SierraBravo

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this!

At end of life, patients will more often than not spike a severe fever (>40*C). It's likely not due to sepsis but rather the normal physiology of the body during the process of death.

Wow. Just. Wow.

A career in healthcare might not be your best option unless you can manage your disability and become somewhat of a "people person" as being a nurse or physician requires daily interaction with not only patients and families, but also various other m...

Nice job. However, the CO2 level is primarily looking at acid/base balance, not necessarily lung and kidney function. The patient might have a mild alkalosis going on, but the rest of the labs look OK. Have you considered why the patient is on bo...

I didn't learn this in my BSN program, nor have I learned it in my MSN NP program. To be honest, I don't even understand how you could even possibly palpate a cardiac valve? The aortic and pulmonic valves are underneath the rib cage, so how would y...

I refuse to use the term "this writer" or "this nurse" or anything to that effect in my notes. It irritates the living daylights out of me. Whenever I read those terms in a note, it's like nails down a chalkboard for me.

A nurse witnessing the waste is signing for exactly that, they are witnessing that the other nurse actually wasted the unneeded amount of drug from the pyxis. In no way, shape, or form is the witnessing nurse liable for what the initial nurse does w...

1. The maximum rate that you can push lorazepam is 2mg/minute. And incidentally, it must be diluted with an equal volume of NS before pushing it. So if you have 1mL of lorazepam to give, you need to dilute it in at least 1mL of NS before pushing i...

Can I like this 1000%? And I agree with everything everyone has said. Can't wait to finish my Masters and be a NP so that I don't have to deal with being a bedside nurse ever again.

THIS!!!

Do we work on the same unit?

Unless you're going to work in an ICU or step down unit, what would be the purpose of becoming familiar with ventilators? And if you're not working in an area where you will use that skill often, then just learning about it without practicing it oft...

Just out of curiosity... Is this a for-profit nursing school?

If I were you, I would investigate the job market for PNP's before you begin the program. In my area, those jobs are virtually non-existent. You might be better off going for the FNP.

This is a great topic. I work with quite a few of them... Can't detail any of it for fear of them also being on this forum.

Part of the reason that it's so thick is because it is stored in the freezer in the pharmacy. I don't know how volatile it is in terms of waiting for it to come closer to room temp which might make it less viscous. In any event, while the treatment...

I'm really sorry that you're experiencing this. That first job is so critical because it kind of forms the basis of your nursing career. And so it makes me sad when I hear stories like this because I think that all new grads should be supported and...

I seriously hope that the OP was trained and qualified to remove a PICC line and did so with an order. The fact that he/she says they are a new nurse leads me to believe that they might not be qualified to do this procedure, but maybe I'm wrong. Fo...

There are plenty of online NP programs from accredited institutions. If you're in NY, you're limited to about 1 school that you can attend for an online NP program (SUNY Stony Brook). But other states are far less conservative than NY. It's worth ...

As you stated, an alteplase infusion and an alteplase dwell are two completely different therapies. I've on seen alteplase infusions on a step-down or ICU unit. Actually, I've seen it on a stroke telemetry unit. But anyway, good question. The pat...

I absolutely love your post. Your commentary in parentheses actually made me laugh out loud. Thanks for making my day!!!

Thank you for that information, but I don't think I'm misinformed. In NY at my facility passing medications is well outside the scope of practice for a PCT or a CNA. Then again, I don't work in a nursing home. I've been in many hospitals and I've ...

I disagree. Unless you work with pediatric patients, there is little use for PALS. I have BLS and ACLS and never have I been in a situation where I wished I knew PALS, too. Then again, I work with adults.

Yes, NY is an "employment at will" state.