NicuGal MSN, RN

NICU, PICU, PACU

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All Content by NicuGal

  1. NicuGal

    Bedside PPV Bag & Masks

    NicuGal replied to Love_2_Learn's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Bag/mask/sx at bedside. Bag and mask put together in a bag hooked up to O2 if not intubated, mask taped to bed and bag hooked to O2 with a cap on it at the bedside. We have separate suction for oral...
  2. NicuGal

    Bedside Code Sheets

    NicuGal replied to nurseck04's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Our monitors have a program on them that calculates them, and we can print them when we go off the unit. We update it every monday unless there is a big change in
  3. NicuGal

    what does a nurse educator for an unit do???

    NicuGal replied to winter_green's topic in General Nursing

    We have 2, one is for the staff education, like Ed days, getting new info up and running, things like that. The other is for patient Ed...she makes sure we have discharge teaching items that are...
  4. NicuGal

    Really not liking these new Alaris syringe pumps....

    NicuGal posted a topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Way too much inputting, and they are time consuming! We had Medfusion infusion pumps before and we just put in our weight and dose, the pump already had the time and all this other info we are having...
  5. NicuGal

    NICU Recovery Rates Different For Race?

    NicuGal replied to crbetts's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    She is pretty right. We call our little white preemie boys the Wimpy White Boys...for whatever reason, they are the ones that are sicker and take the longest to go home when compared, a lot of the...
  6. NicuGal

    Patient's Families as Facebook Friends....

    NicuGal replied to spacey's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    It was actually given by our legal department and HR. It was pretty eye
  7. NicuGal

    Patient's Families as Facebook Friends....

    NicuGal replied to spacey's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Add me to the don't do it team. Bad stuff. We just had a huge mandatory inservice about professional boundaries. You are crossing those boundaries when you friend them on facebook. They did...
  8. NicuGal

    Patient Care Facilitator role?

    NicuGal replied to Kilika421's topic in General Nursing

    In our hospital, it is a fancy name for the charge nurse
  9. NicuGal

    how long can you prime fluids for in advance of infusion?

    NicuGal replied to BayBabyRN's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    With the kids on windows, we will prime it and reconnect to the line, just with the line clamped off. I've seen it primed and hung at the bedside, but as long as the connections are appropriately...
  10. NicuGal

    Can nurses have facial piercings?

    NicuGal replied to staceym's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    At my hospital, no facial piercing or visible tatoos. A small nose piercing is tolerated, but others
  11. NicuGal

    questions on my patient

    NicuGal replied to rockabye's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    We have covers for our bili blankets, or we cut a chux and stick in there. I would guess that most institutions use an occlusive dressing over the site, look up the policy. If this person isn't and...
  12. NicuGal

    NICU NURSES....labeling breast milk???

    NicuGal replied to schoolnurseadmin's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Mom is given patient labels and another colored label that is marked fresh or frozen. Date and time pumped have to be on the label. Moms give us the containers to check and we place them in fridge...
  13. NicuGal

    Pulse Oximetry

    NicuGal replied to Sunlight-RN's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    RT documents with their O2 checks and with treatments. We document every hour. RT does all vent changes and
  14. NicuGal

    advice for heel sticks on big babies

    NicuGal replied to rockabye's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    But, if the kid is there and has NO PICC line and will be NPO and getting IV abx, don't use up veins for venipunctures. We threaten our residents when they start to do that. Warm the heel and put...
  15. NicuGal

    Still on orientation but got another attractive offer

    NicuGal replied to SjoeRN's topic in First Year After Licensure

    That's a tough one. I have to say that where I work, you would be let go immediately since you are on orientation and put down as possible not rehireable. It costs the hospital a lot to orient...
  16. NicuGal

    Another nurse bites the dust due to facebook

    NicuGal replied to siringe's topic in Nursing News

    Also, remember, most hospitals now have networking policies in place. I know we do and it clearly states what they deem is fireable. For example, you better not say bad things about the place and...
  17. NicuGal

    got "fired"

    NicuGal replied to aerorunner80's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Even on medicaid, they have to pay the cost of transport if it is not medically indicated....that usually puts them off. I figure if they hate it here that much, see ya later. They aren't going to...
  18. NicuGal

    got "fired"

    NicuGal replied to aerorunner80's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Ugh, I can't stand parents like that. We have one like that in our unit now. I finally told her that the 3 nurses she likes don't work everyday and they certainly don't work 24 hours a day and she...
  19. NicuGal

    Drop-side cribs outlawed

    NicuGal replied to Coffee Nurse's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    My guess is that our cribs will be deemed hospital grade and be exempt. Personally, I never lowered the rail on my own kids' cribs, it was a pain to
  20. NicuGal

    Withdrawl of Life Support in the PICU

    NicuGal replied to JudithRN24's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    Is anyone ever truly comfortable watching the parents endure this? No. Are any of us truly comfortable with this? No. By all means, she should talk to a mentor about this, but to not assign her...
  21. NicuGal

    Withdrawl of Life Support in the PICU

    NicuGal replied to JudithRN24's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    I disagree with you Carol. It is about the family and this is going to be a part of the job in PICU unfortunately. And you have to start somewhere. We do assign people who have a rapport with the...
  22. NicuGal

    Has anyone gone from L&D to NICU or viceversa?

    NicuGal replied to Shanlee79's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    I would be hesitant as a new grad to enter a float pool. Our new grads get a full 12-16 week orientation in the ICUs and 8-12 weeks on the floors, L/D is 12-16
  23. NicuGal

    Our NICU needs a new Kardex/report system

    NicuGal replied to CareForBabies's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    We use SBAR, but we also use a bedside worksheet. It has the admitting diagnosis, birthdate, weight, band number and parent names. Then it is divided into columns for Resp, Cardiac, Neuro, GI/GU/...
  24. NicuGal

    How does your nursing unit do scheduling?

    NicuGal replied to marci3335's topic in General Nursing

    We self schedule. For weekends, we have to sign up for 2 fridays, 3 weekend days (sat, sun) and 2 mondays per 4 weeks of time. Then our schedulers plug it in and rotate people off. They keep track...
  25. NicuGal

    Recessive Epidermolysis Bullosa -I need advice

    NicuGal replied to NurseLisa64's topic in General Nursing

    We have taken care of one child with this, and I am not going to cut corners here...it was the most brutal, heartbreaking, stressful patient any of us in our unit had to deal with ever. There are...