elizabells BSN, RN

NICU

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All Content by elizabells

  1. elizabells

    on site counseling

    elizabells replied to spacey's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    We have several social workers of varying quality. Some can only deal with the practical Medicaid and parking voucher stuff, and some are good with the emotional side too. We also have two...
  2. elizabells

    Gastric decompression in respiratory distress

    elizabells replied to busyrn62's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    We are expected to (although sometime people don't) insert a short 8Fr OGT in all kids on CPAP to vent and aspirate the stomach. The continuous pressure pumps air into the stomach. All CDH kids get a...
  3. elizabells

    NICU Pet Peeves

    elizabells replied to heartwort's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Stop. Throwing away. The ZFLO!!! I realize you can't quite wrap your mind around the concept of developmental care and proper positioning. It's tough stuff. ([/sarcasm]) But if you really, really must...
  4. elizabells

    NICU Pet Peeves

    elizabells replied to heartwort's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    You lo-jack your NICU kids? Wow. We totally don't bother. I guess we figure that it would take you so long to unhook one of ours from everything that *someone* would notice. And we recently went to...
  5. elizabells

    Keeping everything sanitary

    elizabells replied to Adams_Mommy_07's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    We wear scrubs from home, no cover gowns, parents don't have to observe Contact Isolation unless they have multiples, no restrictions on children, don't even ask if they've had their shots. If someone...
  6. elizabells

    Do you sign "RN' after your name OUTSIDE of the hospital?

    elizabells replied to uscstu4lfe's topic in General Nursing

    On accident, on occasion. Once on purpose, when I wrote a letter to my landlord shaming him for trying to screw me - sort of as an extra dig, like, I'm a NURSE, don't be mean to me, because nurses are...
  7. elizabells

    VENT.....this really sucks

    elizabells replied to WildcatFanRN's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Yeah. Just... wow. Things to think before posting, or speaking: Is this true? Is this kind? Is this necessary? What you've said may be true, obviously none of us can know. But kind? Absolutely not....
  8. elizabells

    Things you'd LOVE to be able to tell patients, and get away with it.

    elizabells replied to AngelfireRN's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    You know what would be nice? If you ever said please. "Can you take her out for me to hold?" "Can you fix her CPAP?" "She needs her diaper changed." All reasonable requests, mind you. Happy to do it....
  9. elizabells

    Holding an intubated baby with a UAC

    elizabells posted a topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Hey guys! So I have this baby right now with prenatally dx'ed dilated cardiomyopathy, at our hosp for transplant eval. She's really little, only 2kg, so I have a feeling her chances of getting a heart...
  10. elizabells

    banked milk anyone?

    elizabells replied to UTVOL3's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    We don't use it at all. I had one primary who lived for about three months but was fed very little and her mom had a huge, huge supply, and there was talk of her donating all the frozen leftover milk...
  11. elizabells

    Bipolar Manic After Delivery

    elizabells replied to NITEOBRN's topic in Ob/Gyn

    I had a pt on my psych rotation in nursing school who had voluntarily committed herself during her pregnancy after her OB told her she had to go off her meds. She was very pleasant, if clearly...
  12. elizabells

    Enteral Feeding equipment

    elizabells replied to NICU_babyRN's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Are we using some cracked-out version of the orange-stripe stuff? Because it has the Christmas tree on the baby end, a tag that says "for enteral use only" on it, but the syringe end is a Luer that...
  13. elizabells

    E.Coli in sputum aspirate cx

    elizabells replied to NICURN04's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    We have a sad kiddo right now with E.Coli and Klebsiella sepsis. He's also got b/l inguinal hernias that were, for a while, difficult to reduce, and so they got shoved on a lot. There's a theory...
  14. elizabells

    Stories of the craziest patient you've ever had?

    elizabells replied to RNJayhawk's topic in Ob/Gyn

    We had a pt who masturbated through contractions, and asked for SurgiLube to help her along. I heard the story from the NICU PA who was at the delivery 2/2 meconium-stained fluid, and she said the OB...
  15. elizabells

    Things you'd LOVE to be able to tell patients, and get away with it.

    elizabells replied to AngelfireRN's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    Stop. Touching. The. Baby. I know he's yours, and I know you're super-excited he's okay. I get it. I do. But he's nine weeks early, his nervous system is raw as hell because he should still be...
  16. elizabells

    Enteral Feeding equipment

    elizabells replied to NICU_babyRN's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    We do use the Exacta-Med syringes for meds, which is nice because you can tell in a flash when pharmacy screws up and sends you oral meds instead of IV. We also have the orange-stripe enteral tubing...
  17. elizabells

    nasal intubation

    elizabells replied to Preemienurse23's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Scope in the mouth, tube down the nose, Magill forceps in the mouth to guide it between the cords. Wacked-out taping method. We'll go down to a 2.5 on the wee ones, medium kids get 3.0s, and the...
  18. elizabells

    VENT.....this really sucks

    elizabells replied to WildcatFanRN's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Our unit has fired a number of orientees over the last couple of years, but only after they've made serious errors in judgment. Sleeping at the desk (yes, really), massive med errors coupled with...
  19. elizabells

    Where to keep scrubs at home

    elizabells replied to time2change's topic in General Nursing

    Wash with the rest of my clothes, then closet. Of course, babies have much less ick to deal with, so I don't mind washing them with my regular laundry. Shoes stay by the front door, but inside. My...
  20. elizabells

    So I'm observing in the OR and get accused of stealing Fentyl

    elizabells replied to confederacyofdunces's topic in General Students

    Honey, that ain't nursing that sucks. That's an MD who tried to take some narcs for HIMSELF, tried to put it on you to divert suspicion, and got busted when he dropped the syringe. Dollars to...
  21. elizabells

    NICU staff educators

    elizabells replied to jbgilb's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    It might be a union issue. I know that the NLRB likes to play silly buggers with who is and isn't a union repped employee, so sometimes weird lines get drawn. I know that only once in over two years...
  22. elizabells

    HFOV vs Jet

    elizabells replied to Preemienurse23's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Pssh. I'm lucky to get prn orders for Versed or Ativan if I've got a kid on HFOV. I'm sure you're all shocked. Paralysis is ONLY for kids with open sternums after cardiac surgery, and even that we're...
  23. elizabells

    VENT.....this really sucks

    elizabells replied to WildcatFanRN's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    I have a theory... when I was on orientation, I was told by my NM not to call out sick w/o a death certificate. Cute, huh? You mentioned you'd been out a few days w/ a stomach virus. Now, obviously...
  24. elizabells

    What to use on the nares to prevent breakdown of skin

    elizabells replied to wrighty's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    I confess - I hate the Cannulaide, or the homemade version we use sometimes that we refer to as the "Hannibal Mask". The worst septal breakdowns I've seen have come about when those things are left on...
  25. elizabells

    who is responsible

    elizabells replied to nurseforfun's topic in General Nursing

    Everyone. The ultimate responsibility, like so many things, will fall on the nurse, though, because the nurse gave the drug with a documented allergy in the chart. I have it easy, working with babies,...