Nerd eNurse ADN

The quality of blood specimens is the problem. Nurses rarely if ever get formal training on how to properly collect blood, how to follow the standards or even know that there are blood collection standards. We get our training by learning from our co...

So... You slept in a Holiday Inn Express... Who's laughing NOW!!!

It sounds crazy but a vague ruling but the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services could be interpreted that way. I have been discussing, with Clinical Laboratory Scientist's, what current communication between nursing and the lab is like and how w...

I don't think unionized or not should be a primary reason to work there. The hospital is either a well run good place to work or a good place to stay away from. Unions are the same. Some are well organized and reasonable... others aren't worth the du...

I appreciate that. With the number of union hospitals driving the wage scale in many areas it is hard to fathom that there is truly a wage disparity between the genders. If there is it seems that it should be able to be isolated to a specific area, s...

What is the measurement being used to determine a discrepancy of pay between genders?

I am up front with addicts. Straight up tell them I am not there to judge them and I will give them what they are ordered when it is due unless they are snowed or vitals won't support giving it. I write down the times the different medications are du...

Great article. My initial thought was that it is a good reminder for nurses like me not to be pressured or rushed when giving medications. My heart goes out to those you wrote about and I can say from experience that it is way better to take ownershi...

The different pumps that I have used are per-programed by pharmacy. The problem is that some medications like Vanco seem to always have a substantial amount left in the bag after delivering what the pump is programed for. I don't know if the bags are...

Patient satisfaction has gone too far. Benches and flowers in the hallway... really?!!

Murphy's Law! My first real break in months and who see's me....

I can't get those darn alarms out of my head.

"They ignore me all year... feed me like a pig and suddenly they smile at me, call me Mr. Tom and want me to get last minute physical!"

Your so sweet... I would love to come over for Thanksgiving dinner!

Thank you for the good information! The ruling does not limit highly complex testing to Istat machines. And with the lack of training of nurses on the basics of quality blood drawing(order of draw, invert don't agitate, maximum amount for blood cultu...

"Yes, I have a deadly allergy to Thanksgiving"

"I have this strange feeling of impending doom"

Another important factor is what was her norm... did she work night shift for 50 years?

If the patient is competent she makes the decisions. If she is not then I would talk to the POA and suggest that she made it to 90+ so why argue with success... if she wants to nap by golly she should be allowed to nap!

Thanks for the comment. The ruling is too broad and if there is a specific reason where there is a need to bend the rules then the lab industry should be involved in the solution. And it should be spelled out in the ruling. I don't like the fact that...

CMS ruling: A bachelor's degree in nursing meets the requirement of having earned a bachelor's degree in a biological science for high complexity testing personnel. I don't understand the reason for it... especially being so broad... there has to b...

Ha! Ha! Good one!

Thank you for the comment. CMS does not establish the standard of care so this interpretation can mean many things to many people and they could all be right just dangerous. The BON is on my radar but my experience is that they prefer to be vague als...

Grimm Reaper to patient: I've got good news and bad news!

Good point but why don't they just say that in the ruling?I don't know if the ruling is good or bad but it definitely is broad. Thanks for the comment.