benmca13

benmca13 has 2 years experience and specializes in MedSurg, ICU.

Latest Activity

1. IV Drip Rates

   benmca13 replied to MarvelousMistyRN's topic in Critical

   Ours is 20ml/hr, but we can run insulin/heparin gtts by themselves

2. No more fingersticks in ICU?

   benmca13 replied to ccer99's topic in Critical

   We're not supposed to use finger sticks if they're on pressors.

3. Question about fent OD?

   benmca13 replied to benmca13's topic in CCU

   Hey guys. I'm just getting info from people at work. I'm not sure how her mental status is today but I know they did an ammonia level and it was high. So they're thinking that. The bleed in the abd was proved by CT scan. Her hemoglobin had stabilized...

4. Question about fent OD?

   benmca13 replied to benmca13's topic in CCU

   They think they knicked her liver when they put in pacing wires.

5. Question about fent OD?

   benmca13 replied to benmca13's topic in CCU

   She became sedated when I gave it to her. But then half hour later she was awake and restless again, rolling around in bed. Husband was holding her arms down bc she was trying to pull off her bipap (which I got an order for about 8 hours prior for pr...

6. Question about fent OD?

   benmca13 replied to benmca13's topic in CCU

   No neuro scans yet. CT scan showed the bleed though. I'm going to call my educator today and ask why would it be a fent OD if the narcan didn't work? How do you feel about the amount I gave her?

7. Question about fent OD?

   benmca13 posted a topic in CCU

   So this is going to be a bit of a long post but I'm just trying to figure this whole situation out. Long story short. My patient was 60 something years old. Had MVR done. Wanted to be on the transplant list due to non alcoholic liver cirrhosis stage ...

8. Levophed concentration and hospital policy.

   benmca13 replied to calivianya's topic in Critical

   We do Levophed through peripherals if we have nothing else. Usually they have a PICC/ CL if they're sick enough to require Levo. However, working nights, most of the times when our patients crash, we don't have the luxury that days does to get one. W...

9. Nursing shift report--what's your procedure?

   benmca13 replied to ktliz's topic in Critical

   We do paperless. Honestly, we rarely look at the computers. Most of our report is just done at the bedside or at the nurses desk - but I feel as if we give detailed enough report that we don't need to look at the computer. Works fine for us, I'm not ...

10. Cardiac Arrest/ MI

    benmca13 posted a topic in Critical

    So I'm new to ICU/CCU nursing. I'm completely confused by MI's and Cardiac Arrest. I've been asking my preceptors, but one tells me one thing while the other tells me something different. I go back to the cath lab and they tell me something different...

11. Bedside shift report w/ emergency department

    benmca13 replied to bsnursing's topic in Med-Surg

    We just talk on the phone and a tech brings them up. How a floor nurse finds the time to go get their patient enough to make it a hospital thing is beyond me! You must have awesome ratios!!!!

12. NG residuals

    benmca13 replied to kbear's topic in Med-Surg

    Put it back! I didn't even know policies could be that dumb not to! Hello electrolyte imbalance!

13. psych RN starting a new med-surg job soon, excited!

    benmca13 replied to buenavista's topic in Med-Surg

    The person above me has taken the extreme approach. You run your butt off like there's no tomorrow. I work on a more surgical floor but we get medical overflow. We get 5-7 pts with no aids overnight. You will rely heavily on teamwork or you will sink...

14. How do you draw up meds for IVP?

    benmca13 replied to FineAgain's topic in Med-Surg

    I had no idea there was more than one way to draw up these meds!! I always draw them up into a syringe without diluting them! What's the point in that? Can't you just give the med slower? I've never had problems! I flush with 5mL saline, give the med...

15. nurse to patient ratio orthopaedic floor?

    benmca13 replied to nurseortho's topic in Orthopaedic

    We usually have 1:5, but frequently it's 1:6 at night with no aids. You learn to work as a team. Time management is key too. I try to get everyone to the bathroom around the same time whether they have to or not, that way I can find time to sit down ...