PedsERRN

Has anyone heard about a new law that will prevent techs from starting IVs? Our techs are the experts at IV starts; I don't know what the hospital will do if we can't use them!

Apparently the "pumps and pearls" group have finally noticed that our LOS is too long for admissions. My boss asked me to sit on a committee to improve our times. We are brainstorming ideas to decrease this time. Does anyone have anything that worked...

If you know you want to do peds, then go for it! Choose a med-surg floor at a chldren's hospital-that will give you the largest base of knowledge as a new grad

It all depends on what sub-specialty and the nurse-to-pt ratios at your hospital. In the ED, we don't always have time for that. When I worked step-down, we usually did.

We use mostly 24 gauge PIVs on pts up to 3-4 years old. On a fat 2y/o, You should be able to place a 22 or 20(AC), however threading them can be a problem. The shorter length usually works out better. In peds, we always use the smallest one that will...

We often allow families in the room for codes. We are a level one trauma center and have a social worker who stays in the back of the room with the parent and explains procedures. We will advise the SW if things are going to get bad, i.e. cracking a ...

Thanks guys, this really helps! :)

We are having a serious problem with lack of documentation on our unit. I believe that anyone should be able to pick up a chart and know exactly what is happening with a patient. Not so in our ER! Most of the nurses feel that they don't have time t...

To clarify-Our ED techs are all CNAs and EMT-I or EMT-P. They recently decided at our hospital that they can't hang IV fluids, but have continued to let them start IVs. They can go to the floor and start lines. Does anyone have an IV team that includ...

Palm pilot pre-loaded with medical info(Epocrates and such)

We have several pregnant nurses-I think there is something in the water! They all plan on working until the end, unless they have complications. On this note, does anyone have a policy regarding pregnant nurses in triage? We always thought there was...

We throw ours in the red trash. Our compliance person said that it is good because it gets burned.

We go up with Cerner in December, and hope to have the ER piece up by next Spring. My boss used it at another hospital and said it was great. She said it's very user friendly and (of course) drastically reduced errors in meds/treatments.Good luck!

I have been a pediatric nurse for 9 years, and currently work in DC. This is the first union hospital I've worked at, and find that the union stifles the nursing culture here. It is not mandatory to be a full member of the union but all RNs pay dues ...

Have you considered using your RN for something similar? Doctors without Borders or the like? You could get a similar experience and be marketable when you return.

Sorry if I offended! I didn't mean to bash on the police-they are doing what they have to do. They had a juvenille who had a bad outcome, and now they are mandated to bring them all in no matter what the complaint. I have all the respect in the wor...

We have to medically clear any juvenille arrested in DC if they have any kind of complaint before they can go to lock-up. MPD recently implemented this policy, and we've seen some really ill patients. My two favorites: 1. My wrists hurt. Me-Can yo...

We are going for magnet status soon, and I heard that easy recognition of nursing staff is required. I think this means we would have to switch to color-coded scrubs. Anybody know if this is true?

There is a difference in not treating someone because of your beliefs and not treating someone because of their beliefs. For example-A devout Christian may refuse to assist with or perform abortions(this isn't new-Providence won't do hysterectomies!...

Check out Georgetown University-I think they had a program a few years ago where they would hire you as a tech and pay for your school and then you had to agree to work there for a few years after you graduate.

I think that a lot of institutions don't foster precepting very well. Some nurses are great preceptors and love doing it, others outright hate it-which is okay, we don't all have to like the same things. The last place I worked had set preceptors. Th...

When we interview new grads for internships, we look at both grades and experience. Any out of school stuff would help, like working as a tech or unit clerk or volunteering in the medical field. We focus our interviews on behaviors more than knowledg...

I like computer charting-it is much easier once you get used to it, also much faster and more thourough than our paper charts. Plus, you don't have to decipher your coworkers handwriting!

Best are the ones who don't medicate the child at home because they want us to see how high the fever was. No matter how many times you tell people that it won't change the treatment(assuming they have athermometer and we know the child actually had ...

Would you like to come work at my hospital?