2 rn's both bsn, ond nearly NP fin leave bp high

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This ADN took over after 2 consecutive 4 hr shifts had fin for 2 rn's, both bsn, one nearly done w/NP, one a Critical Care float who is paid more b/c she comes to our ICU as a float--they both had one pt., nasal cannula, alert nsr post stroke clot retrieval, sbp ord 110-140 w/ iv push meds if over 140. Both 4hr shifts the bp was 160-170, this adn came on at 4 am and had to correct w/iv p meds and bath the pt who had not been bathed. I of course had another sick vented trauma pt. I am an adn w/20 yrs experience and hope the ones pushing for the bsn completion in nursing I hope this pt was their mother.

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Hope you don't fall off your high horse and crack your cranium, some useless BSN might take care of you- the point being that we have all followed nurses regardless of degree or experience whose performance has been less than stellar and if we're around long enough it will eventually be us who is less than perfect. happens to everybody- hope you had the stones to point this out in report to the offending nurse and didn't just run around the unit proclaiming what crappy nurses they are and how much better your care and skills are. remember no one is perfect.

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So I have a few questions for you given your vast superior knowledge to the rest of us who dared to get a BSN or god forbid a MSN.

1. how far out of the stroke was the patient?

2. Who wrote the order for the goal systolic pressure of 110-140.

3. What was the patient's blood pressure when the order was written.

4. What did the patient's blood pressure fall to after administration of the iv push medication?

5. When you called to question the order (which I am sure you did given that you are super nurse) what rational did the physician give for that blood pressure target.

6. Did the bath save the patient's life? Did all neurological symptoms disappear thanks to soap and water?

Hopefully you can tell my sarcasm is laid on thick with this reply but in all seriousness if the stroke occurred in the last 2 weeks (i am assuming it was if she is still in the ICU) and it was my mother I don't want the physician who wrote that order nor the nurses who didn't at least call the doctor for the rationale behind it to take care of her.

So what principle of after stroke care should ypu have thought of before you gave the iv meds?

Congratulations on gaining your degree and not passing away or getting fired as that is the only 2 things that 20 years experience proves.

BTW the best nurse I have seen in 20 years of healthcare was a associate's degree nurse with 2 years experience.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Do you want praise? If so, I'll bestow it upon you. You are a great nurse. You did well. You deserve recognition and a pat on the back.

Now that we've gotten that out of our system, here's the blunt reality: recruiters and HR managers at many hospitals across the US are giving nurses with BSNs preference for recruiting, hiring and retention, but I suspect you already know this.

In other words, you can jump on the BSN degree bandwagon to ensure your future in acute care hospital nursing, or you can take your chances in your local employment market with the ADN degree.

Regrettably, many of the people who do the hiring do not care how good or skilled a nurse with an ADN or diploma may be. Without the BSN degree, the day may arrive where your employment application will be tossed aside to make room for applicants with baccalaureate degrees.

I have an ASN degree, but am enrolled in a BSN degree completion program as a hedge against the future.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.

OP: I am a former ADN nurse. I went back to school for the very reasons posted above; recruiters were not interested in me in descent paying parts of this country because they only hired BSNs. If you think you are safe because you are not likely to jump ship and work for someone else, you are wrong.

Employers are figuring out that there are ADNs that know that the market is changing and so refuse to leave despite their current facility pushing for BSNs or above! So, in order to get rid of those ADNs they are trying to offer incentives for early retirement. When that does not work, they have a massive layoff of all RNs. Afterwards (and very quickly) they open up positions and offer the RNs that were dismissed opportunities to reapply for newly posted jobs. Guess who does not get hired back to work?

These employers get away with ignoring the applications from their former ADN nurses because of their new educational requirements and the HR filters set up to ignore those that do not meet the requirements. Hopefully you will retire sooner rather than experience this new trend in nursing. Otherwise, brace yourself. It is only a matter of time before your employer catches up to the rest. Good luck.

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Whatever does the first post mean? It is illiterate claptrap.

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Maybe with your BSN, you could learn correct grammar and punctuation.

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So what does this prove, that no one is perfect? I've seen as bad, or worse, but all my complaining would only make me look petty, jealous, and less than classy. But better to vent about it here, than on the job.

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Specializes in PICU.

So you were too busy with your patient to help the float staff but you still managed to take notice of orders for the patient and the nurses actions or perceived lack of actions (and you took the time to be aware of their degree status)? And then you came to a forum to share how this must show that all degrees are worthless and what a great nurse you are for noticing all of this? If you had concern for a patient in real time, did you feel satisfied that the nurse was floundering or did you think about the patient that might have been affected.

As you can see, your post isn't endearing yourself or your cause to anyone so far.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

Sorry. I can't say if you "did good" or not. In the ICU after stroke? Must have been VERY recent. Ever heard of permissive hypertension? Reduction of BP post-stroke should not be abrupt, maximum of somewhere around 20 mmHg after intervention, I believe.

dudette10, RN, BSN w/ three years experience

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Whatever does the first post mean? It is illiterate claptrap.

Thanks for saying this....I cannot understand at all what is being said here, especially the title of the post. Is the OP asking for something, or telling us something? Everyone else who has responded seems to understand, maybe I'm just loopy tonight. Anyway, the responding posters are some of my favorite AN members, so always enjoy reading their opinions....but, sheesh, I'm still lost. :confused:

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Thanks for saying this....I cannot understand at all what is being said here, especially the title of the post. Is the OP asking for something, or telling us something? Everyone else who has responded seems to understand, maybe I'm just loopy tonight. Anyway, the responding posters are some of my favorite AN members, so always enjoy reading their opinions....but, sheesh, I'm still lost. :confused:

I think the OP was so shocked and flabbergasted it affected her ability to express herself coherently.

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