I remember when I started as a new nurse feeling very intimidated by tracheostomies (or as most people call them - trachs, sounds like trakes). I was terrified that it was going to fall out or that I was going to injure the patient while managing it. I've since worked with them for six years in the ICU and feel very comfortable with them now. Hopefully this helps you to be at ease that trachs are not bad to manage!
Both as a nurse and as a mother, I have experienced what labor & delivery and post partum nurses do to care for their patients. It is such a vulnerable time for new mothers and the support that nurses give is never forgotten.
I worked as a night shift nurse for six years. Figuring out how to stay healthy while switching back and forth from days to nights was very important. Here are a few helpful tips to keep you feeling good while working the night shift.
Wayne Brackin, the executive vice president and chief operating officer of Baptist Health South Florida, talks about evacuation plans for hospitals that will come in contact with Hurricane Irma. I couldn't imagine trying to transport all of those patients to safety in such a short amount of time.
When patients are bleeding from their eyes, mouth, catheter, IV sites, and more...what do you start to think? You should automatically think disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). This looks like something you would see in the Hollywood version of the ICU, except that it actually happens. Check out this summary of what DIC is, written by an ICU RN.
Central lines can be daunting to manage at first. With the proper training, you can learn all you need to know about how central lines are inserted and how to do blood draws safely.
Black widows are common spiders found throughout the United States and the world. How fatal is their bite? Learn about symptoms and treatment of a black widow spider bite.
There are many bariatric surgeries available for overweight patients to help them get healthier. Check out these interesting surgeries and how we, as healthcare staff, help our patients through their surgery and recovery.
Many individuals (including nurses) don't know the difference between type one and type two diabetes. Most of the adult patients we come across are managing type two diabetes. So what makes type one diabetes different?
As nurses, we are trained to administer all types of blood products. Why do we give one type of blood over another? PRBCs, platelets, FFP, cryoprecipitate? What situations merit which type of blood administration?
