RRT/RN

That isn't really accurate for Orlando. I have worked for Orlando division since Jan 2005 and I was hired at a higher wage because I had RRT experience. I know they pay more if you have a BSN. Also, all current RN staff are getting a 5% across the board pay increase (not including our annual 3%) because they are raising the hiring rate. Should be on our next paycheck (This coming Friday). Orlando is the best FL hospital division to work for out of the Florida Hospital system. Can't speak for ORMC....

Our hospital requires us to "Red Line" each chart at the end of each shift. We of course sign our orders off as they are written. We must verify that each of the orders has been entered into the computer. Our MAR is computerized, so as you are checking them on the computer you are comparing them with the chart at the same time. At the end of your shift, a red line under the last set of orders written, along with your name, credential, date and time shows that you have checked all of the orders and have verified that they are entered into the computer or on the kardex correctly. This system seems to work pretty well at our hospital. Hope this helps.

When I worked as a resp therapist, I extubated conscious people all the time. We would wean them off the vent and take the tube out. Some times the pt and/or family would make a decision to withdraw life support to let the pt go peacefully and we would do that too. Two very different situations.

As a nurse on a med surg floor, we get many pain sufferers, questionably drug seekers. I agree that these patients have a problem, many of which started out as pain. Dilaudid seems to flow like water in our hospital, though. It just seems to me that if you can complain of 10/10 pain, cry for Dilaudid, get the Dilaudid 2mg IV, then literally hop of fthe bed (and I mean immediately after the drug gets on the pump, because we rarely push it) and leave the floor to go smoke, there is a problem. It happens constantly in my facility. And no, it isn't everyone. We get people who have legitimate medical complaints, but they aren't caught in the cafeteria, out smoking, etc. Seekers manipulate and they know how to get their fix. I just hate that people who are really in pain and really sick have their time with a nurse stolen by someone who knows they can complain of "abdominal pain" just to get a high. There really must be a better way to help these people. They really are sick, but giving them more of what they want isn't helping anyone. They need help that an acute care hospital isn't designed for. We aren't a rehab.

Just curious about a few things. Have you talked to your nurse manager about this problem you are having? Where are your co-workers while you are struggling? Are you delegating? I had a hard time with the delegation until I learned what our techs can actually do. Sure, I'm going to have them put the Foley or take out a saline lock if it gives me a few minutes to do an assessment or even for me to take my lunch. I just make it a point not to abuse the techs. I don't ask them to do things just because it is something I don't feel like doing. Every day I learn just how important the whole delegation thing is to getting things done. I can't and shouldn't be expected to do everything for everybody.

Duoneb doesn't contain any steroid. It is albuterol and atrovent which are both bronchodilators. Has anyone ever heard of nebulizing lasix? We actually did this with one of our cancer patients and is was effective in relieving the air hunger. Not sure of the exact mechanism of action and only used this method on this one patient...

Hi! I work in Altamonte if you want information on the hospital. I'd be happy to tell you about my job. I don't live in the Altamonte area--I live one county away, but any info you need I'd be happy to help...

Deland is VERY antiquted compared to other hospitals. Halifax is a little more progressive, then there are the hospitals in Orlando...I work in Altamonte (FL Hosp) but not L&D.

I am an RN at FL Hosp Altamonte and have worked there since January. I work on the same floor as the oncology unit (I work med surg), just down the hall. Starting pay for new grads is $17.81. I actually started at more than that because I have another license. I'm not sure exactly what pt/rn ratio is, but our unit is 1:6 which is pretty much the norm in the hospital.

I live in Volusia County and work at Halifax, but not as a nurse. I work at Florida Hospital as an RN. Comparing the two, I would recommend Orlando over anything in Volusia County as far as pay goes. I also wouldn't recommend any of the Daytona Beach schools. If you want to live in the Daytona area, the better schools are in Port Orange or Ormond. If you want to e-mail me, I would be happy to talk to you about this some more. I can give you more specific info. :) just post here if you want more info from me...

SICK AND WRONG! :rotfl:

You can also count resps the same time you listen to lung sounds or heart sounds. You've already go the steth to your ears. I listen for 15 seconds and multipy x4.

Lippincotts Review for NCLEX is an excellent resource. I highly recommend the CD rom that comes with it. The more of those NCLEX questions you do the more comfortable you will be. Good luck.

I graduated from the RRT/Paramedic bridge at DBCC May '04

I had my lap chole when my baby was five weeks old and went back to work a week later (as a resp therapist). I probably should have taken more time in retrospect, but I just didn't have the time off from work. After a week I felt like I was back to normal, though. Hope that helps.

Not true that the oxygen would be dangerous. Not all COPD patients are sensitive to CO2, in fact, sometimes the few minutes of extra oxygen helps when the patient is SOB prior to treatment. We run our treatments on oxygen because that is the power source that is most readily available in the hospital and flow can be adjusted (not every room in our hospital has air outlets, but all have O2). If we have a known CO2 retainer, we bring in a portable compressor or pulmo-aid type of nebulizer, but that is usually not necessary. The oxygen flow is usually about 7 lpm for about 7-10 minutes, depending on the type of nebulizer circuit that is used and how much medication is being nebulized. (registered resp therapist)

Florida Hospital website: http://www.flhosp.org :)

I started working for Florida Hospital in Janurary. They so far have been excellent to work for. I also work at Halifax in Daytona Beach and have worked there for 12 years. Comparing the two, I would have to say that the educational opportunities are far greater at Florida Hospital and I am much happier at FH. There are seven different hospitals as part of the Orlando division, so you can work in a big hospital environment, or work in a smaller hospital. I would stay away from Memorial Division of Florida Hospital, though. Run differently than Orlando division. I work in Altamonte Springs, which is just outside of Orlando and part of Orlando division (and a little closer to my house) and eventually I would like to work in the main hospital in Orlando. As a side note, Florida Hospital has their own college on the Orlando campus and will pay for your BSN. I have a friend who started orientation the same time I did and had worked at Orlando Regional--says they are very disorganized and left after ORMC since she had family problemsanyway and wasn't happy there. She seems to like it much better at FH. Hope this helps.

You could try using Atrovent along with you albuterol inhaler/nebulizer. Using both seems to help a lot of people. You could also try 0.5mg Pulmicort via nebulizer (its an inhaled steroid). Have you had a pulmonary function test done? That would tell you pretty definitively if the bronchodilators are helping you.

I'd have to say this guy needs to go. Three nurses down or not, he's throwing everyone else under a bus every time he calls in or shows up late. I can't stand working with people who disrespect their coworkers (and their patients) in this way. Hire someone who WANTS the job! :angryfire BTW, I'm a new grad and you couldn't pay me a million bucks to be nurse manager. Good luck in this capacity...

I agree this is a great thought, however, the downside is probably funding these programs, and having enough people interested in taking the classes. My RRT/Paramedic bridge started out with 10 people (in Central FL). Eight of those people commuted from N. FL and two quit...They didn't have that program avail this fall because of lack of interest.

As an RRT/RN, I am a product of my local community college's first Paramedic/RRT to ADN bridge program. The paramedics that I went to school with all did very well (and all have passed NCLEX), but they had to learn to think like a nurse instead of a paramedic (as did I as a therapist). Paramedics are taught using a medical model from the way it was explained to us, unlike nursing, where we use the nursing process. The medics had a little trouble with this transition. They are used to putting the tube in, starting the IV, giving the meds, etc using protocols instead of waiting for docotor so and so to give the orders. My two cent... Also, I have been told that here in Florida, if you want to transition from RN to Paramedic, you can take a basic emt course and challenge paramedic state boards. Anyone have thoughts on that?

I am a resp therapist with over 12 years experience and have been working as a med surg RN since January. I voluntarily decided to work med/surg for a while before going to ICU, and boy am I glad I did. I miss working with vents and critical patients, but the skills that are learned on med/surg--basic nursing--are building blocks for critical care IMHO. I've seen (and spoken with) many nurses who have done it both ways, and most say that their time spent on med surg helped them imensely. Don't know how long I will stay med surg, but I think I made the right decision.

I am a resp therapist with over 12 years experience and have been working as a med surg RN since January. I voluntarily decided to work med/surg for a while before going to ICU, and boy am I glad I did. I miss working with vents and critical patients, but the skills that are learned on med/surg--basic nursing--are building blocks for critical care IMHO. I've seen (and spoken with) many nurses who have done it both ways, and most say that their time spent on med surg helped them imensely. Don't know how long I will stay med surg, but I think I made the right decision.