Another popular thread titled "Oldie but goodie" inspired this post. Being a nurse with only 6yrs experience, I unfortunately don't have any great stories of the way things used to be done. However, I have been a part of some pretty cool, newer innovations and am curious what others have had the opportunity to take part in.
I remember working with the newer Heartware LVADs when they were still pending FDA approval, and thinking how cool it was that they plugged into the wall or a cigarette lighter, the first time I had a pt have a balloon pump inserted, and using an Alsius machine for therapeutic hypothermia and to treat a hypothermic trauma pt.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Anyone remember Tridil (IV NITRO) and Tridil tubing?
I remember the first time I gave Bretylium to a patient with a ventricular aneurysm in Tordsades.
I remember one of the first patients I ever gave TPA to....the guy denied surgery but had recent hair plugs. No one thought it was s problem. So....we gave it. Then I heard the patient scram and I turned around I saw he had blood running from his scalp! I guess the recent plug placement was a problem.
I remember early angioplasty and invasive intervention. Those were wild times. I rode the stretcher many time to the OR doing CPR and had my arms prepped as they readied the patient for pump.
Therapeutic hypothermia is relatively new, but cooling/ warming blankets have been around forever.
Thanks for the info! That shows you how long I've been doing this.
I remember thinking how cool tPA was the first time I had a patient that had been tPA'ed and I got to see the improvement, but only the first time. It's an awesome drug but those every 15 minutes/every 30 minutes NIH scales are awful. I can't wait to work somewhere where the neuro patients don't come up to the medical ICU.
I also had a patient that the MD decided to tPA after he'd been in a car accident when he started developing some right-sided weakness. Talk about blood EVERYWHERE! Bleeding like crazy from his scalp, into his chest tubes, out of his abdominal incision... yikes. Many units of FFP, plasma, PRBCs, and some Amicar later... he lived and his deficits were gone. I guess it was a good decision. It was cool to see that it is possible for a patient to live through tPA after massive trauma, but I don't think I want to see a trauma patient get tPA ever again.
Took care if a patient with Mad Cow Disease (or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease). Pt. was in advanced stages and mom networked w/ some people in England and found out about a promising medication that is injected into the patient's CSF. Managed to get approval to have the medication shipped to the US to use on her son. Took care of pt. once a month when he'd come in to have the medication instilled. Interesting to see how the approval process worked and how the staff at the hospital I worked at wrote the policies and procedures for something that had never been done before in the U.S. When the pt. had the port installed to infuse the medication, they had to figure out how to handle the used instruments and the pt.'s body fluids as CJD is caused by a prion and cannot be killed by autoclave. I didn't work O.R. so don't know what they did but I know it took months to get everything lined up. Pt. did show improvement but eventually succumbed to the illness. It was an honor to be part if his care team and to see the dedication of a mother to her son.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I am interested in the science behind why some nurses call a diaper a "pad" or a "brief."
No science. Human compassion for the preservation of Patient dignity. When my Grandmother was ill and dying but alert....My Aunt kept demeaning her mother by talking about changing her diaper. I watched my Grandmother cringe every time my Aunt said that. I wanted to slap her. I finally told my Aunt she deserved a good rest and I would care for Grandma 24/7 while I was in town.
People need to be treated with dignity and respect.
I've only been an RN for a year but man am I in love with the angiocath autoguard IVs. It is fabulous to be able to start an IV and not worry about the room looking like a murder scene afterwards. The old cathlons we used were not flexible at all and it was a serious art learning just where to apply pressure before you attached your j-loop.
I've only been an RN for a year but man am I in love with the angiocath autoguard IVs. It is fabulous to be able to start an IV and not worry about the room looking like a murder scene afterwards. The old cathlons we used were not flexible at all and it was a serious art learning just where to apply pressure before you attached your j-loop.
Oh jeez. We had those kinds of things at all of the hospitals where I did my clinicals. I learned to start IVs with them. I get hired for my first job as a new grad RN somewhere else, and we don't have them. I still haven't figured out how to start IVs without getting blood everywhere. I apparently learned poor technique because I didn't have to worry about blood while I was learning, or something. I also did a much better job of starting IVs as a nursing student than I do as a nurse now... I am convinced I was just trained on the best equipment and I can't figure out how to use the inferior stuff. It's always easier to learn how to do something the difficult way and then get an easier way, than to learn the easy way and have to do something more difficult later.
Seriously? At first this was amusing.....I am no longer amused.
Have you done NOTHING of scientific interest in your career?
Thank you. He is likely serious. Probably playing Candy Crush instead of doing ADLs... Or god forbid changing briefs. Nope, that's not a "nursing duty." Lol
Now let's carry on with the interesting topic please.
I was trained by my hospital to put IV lines in by ultrasound guidance within my first year of practice. Not all too complicated, but it might come in pretty useful if I ever decide to take an advanced practice role in my career
Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN
20,908 Posts
Anyone remember Tridil (IV NITRO) and Tridil tubing?
I remember the first time I gave Bretylium to a patient with a ventricular aneurysm in Tordsades.
I remember one of the first patients I ever gave TPA to....the guy denied surgery but had recent hair plugs. No one thought it was s problem. So....we gave it. Then I heard the patient scram and I turned around I saw he had blood running from his scalp! I guess the recent plug placement was a problem.
I remember early angioplasty and invasive intervention. Those were wild times. I rode the stretcher many time to the OR doing CPR and had my arms prepped as they readied the patient for pump.