canoehead BSN, RN

ER

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All Content by canoehead

  1. canoehead

    What are the things that make you want to leave nursing?

    canoehead replied to Red Shirt 6's topic in General Nursing

    When staff that are trying to advocate for better patient care get written up for logicless offenses, and sometimes fired. Your typing habits gave you away (roll
  2. canoehead

    Glove use beyond standard precautions?

    canoehead replied to Vicki_RN's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    I think it's a waste of time and money. It will lower handwashing, and who can get gloves on wet hands? What are the emotional implications of children hospitalized for weeks or months and never...
  3. canoehead

    What do you say when a patient family member is taking out their rage out on the world on to you? 

    canoehead replied to BeatsPerMinute's topic in General Nursing

    Usually, they need to yell, and I'm the one in front of them. It could be anxiety, aftereffects of an adrenaline rush, the situation, conflict with someone else, nervous energy from a wait...you name...
  4. canoehead

    Where should I realistically be at this point in orientation?

    canoehead replied to cblossom78's topic in General Nursing

    I really think four weeks is much too soon to draw any conclusions. You know where the bathroom, med room and utility rooms are. You can do an assessment head to toe? I'd be good with just that right...
  5. canoehead

    Paramedics in the ER near Portland, Maine?

    canoehead replied to jkmk's topic in General Nursing

    Im in Biddeford, the same hospital system as Portland, and we don't have EMS in the ER. I've worked where they are used in the ER, and they did a great
  6. canoehead

    Thoughts on putting a soft roll under the Achilles tendon when positioning for surgery.

    canoehead replied to mrsd's topic in Operating Room

    That sounds like it would be painful postop. I have chronic Achilles tendonitis, and I'm certain it would cause problems for
  7. canoehead

    "It's all in your head." Advocating for Proper Diagnosis for Female Patients

    canoehead replied to angeloublue22's topic in General Nursing

    Docs I've worked with would listen if I had an idea of what might be happening, but they aren't so open to hearing they need to look further, without other
  8. canoehead

    Career Change From Adult Oncology to NICU, Nervous!

    canoehead replied to Sweetpea04's topic in Nursing Career

    Jump in and do it. You need a change, so try it for 6 months, and start applying elsewhere if you want to try something else. If you don't make the change, you'll be unhappy and start reapplying...
  9. canoehead

    Has anyone slept through phone calls while on-call?

    canoehead replied to SilverBells's topic in General Nursing

    I think anyone that takes a medication that changes their level of alertness cannot plan on working until it wears off. That would mean skipping meds for OP, and it sounds like call lasts a week at a...
  10. canoehead

    Patients Filming You

    canoehead replied to Anonymous666's topic in General Nursing

    I don't want anyone to take my photo without my permission, and I certainly don't want to be on film. If asked beforehand, probably would be fine with being filmed when I'm teaching a skill. I'd even...
  11. canoehead

    CPR Renewal and Physical Limitations

    canoehead replied to Cricket183's topic in General Nursing

    I'm with OP, I don't do well in a kneeling position for an hour, however, if someone was down and needed CPR I'd be ready to go for two minutes of compressions. In reality, since I hit my fifties...
  12. canoehead

    Been an RN for 20 years, can't take anymore

    canoehead replied to Nurse Beth's topic in Career Advice Column

    I was overwhelmed by my work and feeling unsafe/anxious about it. I ended up in another job, and amazingly, the workload here is manageable. It wasn't me, and it wasn't that every hospital is in...
  13. canoehead

    Management Criticism: "We see you care a great deal…"

    canoehead replied to KalipsoRed21's topic in Nursing Professionalism

    Definitely, on the changing policies. We must work at the same place. I've looked up policies multiple times and found nothing, and had the nurse manager pull something up saying she searched a...
  14. canoehead

    Management Criticism: "We see you care a great deal…"

    canoehead replied to KalipsoRed21's topic in Nursing Professionalism

    OP, I am also a "just do it, dammit" nurse. But then I realized that the same issues that make me feel overwhelmed are what piss me off when someone asks if they can help. If I had the mental...
  15. canoehead

    ER downward spiral

    canoehead replied to canoehead's topic in Emergency

    Since my last post my administration has reported me to the Board three times, two were dismissed without investigation, still waiting for word on the third. Locally I've been blackballed, would get a...
  16. canoehead

    ER downward spiral

    canoehead posted a topic in Emergency

    We've lost about 75% of our experienced RNs, so most have less than 5 years experience. They work hard, but they just don't have the experience. Now we're having shifts with no charge nurse (no...
  17. canoehead

    What was the MOST ridiculous thing a patient came to the ER for?

    canoehead replied to JUSTYSMOM's topic in Emergency

    I want to shame you for doing that when you suspected a heart attack, but... Last Summer I tried to bring the raft in, and lifted a 100lb anchor, but couldn't get it over the side, just up to the...
  18. canoehead

    Decapitated baby

    canoehead replied to SHH's topic in General Specialties

    If anyone thought a coverup would work, they have a lower IQ than average. There's no way family wouldn't find out. I can see the nurses wanting to make the baby look as good as possible for the...
  19. canoehead

    Greetings, Younglings, from a Crusty Old Bat

    canoehead replied to Guttercat's topic in General Nursing

    Hail to everyone that graduated before the century turned over. I graduated in 1989, and have newbies scrunching their faces up about the years before disposable gloves, or IV pumps only in the ICU....
  20. canoehead

    Hemolyzed Tubes - scientific question

    canoehead replied to phoebe2020's topic in General Nursing

    This is a great
  21. canoehead

    Nurses who act jealous toward patient

    canoehead replied to Nurse One - Clinical N's topic in General Nursing

    Back away slowly, and get some
  22. canoehead

    Need advice about situation

    canoehead replied to Tired nurse's topic in General Nursing

    You can't give what you don't have. How anyone could find you at fault is
  23. canoehead

    Can Managers Override Policy and Drs Orders?!?

    canoehead replied to Aloe_sky's topic in General Nursing

    If my manager wants me to do something and I have doubts, I get them to put it in writing. Then it’s their head. Or if I want to go over their head, it’s in writing and taken
  24. canoehead

    ER downward spiral

    canoehead replied to canoehead's topic in Emergency

    Since my manager got my resignation letter she wants a meeting tomorrow to “address some issues.” Hopefully they can’t fire me for insubordination after I resign. That would cut off a lot of...
  25. canoehead

    ER downward spiral

    canoehead replied to canoehead's topic in Emergency

    I quit last night, wrote my resignation letter and sent it. This past week we boarded 30 admits in a 25 bed ER. Last night I had five patients, then an ambulance patched in with a presumed stroke, GCS...