exp626

The one question that I can answer is that while you're being monitored and undergoing any type of random urine drug screen (UDS) you cannot drink alcohol. I even avoid things that are made with alcohol, such as sauces, and I avoid things with poppy...

AHA doesn't teach it as part of the ACLS curriculum. Trendelenberg is an old sacred cow that's not supported by evidence, and aside from fooling the baroreceptors, it only succeeds in making patients very uncomfortable. Subee is right: it's voodoo...

Given the information you've provided, I doubt you'll be arrested for anything. This is what I think will happen: your license will be suspended and/or have conditions. If the state(s) in which you're licensed have a nurse assistance program, you'l...

Sounds like you've already made up your mind. I understand being affected by being out of one's element, and that ER's are tough places with a culture that engenders bullying. With that thought, it may be a similar experience if you go to work in a...

What kind of misogynist quack of a shrink is that? So what if you didn't seek therapy after being raped (even though you did)...I fail to understand how this is some sort of requirement victims must fulfill. Since when are rape victims punished???

LOL on diuretics who has to void very 15 minutes, but it takes 15 minutes just to get them to the BSC for a 1 minute void, and can't be left there because she's a fall risk. I wouldn't mind if I didn't have bunches of other things going on! Patients...

On a side note, I recently had a pt on Plavix & ASA, and scheduled for a valve replacement in a couple of days. I checked with the surgeon about this, and he said to continue it because the pt had a recent stent, so he felt the benefits outweighe...

It's so frustrating when I'm trying to do heart failure education to a medical conspiracy theorist. Invariably it's a patient with 4+ pitting weeping edema and rehospitalizations for heart failure, and yet they refuse meds, dietary restrictions, and...

Shower, snack, a little TV or Internet, sleep within 2 hours. On days off we go to Disney World. A lot.

Congratulations!

Based on the meds and AICD, I'm guessing he has heart failure. Assuming this is true, while both of those drugs slow the heart rate, that's not why they're given in this case, and a decrease in HR is just a side effect. Since he has a pacer we don't...

We ask our patients what they prefer to be called, so there's always a first name on the dry-erase board in the room. I was raised in the south and am not comfortable calling elders by the first name, though have no problem if a patient is my contem...

What SouthernPoint said. Apply everywhere, don't be surprised by rejection when you reveal that you're in IPN, but don't let being in IPN stop you from applying, either. That said, the no key restriction is a big help for you. My observations are ...

I was an LPN then an RN. I worked full time as a pharmacy tech while I was in LPN school, then worked full time while I was in school for my RN. I decided to go the LPN route first in case I didn't like nursing, so I understand not wanting to invest...

Real Nurse Jackie, you're going to be just fine. It sounds like you just have to learn to curb your frustrations around your coworkers until they get a chance to know you. On orientation people don't want to hear their new coworkers complain about ...

I've had very good success explaining to patients and their families that I'm very sorry if they have to wait a few extra moments, but I'm tied up with someone who's having an emergency, and I'm sure they'd understand, as they or their family would b...

We don't get anything for being on call. Typically it's someone who wants the day off anyway, so being on call increases their chances of being off so they're okay with it. Also the call time is usually just the first 4 hours of the shift.

Very wise to share your feelings (I'm sure you're sharing this in meetings, too). Also very wise to do 90 in 90. As soon as we know no one is looking, we think we can get away with something and "do some research". Problem is, we know what happens...

I would have kicked Milton out. Dog killer/abusive husband. He'd be lucky that's all I did. Screw the survey.

There's always going to be at least one motormouth, and then there's the supervisor's pets who will also tell. There are going to be errors, we're only human. Your best bet is to be transparent, follow procedure for error reporting, then be the fir...

Seriously???!!! The code button to get food heated?! I'm going to assume she thought it was the nurse call light. Because she needs to understand that this dispatches the code team from across the hospital, and if people everywhere are pushing it t...

Yes you could.

You should check not only with your BON, but your employee health department. My hospital requires employees taking medications which may cause impairment to check with them and sometimes provide a copy of the prescription. They review each case indi...

I can only imagine how not feeling like you're heard coupled with frustration and sleep deprivation would affect you. It sounds to me like you just need to get out of there. You've given it a year, and despite promises that conditions will improve,...

All people with COPD are not retainers, but they should be treated as such until proven otherwise with an ABG. (Ideally you can find a baseline ABG from earlier in the admission or from previous admissions.)