Stupid question

Faeriewand, ASN, RN · May 13, 2006

I don't think your questions are stupid. Chances are if you are contemplating on asking a queston someone else here can benefit too if it is answered.

Also, I will let a nurse answer your question. :)

I am almost done with my CNA class and have learned so much. Are you thinking about taking any healthcare related training in the summer to get a head start? For my school it's a requirement.

infectionRN · May 13, 2006

I will be starting NS in the Fall and do not currently work in the healthcare industry so I am not sure what some of the lingo means in this forum. Can someone translate these words?
Med/surg unit - what kind of patients would you see in this unit?
Telemetry -
This would be a medical/surgery floor and on this floor there are pt's that have had general surgery done such as: appy's, hysterectomy, facial surgery and the list goes on. You may also have pt's on this unit who are diabetic and having a crisis, any medical problems with any of the systems. As far as telemetry these folks will be on the telemetry boxes/ heart monitor so they can be watched. Hope this helped a little.

infectionRN · May 13, 2006

I will be starting NS in the Fall and do not currently work in the healthcare industry so I am not sure what some of the lingo means in this forum. Can someone translate these words?
Med/surg unit - what kind of patients would you see in this unit?
Telemetry -
I know there was more but right now those are the only two I can think of. I see them so frequently on the boards but not real sure what they mean exactly. Most of the other units are self expanatory.
Thanks and sorry for such a stupid question!

Almost forgot, REMEMBER THERE IS NEVER A STUPID QUESTION!!!!!!!

Travellpro · May 14, 2006

Thank you very much for explaining that. Can anyone tell me what per diem shifts are?

Katnip, RN · May 14, 2006

Just to clarify the above post:

An appy is an appendectomy.

And Faerie and Infection are correct. Your questions are not stupid. None of us was born knowing this stuff.

When you come across something you hear and don't understand, write it down, make a list and feel free to post your questions.

Once you start school you'll start picking up some of it on your own as well.

Katnip, RN · May 14, 2006

Per diem is literally each day.

Some hospitals hire per diem staff to work day by day instead of scheduling a month or so in advance. So they'll ask per diem staff to fill holes in the schedule. You'll see PRN which is pretty much the same. PRN means "as needed."

nickola · May 14, 2006

That is not a stupid question at all- it's just that the medical community has their own lingo & the average layperson can't decipher it!! When I was a student on my first day of clinicals, (& I'd already been a CNA in a nursing home for 2 yrs) our instructor told us if we needed linens they could be found "on the floor." I said "on the FLOOR?!" thinking she meant literally ON THE FLOOR - (yeah, they pile linens on the floors....) she very patiently, --w/out making me feel like an IDIOT-- said, "when I say 'floor' I am referring to whatever 'unit' you're on." We all chuckled, and I still laugh about it everytime I think of it, 30 yrs later!! :trout:

Daytonite, BSN, RN · May 14, 2006

it would be a very good idea for you to invest in a medical dictionary even if your nursing school does not list one as one of it's required books. it's good to have one by your side when you are reading your nursing textbooks as you will encounter many terms in your reading that you will have no clue as to what they mean. i've had a taber's cyclopedic medical dictionary for years. mosby and other publishers also publish medical dictionaries as well. here is a link to an online medical dictionary. there are many others you can find online.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mplusdictionary.html

http://www.pharma-lexicon.com/ - a nice reference site. you may use it to search for abbreviations, definitions, the meaning of medical terms, icd-9 coding, drug searches (both american and english) and information on diseases. you can also get some online access into the merck manuals through their search feature.

med/surg units are where most hospital patients go unless the hospital has some specific specialty unit for a patient's particular problem. general medical/general surgical is what is means. many hospitals have the two separated and have a general medical unit and a general surgical unit. telemetry is continuous ekg monitoring. electrodes are attached to the patient's chests and attached to a trasmitting box about the size of a transitor radio which the patient must carry with them at all times. this box transmits a continuous signal to a receiver that records the patients real time ekg on a screen. someone is designated to watch the ekg tracings that are coming across the telemetry monitors at all times so an arrhythmia can be detected and treated immediately. all nurses who work on telemetry units must know how to read an ekg and determine what the various rhythms are.

Crocuta, RN · May 14, 2006

Electrodes are attached to the patient's chests and attached to a trasmitting box about the size of a transitor radio which the patient must carry with them at all times.

Transistor radio? Do you realize that you just seriously dated yourself? I just know there are people right now thinking, "What's that?" Say "about the size of a PDA." It sounds more hip.

Oops. I feel the wrath of the off-topic gods about to rain down on me.

-----------------

:mad:

Midwest4me · May 14, 2006

Transistor radio? Do you realize that you just seriously dated yourself? I just know there are people right now thinking, "What's that?" Say "about the size of a PDA." It sounds more hip.
Oops. I feel the wrath of the off-topic gods about to rain down on me.
-----------------

I had to chuckle at your comment about seriously dating oneself about the transistor radio---but I don't know (and maybe others don't either)what a PDA is--can you elaborate? Thanks.

EricJRN, MSN, RN · May 15, 2006

Personal digital assistant, aka Palm Pilot. It's an electronic pocket organizer. You've got a calendar on there, an address book for your contacts, games, and different programs are available for download. For example, I put my Neofax (NICU drug book) on mine so I don't have to worry about remembering to bring an extra book.