21:

Could it have been for the comfort of the family rather than the comfort of teh patient?

I know that from a critical care perspective, if the MAP is below 50 then we are looking at ischaemia. Ie Uterus, placenta. And that is not even taking into account the resistance from these

I usually say something along the lines of "we are keeping a close eye on 'x' but at the moment we are a bit more concerned by y and z." And take it from there, sometimes the families accept that, othertimes they want a bigger explanation. My explanations do tend to get shorter though the more times people ask the same question! Also probably the obvious thing of the family becoming fixated on the aspect of the patient that they know something about, as a way of clinging to the last big of control. Good luck!

If there is concern about the FALSE eyelashes falling in the sterile field what abtout the natural ones... a hair from her eyebrow, a flake of skin..... Is she working in theatre??? On the other hald if she has hair that is faling over the patient that is a different story. I personally do not think that the overdone fake tan and makeup and hair is a good look anywhere but if she wants to drag herself out of bed that bit earlier in the morning it's her perogative. At the end of the day people could look at me and say "gosh she has no makeup on, she must not take very good care of herself and therefore she is not a good nurse" Works both ways doesn't it. I am learning that what is normal to me is not necessary normal to everyone else...

We get 1:1 ventilated, sometimes 2:1 unventilated, sometimes 3:2 unventilated or even 1:2 if the patient is really sick (that is patient : nurse) The only time we ever have more than 1 ventilated patient is when the nurse next door is on a break. In saying this, we don't have techs, we do everything ourselves

We get 1:1 ventilated, sometimes 2:1 unventilated, sometimes 3:2 unventilated or even 1:2 if the patient is really sick (that is patient : nurse) The only time we ever have more than 1 ventilated patient is when the nurse next door is on a break. In saying this, we don't have techs, we do everything ourselves

Australian, but I suppose we have the same system here as there (or similar) Thanks for that feedback, I just didn't know if perhaps I had overreacted. I personally thought I hadn't but I think a lot of things that aren't always totally accurate!!! Just wanted a fresh perspective, especially given that my fellow nursing staff were just so ambivalent about it. Also, when I said that there were no free beds, we are staffed to run up to 14 beds. In emergencies we can (and do) have up to 16 ventilated patients, so this patient was not going to prevent another patient from being admitted if necessary

Hi I would really like some feedback on an incident that occurred yesterday. I was looking after my non ventilated patient, 8 days post a vascular procedure who had been extubated for one day. When I arrived his RR was low 30s, chest sounded terrible, was on 50% o2 via venti mask, but Sao2 was in high 90s. Over the course of the afternoon his RR went up to mid 40s, he required increasing FiO2 (went onto NRB mask), ABG were very average (PaO2 =52), he complained that it was difficult to breathe and he didn't have strength to cough up his sectretions. I discussed with the registrar and we both were of the opinion that the patient was deteriorating and would more than likely need reintubation. Anyway, at about 5:30 the Consultant for our unit (who had not looked at the patient all day) decided he should go to the ward. He did not perform an assessment, just stood at the door and said "oh the monitor says his RR is 29, send him" I pointed out that he had deteriorated over the shift, the monitor was inaccurate due to the position of his patient and I had manually recorded his RR to be 42 within the last 5 minutes, and I felt it was unsafe to send him to an unmonitored bed where the staff to patient ration would be 1:10. He said that he was aware that the patient would more than likely bounce back, but send him as we did not have any spare beds in ICU, just in case we get an admission. I had a bit of a rant to the registrar, who said that he agreed with me but I had done all I could and we should send him because that was what the consultant said. I did not find this acceptable as I had real concerns for this patient's safety and well being, let alone his life, if he went to the ward at that point. Basically I got a bit angry and stroppy, told the in-charge nurse and the registrar that I did not think this was acceptable, we were not doing all we could for this patient, and we should not send him to the ward on the basis of what 'might' happen. Made a bit of a scene. So finally they each grew a spine and said ok don't send him. My problem is that I am so angry that I had to make a scene for my concerns to be listened to. I feel that this is really bordering on negligence by the consultant concerned, and it is a huge slap in the face for all of the RNs in the unit - why do we bother being there and going the extra mile for the patients if the medical staff will not pay attention to our patient assessment skills, particularly concerning unstable patients? I know that I did the right thing for the patient, but I feel really bad and very disilusioned by this. I think I will be seeing the nurse manager to discuss this with her (because I have had a similar problem with this consultant previously), but as it is now I don't really know if there is a point. Any feedback would be great!! Karen

OK me again, I know this is totally un on/gyn related but I loved this call. Had the 180kg man in ICU, on a ventilator for 3 days, basically had respiratory failure cos he was too fat to breathe... hx of permanent BiPap at home (like a ventilator but without the tube for those who don't know). Anyway he got extubated. The first two topics of conversation: 1. "I want a cheeseburger". Um I think that's what got you in here!! so wife runs off to get him a cheeseburger 2. while wife is away getting said burger: "Oh, my wife has really let herself go lately" Yes it must be so difficult for youwhen you look like Brad Pitt. After he ate Jennifer Aniston AND Angelina Jolie!!!

ROTFLMAO!!!! On a similar vein (gee I keep doing that on this thread!) is: When is my brother going to have his tracheomity?

yes and no... on one hand it is intensive care, I personally get very wound up and annoyed if the things that I need to do my job are not there. Such as the duck bill masks... my patient has Influenza... there are no masks in the hospital (I know I phoned everywhere!).... that pisses me off. Also, the consequences for the patient can be pretty extreme if things don't go right. I probably get a bit more short with people, supply, nurses who ring from other units with stupid questions (what are we, the help library, get off your a** and look it up) than I need to. On the other hand I think I actually work with some people who have genuine OCD. Such as, if you fill in their obs while they are on a break, they will redo the entire chart. For the whole day!!!! I think that saying you are at work to do your job and not to make friends is a bit short sighted though. If we get into trouble who is going to help us. Are you going to help the person who chats to you (at clinically appropriate times, before anyone gets on my case!) or the person who will not crack their face into a tiny smile. Why make life harder than it needs to be! There needs to be balance. Patient care CAN be balanced with a good working relationship with colleagues!

In the dark depths of australia we use heparinised saline for transduced art and cvp lines unles contraindicated ie pt has Hitts. However changes in practice seem to take a long time to get down here......