What is your no fail nursing tip

mjamesRN · Dec 4, 2001

Gotta love those catheter-inserting tips especially the "wink" -- someone told me to ask a conscious female patient to give a good cough which will also provide a wink (or a bulging of the meatus). Haven't had a chance to use that technique but I had an 87 year old nulliparus who needed a straight cathing and she told me to put the fan blowing on her exposed parts -- sure enough she wet the bed (with my encouraging her to do so should she have the urge) and the cathing wasn't necessary. HA!

Great thread!

mattcastens · Dec 4, 2001

Originally posted by hoolahan
When a pt is on multiple drips, take a few minutes to fold silk tape onto the ends of the IV tubings and label the drug infusing there. So, when the doo hits the fan, and you need to give emergency drugs fast, you know which lines will have compatible or incompatible drugs in a hurry.

Arrgh! My big pet peeve: unlabled IV lines!!

I would suggest, though, that you label the lines as close to the injection ports as possible. That way, you don't have to follow the speghetti to find what's infusing when you need to inject something -- you can look right near the port you're going to use.

kaycee · Dec 4, 2001

When someone arrives in the ER with maggots in a wound (had a guy with maggots and roaches all through legs ulcers)use Dakins solution. They just curl up and die. If it's an extremity soak it in the solution. It's easier then picking them out.

mcl4 · Dec 6, 2001

Originally posted by kaycee
When someone arrives in the ER with maggots in a wound (had a guy with maggots and roaches all through legs ulcers)use Dakins solution. They just curl up and die. If it's an extremity soak it in the solution. It's easier then picking them out.

Thanks for the tip, but this is one problem I hope I never encounter.

wenron · Mar 23, 2002

Always forget a flashlight when you need one? ie., electricity goes out in a home and you need to put in a f/c and draw blood....always carry a flashlight on keychain. I've used mine twice in the same home. Once was electricty and their home is darker. You can buy a small flashlight that's supposed to last a lifetime. This has saved my pa-toot.

Huganurse · Mar 23, 2002

My number one tip: Always listen to the patient then observe/assess with emphasis on what the patient has said. In all my years of nursing I have found that patients usually know what or atleast that something is wrong. I don't know how many times I have heard "you where the only one who listened to me and I am so grateful to finally get help for this problem after so many years/months/days of suffering. The docs love it when I present them with all the facts and they are easily able to make a diagnosis (the one I had already determined but don't say), and then start treatment. So #1 tip: Stop, look, and listen, then act!

My #2 tip is simple: Never start an IV unless you are sure you have the right vien and are sure you are able to hit it. Take plenty of time and search for the best vien. Also listen to the patient when they say, I am a hard stick and they usually get the IV here and point to the site. Again, they are usually right.

INVOLVE YOUR PATIENT IN ALL ASPECTS OF CARE AND DECISIONS AND THEY WILL LOVE YOU FOR IT! (I realize there are many patients we can't do this for but I still try or go to the family in those cases).

eldernurse · Mar 23, 2002

When inserting an IV into ANYBODY, take the time to first relax. When I am uptight and stressed I miss a proverbially garden hose. If I take a minute to take a deep breath and relax, I get blood out of turnips.

biscuit_007 · Mar 23, 2002

Love the tip from codebluechick, while i was a tech still i was bringing a patient from re to a tele floor when they coded in the elevator and i was alone.

My bid tip is always check all your charts prior to going to see your patients because i have learned not to trust anyone.

prmenrs, RN · Mar 23, 2002

Lidocaine stings--didn't know that till I had to have stitches. It was one of the biggest shocks of my life! It does numb eventually but when it's first put in, it hurts. If you're going to use it, warn the pt. first.

zumalong · Mar 24, 2002

Here's some tips from a neuro/uro nurse:

If your patient is on tube feeding and dilantin--administer the IV liquid form via the tube. The liquid po will bind with the tube feeding and lead to a subtheraputic blood level

When doing neuro checks make sure to allow time for the patient to understand the directions (may take several minutes) also make sure they let go of your hand when checking hand grasps. I use my first two fingers to avoid the pain of a very firm grasp. The closing of the hand is a reflex--it is the opening of the hand that takes conscious effort.

For a catheterized male keep the foley bag off of the IV pole. (had to throw this in here because one time we had a confused TURP who hung his foley bag from the IV--the surgeon came out of the room and wanted to know which nurse did this!!!!!) Seriously though--irrigate the foley for clots when a continuous bladder irrigation bag is hanging. If you don't hand irrigate also--the patient may go into clot retension. And NEVER remove a foley from a prostatectomy patient---they will have to go back to surgery to place the foley cath again. (makes for very unhappy patients and surgeons) I don't know is this is common sense but I have worked in a small rural hospital and these are some things I have seen.

SICU Queen · Mar 24, 2002

For the shaving portion of a CABG prep, we use baby powder to shave patients. MUCH neater than soap and water or shaving cream, and the hair just slides right off with the razor. Works good for cath patients too, or anyone needing a shave for a surgical prep.

Plus, it's SUPER fast, which is nice when those hairy men come through! :)

ICUBecky · Mar 24, 2002

when you are having a hard time advancing a foley catheter into a male, b/c of enlarged prostate, BPH or whatever, get a sterile 10 cc needleless syringe and fill it with K-Y jelly. place the tip of the syringe directly into the meatus, and inject all of the jelly into it. voila...your catheter slides right in. i learned this from a urologist, and it works all of the time!!