Your one stop for all the most popular pressing questions on allnurses!

[NeoPediRN]

I am seeing SO many repeat threads here, so I thought I'd throw in a few words of wisdom.

Question: Is nursing for me?

Answer: No one can answer that but you. As with every job out there, nursing has its pros and cons. To answer concisely, if poop, puke, pee, catheters, blood, ostomy spillage, gaping oozing wounds down to the bone, or pus make you squeamish then the answer is no, nursing is probably not for you. Anything else you're just going have to work out in your head, heart, and your own state laws. We don't know you or your history, and i think I can safely say no one here can read souls to find out your true destiny.

Question: Should I move on from XYZ job?

Answer: No one can answer that but you. If you've given it enough thought to post about it on a nursing forum, you're probably ready to move on. If you're burnt out, exhausted, overworked, underpaid, underbenefitted, your nurse/patient ratio sucks, your managers suck, your coworkers suck, your commute sucks, or any combination of the above, then yes, you're probably ready for a new job. Be forewarned though, you sometimes go from the frying pan to the fire. No matter what field or hospital you move to, you're probably going to find at least one of the above things suck. If they all suck, run, don't walk.

Question: I have XYZ medical problem, advice please?

Answer: The answer is we have no advice. NO MEDICAL ADVICE CAN BE GIVEN HERE. EVER. NO MATTER HOW NICELY YOU ASK OR HOW STRANGE YOUR PROBLEM IS!

Question: What is a day in the life of a nurse like?

Answer: Shadow one in a position you're interested in. Every nursing job is vastly different, even from facility to facility. The only truly good way to experience a day in the life of a nurse is to witness it firsthand. Don't forget your rollerskates.

Question: Can you help me with XYZ nursing assignment?

Answer: Only if it's something you can't look up yourself, like an interview. Being on this forum is usually a way to decompress for nurses, and the last thing we want to do after an 8-12-16-20:uhoh3: hour shift is relive the glory days of nursing school by doing homework.

Question: What should I wear for an interview?

Answer: If we really need to answer this then you may need to go back to either Nursing101 or your professional role transition course. Also, just because it's usually the next question to follow, yes, send the damn thank you card.

Question: Why is XYZ nursing job superior to XYZ nursing job?

Answer: No job is superior to any other job. Nursing is comprised of many different fields, all with its own unique set of challenges, whether it's high nurse/patient ratios or vast amounts of paperwork. Anyone who think their field is harder than someone else's is usually playing the "mine is bigger than yours' game.

Question: What is the difference between an LPN/LVN/RN/NP/PA/MD/DO/PHD/BLAH BLAH BLAH? Followed by, which one should I become?

Answer: Do a search and stop asking this question. Only you can decide what profession is right for you, and you're on a nursing forum so take a wild guess what the majority of the answers are going to be?

Question: Is XYZ out of my scope of practice:

Answer: Check your facility and state policies. Every place is different. What one facility encourages may be completely prohibited by another.

Question: Is it okay that I never get a lunch, don't get paid for my overtime, work short-staffed to a dangerous capacity every shift, my manager treats me like crap, or that I get written up for arbitrary things because my hospital is in the process of converting to a hotel?

Answer: No. See question/answer #2.

Question: Does a new grad belong in the ED/ICU/PACU/OTHER CRITICAL CARE AREA, or is it better to start out in med-surg first?

Answer: You might as well ask if the chicken or the egg came first. It's six to one, half a dozen to the other. You're never going to get a uniform answer on this so just make the choice you feel is best for you and your career.

Question: What's your IQ?

Answer: Really?!

[diva rn, BSN, RN]

Only if your really mean preceptor will allow you to do so....

By the way, while at work the other night, some saline splashed on me. I got the hazardous material spill kit, but will I be fired?

Probably, please see the following in regard to this issue: This was in regard to flushing a saline lock, however, I am sure it is applicable: COPIED FROM FILE FOR FLUSHING SALINE LOCKS.....

Sadly, No.

You see, there is now a whole movement brought on through the joint efforts of OSHA, JCAHO, and HIPPA (not HIPAA-this is another agency entirely) the Hospital Inspection of Potientially Poisonous Agents....and Saline is the Chief culprit!

In fact, this agency was started just because of the soaring number of deaths and attributed to saline lock flushes.

THis movement is to route out those indiscriminate nurses who think they can infuse such dangerous agents all WITHOUT a DOCTOR'S ORDERS!!!

I myself, have had a patient die after having a saline flush...it was just terrible...and I just found out about it...you see, I flushed a saline lock back in 1995 on a patient in ICU...and I found out he just expired last week.....he was, wait a minute while I collect myself.....only 92!.... But I am sure the residual effects of the saline caught up with him....I am now waiting to hear from the BON.

What are we going to do?

I suggest we all stop flushing...and now demand that only licensed MD's flush those saline locks...it's just not worth losing your license over:eek:

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

I myself, have had a patient die after having a saline flush...it was just terrible...and I just found out about it...you see, I flushed a saline lock back in 1995 on a patient in ICU...and I found out he just expired last week.....he was, wait a minute while I collect myself.....only 92!.... But I am sure the residual effects of the saline caught up with him....I am now waiting to hear from the BON.

What are we going to do?

I suggest we all stop flushing...and now demand that only licensed MD's flush those saline locks...it's just not worth losing your license over:eek:

OMG diva! The SAME thing happened to ME!!! I got written up, tho, cos I used one of the cute little yellow flushes, cos yellow is my favorite color and stuff, and my manager (pffffttt...what a Nazi she is!) told me that I used Hepirine instead of Saline. Yeah right! Doesn't she know that the flushes come in different colors so that we can all pick out our favorite colors to show the patients? I mean c'mon. It's FUN to show them all the different colors! And they can pick one out too! She was just busting my chops cos I'm pretty and stuff. And skinny too.

*****God help me if anyone actually thinks that this post is serious....

[NeedchangeofPace]

*****God help me if anyone actually thinks that this post is serious....

Well I don't start nursing school until next week, so right now its gospel!:bowingpur

[diva rn, BSN, RN]

OMG diva! The SAME thing happened to ME!!! I got written up, tho, cos I used one of the cute little yellow flushes, cos yellow is my favorite color and stuff, and my manager (pffffttt...what a Nazi she is!) told me that I used Hepirine instead of Saline. Yeah right! Doesn't she know that the flushes come in different colors so that we can all pick out our favorite colors to show the patients? I mean c'mon. It's FUN to show them all the different colors! And they can pick one out too! She was just busting my chops cos I'm pretty and stuff. And skinny too.

Yeah, and you are probably younger too......

You know, this brings back memories of a long time ago....I think we could flush IVs with little bottles of something called, um, um sodium chloride or something like that? It came in the cutest little bottles....I remember this one night, one nurse flushed a saline lock with something that he drew up in a syringe...the patient started yelling and screaming that his arm was burning and burning, it looked just like the little bottle..only it had a RED top on it...I think it had a different name too...something that started with a "P"?????anyway you know what DRAMA QUEENS those patients can be.....they had to take him to the ICU tho.....something about cardiac arrythmias....?

It wasn't long after that-they stopped with those cute little bottles....

[OhioCCRN, MSN, NP]

Probably, please see the following in regard to this issue: This was in regard to flushing a saline lock, however, I am sure it is applicable: COPIED FROM FILE FOR FLUSHING SALINE LOCKS.....

Sadly, No.

You see, there is now a whole movement brought on through the joint efforts of OSHA, JCAHO, and HIPPA (not HIPAA-this is another agency entirely) the Hospital Inspection of Potientially Poisonous Agents....and Saline is the Chief culprit!

In fact, this agency was started just because of the soaring number of deaths and attributed to saline lock flushes.

THis movement is to route out those indiscriminate nurses who think they can infuse such dangerous agents all WITHOUT a DOCTOR'S ORDERS!!!

I myself, have had a patient die after having a saline flush...it was just terrible...and I just found out about it...you see, I flushed a saline lock back in 1995 on a patient in ICU...and I found out he just expired last week.....he was, wait a minute while I collect myself.....only 92!.... But I am sure the residual effects of the saline caught up with him....I am now waiting to hear from the BON.

What are we going to do?

I suggest we all stop flushing...and now demand that only licensed MD's flush those saline locks...it's just not worth losing your license over:eek:

oh you are so BAD Diva!!!

I Love this!

[mazy]

Probably, please see the following in regard to this issue: This was in regard to flushing a saline lock, however, I am sure it is applicable: COPIED FROM FILE FOR FLUSHING SALINE LOCKS.....

Sadly, No.

You see, there is now a whole movement brought on through the joint efforts of OSHA, JCAHO, and HIPPA (not HIPAA-this is another agency entirely) the Hospital Inspection of Potientially Poisonous Agents....and Saline is the Chief culprit!

In fact, this agency was started just because of the soaring number of deaths and attributed to saline lock flushes.

THis movement is to route out those indiscriminate nurses who think they can infuse such dangerous agents all WITHOUT a DOCTOR'S ORDERS!!!

I myself, have had a patient die after having a saline flush...it was just terrible...and I just found out about it...you see, I flushed a saline lock back in 1995 on a patient in ICU...and I found out he just expired last week.....he was, wait a minute while I collect myself.....only 92!.... But I am sure the residual effects of the saline caught up with him....I am now waiting to hear from the BON.

What are we going to do?

I suggest we all stop flushing...and now demand that only licensed MD's flush those saline locks...it's just not worth losing your license over:eek:

Well, I'm not surprised since saline contains dihydrogen monoxide, which is lethal as you know.

http://www.dhmo.org/

[Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN]

Are you seeking medical advice? cuz we can't give it, hang up and dial 911........or press 37432 further assistance:D

After the tone be sure to press 1 for English.

[OhioCCRN, MSN, NP]

You know, this brings back memories of a long time ago....I thing we could flush IVs with little bottles of something called, um, um sodium chloride or something like that? It came in the cutest little bottles....I remember this one night, one nurse flushed a saline lock with something that he drew up in a syringe...the patient started yelling and screaming that his arm was burning and burning, it looked just like the little bottle..only it had a RED top on it...I think it had a different name too...something that started with a "P"?????anyway you know what DRAMA QUEENS those patients can be.....they had to take him to the ICU tho.....something about cardiac arrythmias....?

It wasn't long after that-they stopped with those cute little bottles....

You mean we can't push Potassium Chloride? I swear my preceptor has it in for me. She never told me that during my 12 weeks of orientation. what was i supposed to do? memorize my whole drug guide? I know its because i'm good looking. She must have seen the resident wink at me at the nurses station and got jealous.

[nursel56]

hygiene - that gum chewing thread was epic . i just can't stop myself from posting a few of the more hilarious gems:

if you have a patient with an open wound and you were asked to come in and do a dressing change, you don't want your piece of gum to fall out and land on your patient's open wound. those are my two cents. hope it helps you.

gum stimulates production of more saliva and opening the mouth, which could lead to allowing drool to escape, which could spread an infection you may have. • • • young children chew gum in great quantities, having been given it by dentists, parents, etc. they chew as many pieces as they can get into their mouths at once, take it out, manipulate it with dirty hands after it's dropped on the floor, sometimes drooling.......

if they can lift their butt cheeks to fart and still talk to me with a straight face then i dont care if i chew gum in their presence.

now that's something the douche products' manufacturers could possibly invent - peppermint smelling farts!

i provided a link to this: "sperm warfare - aspartame vs. the fire ant" in a heated exchange about what aspartame could do to you -- good lord! what was my point??? :)

[diva rn, BSN, RN]

You mean we can't push Potassium Chloride? I swear my preceptor has it in for me. She never told me that during my 12 weeks of orientation. what was i supposed to do? memorize my whole drug guide? I know its because i'm good looking. She must have seen the resident wink at me at the nurses station and got jealous.

I think you can still push it if you push it REAL SLOW.....................!

[diva rn, BSN, RN]

Well, I'm not surprised since saline contains dihydrogen monoxide, which is lethal as you know.

http://www.dhmo.org/

OMG...is this web site for REAL???? I couldn't get past the FAQ's.... used by the KKK??? I mean REALLY?

This has to be a PUNK!

[OhioCCRN, MSN, NP]

Lol! I JUST got the joke.... i'm slow today! dihydrogen monoxide i.e H-O-H i.e H2O.. hehehehe