NicuGal MSN, RN

NICU, PICU, PACU

Member

  • Content

    2,743

  • Visitors

    24,540

  • Followers

    0

  • Likes

    47

All Content by NicuGal

  1. NicuGal

    Starting Lorain County Community College RN - Fall 2012

    NicuGal replied to ladylysis's topic in Ohio Nursing

    Usually not, the BSN is a BSN. As for the hiring, you have to have a percentage of people WITH the BSN behind their name, not working on it, to meet the percentage you need to have to keep your...
  2. NicuGal

    changing from FT status to PRN, thoughts?

    NicuGal replied to loving2's topic in General Nursing

    That is something to think about. When our PRNs want to come back they have to take what is there, and the day positions go to people in the unit. You aren't an "employee", if you will, of your unit...
  3. NicuGal

    How much of a raise did you get this year?

    NicuGal replied to thesundowner's topic in General Nursing

    Nada this year...county is in a
  4. NicuGal

    changing from FT status to PRN, thoughts?

    NicuGal replied to loving2's topic in General Nursing

    As long as you don't need consistent hours and benefits it will work. Our PRNs are the first to be cancelled and the first to float to other peds areas. Ours have weekend requirements and holiday...
  5. NicuGal

    Ugh...Bedside Report

    NicuGal replied to Vespertinas's topic in General Nursing

    We have always done bedside report in our unit and most of the peds areas. We have up to 6 kids in each pod, so we are used to it I guess. If there is a lot of sensitive stuff that needs to be...
  6. NicuGal

    Starting Lorain County Community College RN - Fall 2012

    NicuGal replied to ladylysis's topic in Ohio Nursing

    That isn't necessarily true about the BSN and BSN track, I am on a hiring and retention committee and if we have 5 positions and 20 people apply, and 5 of them already have their BSN then we will hire...
  7. NicuGal

    Tips for Starting IVs in Level II neonates

    NicuGal replied to Ellen59's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    You guys change your IV's even if they don't need changed? We had it written into our protocol to leave the catheter for how ever long it is good. We also aren't allowed to use surgilube on...
  8. NicuGal

    What causes As and Bs during gavage feeding?

    NicuGal replied to LRC_RN's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Your ng doesn't always have to be a 5 fr. We use 6.5 many times so that we can vent our tubes after feeds, esp if the kid is on
  9. NicuGal

    Starting Lorain County Community College RN - Fall 2012

    NicuGal replied to ladylysis's topic in Ohio Nursing

    I would do an accelerated program if you already have a BA...it is a waste to go thru 2 programs to get what you could in 1, and if you want NICU, usually the the big 3 downtown are BSN preferred. We...
  10. NicuGal

    Flu Shots anyone?

    NicuGal replied to sauconyrunner's topic in General Nursing

    When we put a "shot giver" on each shift and had coverage on weekends in every unit, we quadrupled our numbers. Who has time to run down to employee health and stand in line down there? We even did...
  11. NicuGal

    New grad not ready for new grad program - where to go from here?

    NicuGal replied to RNenthusiast's topic in General Nursing

    I think internships are great (or new grad progams) but we have finally convinced them that it is hard to orient on one floor and be expected to work another! They still take ours out on adult floors...
  12. NicuGal

    IVs on baby-Am I too sensitive?

    NicuGal replied to RN4kidz11's topic in Pediatric

    I don't like the restraints either....I am sure that contributed to the frantic-ness of the baby! They hate to be restrained. We will get someone to hold and we will papoose them in a blanket with...
  13. NicuGal

    Bedside charting?! Is this the new norm? VENT!

    NicuGal replied to RockinChick66's topic in General Nursing

    We do ours at the bedside, but that is the norm in ICU I think, at least at our hospital. Our floors also have a computer in each room, but there are a few scattered around the outside unit for the...
  14. NicuGal

    Who gets paid more RN's or X-Ray Techs?

    NicuGal replied to lizzyberry's topic in General Nursing

    My hubby works in radiology and he makes about the same as I do, he has a few more years than I do and has several certs for CT,
  15. NicuGal

    New NICU nurse, feeling very disheartened ;( Question to Preceptors

    NicuGal replied to NewNicuNurse1336's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    I think I did say she needs to speak up. And hopefully this person's coworkers say something too...we had one preceptor like that and we were on her like ducks on junebugs. Sometimes you have to be...
  16. NicuGal

    Patients overstaying their welcome in hospitals

    NicuGal replied to fallinnstyle's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    Happens in NICU a lot, we have kids with special needs, no family to take them and the specialized foster care is full. We have had kids in our unit for a year or little more. There is only one...
  17. NicuGal

    New NICU nurse, feeling very disheartened ;( Question to Preceptors

    NicuGal replied to NewNicuNurse1336's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    I agree with the above...our new nurses do a modified internship....they really do not need the adult skills since we are pretty specialized. A lot of what we do needs to be hands on. We do show...
  18. NicuGal

    New NICU nurse, feeling very disheartened ;( Question to Preceptors

    NicuGal replied to NewNicuNurse1336's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    By the end of 4 weeks that is an acceptable assignment and you should be doing it with minimal help. As for the preceptor...we back off when you are in with feeders after that time frame. We are...
  19. NicuGal

    Evidence-Based Practice...your thoughts

    NicuGal replied to ThePrincessBride's topic in General Nursing

    Everything we practice is evidence based if you think about it. It really is the best practice and if your protocols are written to EBP then if you don't follow them, yes, you are
  20. NicuGal

    Use of linens in NICU

    NicuGal replied to LnmoonRN's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Linens get washed by the hospital, that being said, we also use linen that the parents provide us. They are thinking of doing away with that as home washers do not get hot enough to kill hospital...
  21. NicuGal

    Do I Say Something When They Call or Just Let it Go?

    NicuGal replied to flashpoint's topic in General Nursing

    I'd bring up the monitor, heck I would have to the unit manager before I left. Obviously they didn't know how to use it and that is a huge deal. And patients should never ever be told to silence a...
  22. NicuGal

    Who is responsible to check the emergency cart?

    NicuGal replied to tony2020's topic in General Nursing

    Ours are locked with a board on top that we check off. We make sure nothing needs changed out by the dates on the clipboard. Pharmacy takes care of the
  23. NicuGal

    Court subpoena

    NicuGal replied to Simply Complicated's topic in General Nursing

    Usually, your legal department briefs you. Did you give a deposition? To go on the stand, you have to give a deposition first. You have to get the chart from legal, you can't just ask to see the...
  24. NicuGal

    When to start CPAP vs. blow by 02 vs. PPV?

    NicuGal replied to LRC_RN's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Were you feeding her when this happened? Was she refluxing? It is hard to tell what what was going on when this occurred,but give that kiddo some blowby and stim her so she cries. If that doesn't...
  25. NicuGal

    So.....the infection control nurse busted me.....

    NicuGal replied to mindlor's topic in General Students

    We have pods and we have to wash in and out, or sanitize in and out. Although, if we step one step in to say something, they don't ding us. We had a heck of a time educating ours on the ways on...