francoml ASN, RN

So regretfully to say, I failed my CMC certification last week. I studied for 3 full days plus I have been an MICU nurse in a level one facility for 2 years and I float to CVICU regularly for extra shifts. I got a 51 when the pass cutoff was 52 FML!...

Hey everyone. Haven't posted here since I was I baby graduate nurse. Fast forward 4.5 years into my career, I have been a MICU nurse at a level 1 trauma center (4 years), dedicated rapid response nurse with ability to independently order emergent med...

Okay so I don't want to come off as rude or biased but I am pretty confused as to how my facility can pay medsurg nurses an extra $3/hr over what they pay me! I know they work very hard but I work in a large level one ICU and I make critical life al...

I just placed my first ultrasound guided PICC yesterday!!! It was a freaking awesome experience. I still have to get 2 more successful insertions before I can place them by myself but I am on my way!

Hey guys I have read many of your posts about bias, not fitting it, the mean girls don't like me, blah, blah, blah. Let me give all you new male nurses some advice. Stop with this whole male vs female nursing BS. We are all professionals and should ...

Hello, I am currently contemplating joining one of the Reserve branches and had a few questions. I know civilian training/experience plays a role so here is my background. Training/Background BSN 4 years Medical ICU experience in a level one trauma ...

holy crap I started this thread years ago and people are still debating it... Kinda proud lol. After years of experience I now believe that all acute care nurses (MS, ICU, ER, ect.) should start off getting paid the same. The caveat to that is we sh...

Ultrasound.... Should be the gold standard. I don't know how it is in other hospitals but in my unit (large level one ICU) the majority of our nurses know how to use ultrasound to place difficult IVs. I am a pretty darn good at IVs and if I think a P...

I would join relatively soon an an RN.

Hello all, It has been quite some time since I have been on this site. Anyways, I am currently in ACNP school at Texas Tech University. I am writing this to ask for y'alls help. I need to attend a professional meeting or conference before Oct. 21 and...

As most of you all know, Colorado just approved recreational marijuana use. Does this mean that someone could test positive for THC and not face any repercussions?? I know you could not be intoxicated at work but if it is legal then how could it be h...

Its okay not to like cleaning *** and ****. God knows I don't. You just have to look at what makes you happy. I am an ICU/RRT nurse, sure I have to clean poop but I also get to run codes, manage CRRT, and titrate pressors and sedation. It was mentio...

I would like to say something on behalf of all the medsurg nurses out there. Being an ICU nurse and rapid response I too used to be on the side of we (ICU/RRT) should get paid more. I used to think that I was in one of the elite nursing fields and be...

Are you all allowed to bolus propofol and titrate drips? What about ketamine? I was under the impression that all ICU nurses could do this but apparently there are some facilities or states that it is not in our scope. Also do you all do conscious se...

I thought the PassCCRN practice test where harder than the actual test. If you can consistantly pass those, even by the smallest margin, then just schedule your exam already! You will do fine! Look at it this way, if you pass HELL YA! if you fail the...

to be clear when I said bolusing propofol I was talking about when anesthesia orders induction meds for intubation. After intubation we can titrate the drips such as propofol ect. I do not bolus propofol at my own discretion.

I am a rapid response nurse as well as an MICU nurse in a level one hospital I am CCRN certified and have my BSN. I run CRRT, and can place ultrasound guided PICC lines and PIVs. I can run codes and order diagnostics and interventions without consult...

Admins please take this down I did not realize how much personal information I was providing when I posted a research project I did. Sorry

It depends on what kind of facility you practice in. I was a MICU nurse in a level one facility for about a year before taking the test. I took a week off work and studied HARD for 4-5 days and passed. It depends on how much you try to get out of you...

Ya so I use ultrasound for all the difficult sticks... I still stick at least once without it to keep my skills up (unless they are +4 edema or something). Also I have 2 inch needles in all the gauges an I use them anytime the vein is >1cm deep be...

Okay I know PICCs aren't supposed to be "emergent" lines but reality dictated differently. Here is the scenario, I am an MICU nurse certified to drop PICC lines. I had a status post code from the floor. Patient came up on multiple pressors maxed out ...

Google sherlock ultrasound and you will see it.

I have to respectfully disagree with this statement. I have way more autonomy as a ICU nurse then floor nurses do. I have standing order sets that allow me to give multiple drugs without first contacting the physician if my patient is quickly deterio...

Luckily I work in a facility that has a very strong support team plus we have procedure carts that carry just about every type of access one would need at a given moment. One technique that I have pick up along the way that has allowed me to drastica...

Levo, vaso, neo, epi, dopamine, saline, albumin, blood, plasma, platelets, meropenem, vanco, TPN, acyclovir, insulin, fentanyl, and vecuronium. needless to say the patient didnt make it.