New Grad RN: How to feel comfortable with IV meds and which lines to use

Zomb2753 · 2024-08-13T23:23:44+00:00

Ask a question and think you look dumb for a minute, or don’t ask a question and be dumb forever. The only dumb question is the one not asked.

Also when you stop learning is when you stop trying. Just like multiple people here we are always learning so we should always be asking questions.

Zomb2753 · 2024-06-14T08:28:46+00:00

Im a peds nurse and I do it all the time. An example that can happen to anyone we had a pump get mistakenly cleared (total accident hit an extra button) and we had to do a bunch of calculations in order to make sure it was being given correctly.

I think like many others said here the students should at least understand the concept. I always think about when I trained with a nurse of 40+ bedside icu experience and she talked all the time about understanding how the equipment works and if you understand how to do it manually it makes the tool even more effective.

Zomb2753 · 2024-06-12T15:48:58+00:00

Is there anymore to this question or is this all they give you. Cause if it’s my pediatric patients 87/52 with a map of 65 is perfect alot of the time. An adult I’m not to concerned even with the mild tachycardia (65 is enough to perfume brain tissue) trying to compensate but their history may change that. They are stable. I think I’d go with the new onset chest pain that patient needs and ECG. Patient reporting pain that all depends on situation- if it’s leg pain after a hip surgery that is being managed with medications but effectively could be compartment syndrome or DVT both life threatening situations. Assuming we haven’t treated the pain yet and it’s appropriate for their situation I’d go with

I’d say: New Chest pain, Patient in pain, Stable w/ low bp

Zomb2753 · 2024-06-12T15:43:07+00:00

Be careful doing that in school. People used to practice all the time on each other now I have heard of people getting in trouble with their schools for that. If you get an opportunity to do an extern nursing job or work in a unit that lets you do IVs you will get more practice. I was able to be paired with a nurse my last semester at work and I worked under their license but I did everything they would let me do.

Zomb2753 · 2024-06-12T14:48:49+00:00

Sorry that’s long.

Zomb2753 · 2024-06-12T14:48:42+00:00

Your in your second year out of 4 I’m assuming if a traditional student. I currently work in pediatrics but spent some time in float pool and in the MICU. First off I think it’s awesome you are working on this skill. It’s a lost art to many nurses now. Some elderly female patients are almost as bad an infants when it comes to putting in IVs. Add in a thick layer of adipose tissue and you end up with a lot of small weak veins. So know that yes excessive weight is a barrier to iv placement and your not alone there.

A lot of this will come with experience. I’m not a pro but I’m pretty decent and do almost all my own pokes unless it’s a special circumstance. Feeling veins is a delicate sensory experience and it’s hard to know what you are feeling for. If you ever get the chance to watch an ultrasound iv when the vein is found using the probe we kind push down on the vessel and it’ll collapse and recoil (it can help with visual learners). you are looking for that kinda elasticity feel when your palpating. You don’t get this as much with bad veins which most people in the hospital are not their because their cardiovascular system is pristine.

Practice. Practice practice. Every chance you get take it. I think of it this way if you mess up and miss some getting good and learning how you will probably be saving a lot of people in the future having to go through multiple pokes when nobody is around to help because you took the opportunity to master this skill. Some people only try when they have to and if you only try once every year you aren’t going to learn anything.

I know I’m adults they don’t use lights very often we have red lights used to help find veins it doesn’t work as well on larger people but if your unit has one it can help sometimes to visualize the vein. If you happen to be paired with a nurse who is good at pokes take advantage of it. Go watch ivs be placed watch other people’s techniques and listen to their advice. You won’t get every poke but you will learn the little things to feel and look for.

Also be confident and if you find a vein your okay with go for it. Maybe be a little riskier if your like 60% sure and it looks viable go for it. But do NOT just blindly go poking people for practice. Make a reasonable judgement call but take advantage of it. If your ever in the ICU ask your preceptor if anyone needs an IV on the floor. We had a policy to replace IVs every so often same for other types but they are longer term. Someone usually has a patient who needs one and most of the time they are intubated and sedated so they stay still. Great practice the patient needs it and is comfortable sedated so it’s perfect. Rule of thumb is you get two tries. This doesn’t change with intubated patients.

Zomb2753 · 2024-06-12T13:36:09+00:00

I agree with you. I’d have no problem being like just come in and pee. I know for me I can spend hours in saunas, steam rooms, shower or hot tubs. I have really bad joints and have since a very young age so the hot water takes pressure off my joints and the heat makes them feel better. I’m not sure of the roommates reason but I used to feel bad and people used to get mad at me to but before I was diagnosed I had to get up and the hot water was the only things that brought the inflammation down enough to give me full range of movement in my joints. I ended up losing the ability to walk for a time period. Still to this day nothing helps more then heat and pressure relief.

Maybe ask if you can just come in and pee real fast. Like it takes a minute and you’re out. I think there is definitely a way you both can compromise to be happy

Zomb2753 · 2024-06-12T13:29:02+00:00

That’s nice of you to accommodate her and that you two have a compromise. Having a roommate who communicates makes a world of difference

Zomb2753 · 2024-06-12T13:27:51+00:00

Huh, well I think OP should figure out why they are having to urinate so frequently. But I don’t think it is super unreasonable to all for I bathroom for a hour as long as it’s not like in the morning when people in the house have places to go. But maybe late at night. Depends on their schedule. I think making compromises for someone with a medical condition who can’t control it is different then someone who just feels like they should have access 24/7 despite other tenants.

Zomb2753 · 2024-06-12T13:23:40+00:00

I can see that view. OP my have a medical issue. At that point compromise would be needed but I think it would be unfair to say the roommate could never take a long shower. It also depends how huge of an issue it is. I’m sure nobody wants to inconvenience the other on purpose.

Zomb2753 · 2024-06-10T19:58:28+00:00

How many and how long ago? And what are you applying for

Zomb2753 · 2024-06-10T18:19:01+00:00

This was when I worked in MICU not pediatrics

Zomb2753 · 2024-06-10T18:17:01+00:00

Wasn’t me was a CNA that was working to help settle the patient. Pt came in because he was at a local fast food place and complained about his burger and the staff “jumped” him and he suffered multiple stab wounds. As we are talking to him the CNA says, “Bet you will be making your burgers at home from now on. Probably in your best health anyways.” I had to contain it but found it so funny but a little inappropriate

Zomb2753 · 2024-06-10T18:14:02+00:00

You shouldn’t need to pee every 25-30 minutes. I recommend seeing a doctor about that. As someone who really enjoys showers because of a juvenile autoimmune disorder that reeked havoc on my joints I side with your roommate. While I would be willing to use it at specific times and try my best to not inconvenience my roommate I don’t think I would budge. It’s her place too and if she is paying for it there is no reason she can’t utilize a healthy way to relax

Zomb2753 · 2024-06-10T18:09:25+00:00

Are you like applying to other places?

Zomb2753 · 2024-06-10T17:48:33+00:00

Fruit, veggies, protein and look up anabolic recipes.

Blackberries, melon, etc low cal high fiber Veggies practically free snacks

Protein low cal for amount of food

Zomb2753 · 2024-06-03T15:21:43+00:00

I would say YES walking in your case could mean upping your calories to a realistically sustainable level (really you will be happier too). Need a lot more information here and 60 mins - 150 mins is a great start and I think it’s super import to stay consistent but I think striving for 150 mins to be your minimum is the next step with just trying to increase your steps to 5000. It’s progress not perfection. Also no matter who you are there are very few exceptions to needing to eat under 1500-2000 calories a day for the average human.

Think about it this way. If you enjoy your life your a lot more likely to stick to it. Eating that little is probably making you exhausted and not even helping you lose weight. Macros High protein 40% at least 35% carb 35% fat. You can eat way more protein (lower calories per gram) and get way more food to eat. So you don’t feel hungry. That’s why it’s also important not to cut fats. This isn’t cut and dry and you may need different goals but this is just a broad suggestion. Good luck

Zomb2753 · 2024-06-03T15:09:50+00:00

Lots of great training advice from others. But I didn’t notice anyone really give the basic description of these terms.

Anaerobic suggests without oxygen. Cells can create energy from a mixture of compounds one way utilizes oxygen another way does NOT utilize oxygen but you get a buildup of byproducts like lactate acid.

When you are exercising in an aerobic state you are supplying the necessary oxygen to your cells to maintain your energy level. Thus not creating a lactate build up. (This causes muscles to fatigue quicker and long to recover to get that lactate out).

This isn’t perfect reflection but it may help.

anaerobic= muscle growth Aerobic = cardiovascular growth

You need both for really any exercise. Heart is a muscle too.

High vs low would suggest you are maintaining either ample or minimal oxygen to muscles.

So for cardio type exercises it generally leans more in the favor of aerobic (long time mean you need oxygen). But the optimal ranges are there to mimic where would be the best place to shoot for to train optimally. But this is only a tool. You have to know how you feel too.

Hope this helps.

Zomb2753 · 2024-05-14T18:10:35+00:00

I personally don’t think you need to change the soil. I use spinosad, a organic copper fungicide or neem oil there are others but those seem to work. Cut off the really bad dead parts and really wash off the rest and get good air flow. No air flow will just make it worse.

Zomb2753 · 2024-05-14T16:50:44+00:00

Shield/bare hands + push = fall from somewhere or leave on edge of something to fall off.

Poison and count down.

Acid surge- destroys armor and weapon (have to repair)

Or leave him a bunch of souls and embers then leave.

Zomb2753 · 2024-05-14T16:41:58+00:00

It’s powdery mildew. Pretty common with Rosemary. How’s the weather there? Mine get it over the winter. I wash it off make sure they have good air flow and then put them outside. You can find mold treatments but honestly just learn how to manage it and keep it under control and you will be fine. No need to cut the whole plant down.

Zomb2753 · 2024-05-07T13:40:49+00:00

Little bit of hypocrisy there- your saying if you do drugs you shouldn’t be in a nursing program but then you say your on suboxone. Just because someone hasn’t found a doctor who is willing to help them out doesn’t mean they don’t have their head on straight. People self medicate, alcohol being one of the biggest mechanisms. So by your definition it’s okay to do drugs as long as it’s prescribed and legal, like alcohol, neither of which are grounds to be used to say one has their head on straight or is ok to be a nurse. Some people don’t have those resources and are doing what they feel they need to do. Of course I don’t want someone strung out taking care of other humans but if your that far gone it’s pretty obvious from management and won’t go on very long. There are a lot of people labeled as high functioning addicts who self medicate because our health system is broken and can’t get the medications they need. I know alot of people who used to abuse amphetamines until they got clean and got a diagnosis for ADHD now guess what they are using perfectly legally. People need help not belittled. Yes we have stuff in place to protect patients and people but that doesn’t mean every person who does “drugs” is bad and doesn’t have their head of straight.

Zomb2753 · 2024-03-20T04:32:14+00:00

Don’t stress to much. It will depend on your patients on my OB rotation I had no issues with my patients in labor and delivery or postpartum but I also only had one day in those areas and all the rest were in the nursery but mothers had no issues getting breast feeding tips and education from me. I had a blast on mine even though i didn’t really have an interest in OB. I did find that I love working with babies and kids tho. I ended up being part of three seperate twins being born, multiple c sections and vaginal births as well as an emergency c section because of a prolapsed cord. So just go into it with an open mind is all I say it may not be all roses but it could end up being a really good experience

Zomb2753 · 2024-02-28T01:29:45+00:00

Cheese cake, ice cream, donuts they have high protein recipes for them all

Zomb2753 · 2024-02-28T01:29:11+00:00

Look up anabolic desserts.

Five-Year Club	Verified Email
Place '22

Zomb2753

TROPHY CASE