ICU_floater

We have a med. administration system where we scan all meds due, then scan the pt. arm band... all goes well and then you administer, click chart and your done. I was giving .3 of clonidine which comes in .1mg individual doses from the pyxis. I grab...

damn! So help me understand, to teach my coworkers and self.... yes, you should have paid for short term disability, 20/20 sucks... try to add it on, once hired, it's impossible. then you had family medical leave act, which only covers you for 3...

I choose it because the patient is MINE... I know every last bit of their history, I know all their labs, I understand our current treatment... where we're headed and how we need to get there.... I know what to monitor for, what to call for, what to ...

in our ccu, IABP's once dropped are sick enough to be a 1:1 for 8-12 hours, then we play it by ear... are we still playing with afterload reduction and pressers? if you've a wall of drips... equals a 1:1 CVSU, post open heart, these guys are 1:1 for...

They were supposed to do a fluid push to raise your bp to sedate you, YES, they were to stop, PAIN is the 6th vital sign and pain is an unacceptable response to diagnosis and treatment. They were to stop, give you fluids, then meds then schedule you...

I agree, and I think you're looking at this out of context. Meds cannot be administered until the doc is present and ready to go. This does NOT mean he will start before you are comfortable. trust me here, as a NURSE, not a tech, (no offense inten...

the propofol without an experienced nurse IS dangerous, it can rapidly drop heart rate and blood pressure plus you never know how someone will respond and it can depress respirations to the point of not breathing in moments. Propofol is an EXCELLENT...

jewelcutt- wanted to say thanks, having my first upper and lower tomorrow. As an ICU nurse, I've watched and seen easy exams and some horrific ones where I'm begging the doc to push more meds... even stating "I don't think we should continue until t...

Well, you mix them and the line clots off, now you're really in a mess. Personally I don' know your protocols, but I would have called the MD to order the line and explain current therapy wasn't working,pt. deteriorating and the two meds can't be ru...

I have yet to see this but we don't use more than 50 mg/hr, with an order 100 mg/hr. If in the usual unit vented scenerio, 50 mg/hr isn't working, you need a second agent, versed, fentanyl, morphine, dilaudid prn or scheduled. My pt. last night just...

You've been given great advice. let me add mine. 5 months is NOT enough time to be comfortable. It really takes a year med surg and 18 months ICU. I think that when the next batch of new grads rolls onto the floors, the "older" nurses have too h...

yes. Had an old undiagnosed knee injury years ago. Last sept. decided to pick up jogging:uhoh3: swell-hurt, swell-hurt. Still jogged, still worked until the knee was hurting at rest. post op month 6 now.... you've GOT to do the rehab post op for...

Our unit tripples. This is because there isn't enough staff period. Management DOES try very hard to find people but there isn't always someone extra to work. We only have a secretary, no assistant. Two nights of the week we work without the secr...

Ok, We've all done the IV starts, the BS calls as well as the legit ones. We have a charge nurse on a med surg. floor in our facility that is "well known to rapid response", to the point that nurses are refusing to take the "beeper" when she.. L is t...

This is terrible advice. I've worked CICU for 12 years. we start all MI's and ACS at this dose with ACE inhibitors and NTG q6hr. too.... so a normal HR is 40's, a SBP is 90... lopressor peaks in 2-4 hrs. this med was re-dosed while it was peaking. ...

OP, with the nursing shortage I firmly believe you can get a day position. Will you get the unit you want AND a day position? Probably not. But if keeping on a day shift schedule is more important, you may have to choose a less desirable unit or h...

I think your question would get more responses as it's own thread. I've personally driven 90, yes 90 minutes each way for five 8 hr. shifts a week, then on week 12 got on 3 12 hr. shifts (gone 16 hrs a day in bad weather). To some this is simply nu...

Please look into free clinics, you KNOW:nono: that if your sick enough to miss work you need to be seen:o This way if you have ongoing health issues, your with the same doc who can assist with a family medical leave to protect your job. I don't kn...

You haven't mentioned opportunities in your area. a common mistake is not to send resumes out and consider you options, interview at local "competitors" and find your true value. Many places are lucky to have options, others are not.... where do yo...

I dream of working in the caribbean, a small hospital with a small house in walking distance to the beach that pays the bills to have both.

1. Accept my knowledge and listen to my concerns as an informed pt. 2. Know my limitations with my knowledge as a nurse vrs.being the patient 3. Always tell me straight up how things are, not the generic doctor speak, (which says nothing) and kick me...

without giving medical advice, a second opinion of a dermatologist may offer other treatments, even if you are satisfied that your derm is up to snuff. We always bounce ideas off each other as nurses and learn from each other, this is what a second ...

Ours has all yellows (near emergents ie. cp with normal vs) with a protocol from triage, to RN who does ekg, labs, then a cxr. if ekg is abnormal, brought to back. if good, they sit and wait for labs, all yellows have a similar protocol, so labs are ...

Thanks for the feedback, sorry a bit late with the "thank you". Our system is political, like many and our service line director (our direct boss) is not in the same service line over her manager. At first, of course we try educating, she just sees...

being new, I think you're unprepared for the dynamics of personalities in any unit, let alone and ICU, so you didn't give enough background to your unit. Are new grads hired regularly? Is there a critical care program to teach you this transition? ...