Nurse Erica

02/28/2024

Hi everyone! 👋 Wow, I haven't posted on here for a while. To be honest, I kind of started to lose my passion for nursing, got a little lost along the way, but I feel the fire and passion coming back now more than ever and want to get back to posting! Plus, the last few weeks I've been down and out with the flu 🤒...let me tell you, it is going around and it is not fun! There is a lot of flu and strep going around right now, as well as respiratory illnesses, so be safe, and stay healthy everyone!

07/19/2023

Reading a new book, and this is so true!:
Employees leave managers, not organizations.

07/18/2023

SeIzUrEs suck!

Let's be honest...seizures really do suck. As a nurse, it is one of the times that you truly feel helpless. If there is a rescue med available, you can administer. Protect their head, airway, turn them on their side. Make sure the scene is safe. Get help. That's about it. You have to let the seizure run it's course. And if you have never witnessed a seizure, it can be scary! It can be as simple as someone with a blank stare/far off gaze, to a full, entire body involved seizure. So what do you do if you are in that situation? The best thing you can do is get them on their side, stay there and keep them safe, and call for help. Just stay by their side and stay calm.

07/01/2023

Manual versus Automatic?

No, I'm not talking about your vehicle 🤣

Manual vitals versus Automatic? There is so much room for error with both assessments.

Machines have to be calibrated and used properly. You still have to pick the right size blood pressure cuff, make sure the patient is positioned properly, and assess vitals at the appropriate time, just like with manual vital sign assessment. But automatic machines do allow for more routine monitoring without having to be in the room every 10-15 minutes.

But why do we use automatic machines to then double check with manual measurements?

It's a hot topic with many nurses and health care providers, so what is your personal preference and thoughts?

I'm still waiting for the day you walk through the doorway of the exam room and it instantly scans all of your vitals into the computer...I'm sure it is coming! 🤣

05/09/2023

Happy Nurses Week!! Tag your favorite nurse in the comments below and share your thanks for them!!

05/06/2023

Nominate a nurse today!!

05/06/2023

Today is the day nurses can get a free coffee at Dunkin'!

Tomorrow is Nurse's Day! As a thank you for all nurses do for our community, Dunkin' is offering nurses a FREE Medium Hot or Iced Coffee! Simply say you're a nurse to claim your FREE Nurse's Day coffee! Thank you nurses!

05/06/2023

https://www.nursesweek.com/?utm_source=bayada%20blog&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=nurses%20week&_ga=2.124428227.877137029.1651083676-156252246.1651083676

Celebrate Nurses Week 2023 in style! Enter to win a $7,000 home makeover as we honor the incredible compassion and skill of nurses everywhere.

05/06/2023

Happy National Nurses' Week!! May 6-12. Sharing deals and gratitude for my fellow nurses!! ❤️

05/05/2023

The other day I was training a new staff member. Their comments completely amazed and dumbfounded me...what are we doing in today's world? How are we doing as nurses and trainers? They thanked me for giving them a tour of our clinic to start the day off, stating no one else has done that yet in all of their training...what?!? They continued to thank me endlessly throughout the day, which was refreshing and nice to hear, appreciation! But also sad because they were thanking me for showing them things, for being kind, and for all of my help. So let's do better! I have always hated the reputation "nurses eat their own young", but have found it to be true so many times. Let's change this! Let's create a new generation of nurses who build each other up, help each other out, teach, show kindness and patience, and make it teamwork! We need each other now more than ever, we need strong, united nurses!! 💪

02/06/2023

Happy Ambulatory Care Nursing Week to all my fellow ambulatory care nurses! ❤️🩺

01/30/2023

I'm a nurse, I am not a pill detective 🤣 How many nurses love 🙋‍♀️ when a patient tells you, "I don't remember the name of the pill or why I am taking it, or who even prescribed it, but you know...it's that little square, purple pill and I take it in the morning, I think. You know, the little purple pill?". No, no I surely do not know the pill... 🤦‍♀️🤣

01/25/2023

Training to do venipunctures 🩸💉 (blood draws) at work and realizing...why doesn't nursing school teach you this? Did you learn IVs and venipunctures in LPN school? What's some tips for a new nurse?

01/21/2023

Advice for a new nurse: Be confident. Believe in yourself and your knowledge. It is a fine balance of being confident but not cocky. Act like you know what you are doing for your patients, but also, know when you need help or need someone else to step in. Don't let them see you sweat! Having confidence in yourself and being willing to attempt things is the first step to a great career and building a great skill set!

What would your advice be for a brand new nurse? Share in the comments below!

01/09/2023

Thank you to all of our law enforcement for the services you provide every day! 💙

01/07/2023

💯

01/07/2023

If you haven't watched it...watch Capturing The Killer Nurse on Netflix. The movie, The Good Nurse, was okay but didn't cover the story nearly in depth or completely correct. Half way through and it is bringing me to tears. We must demand better of these healthcare administrators and hospital systems!

01/05/2023

Rules for a blood pressure check:
-Legs uncrossed, feet flat on the floor
-Silence is golden!
- Breathe normal or take some slow deep breaths
-Stay still

Your nurse will love you if you can follow these rules!

01/02/2023

So true!!

💯 🤣

01/01/2023

Happy New Year's Eve! Everyone have a safe, healthy and Happy New Year!

12/31/2022

Today was my last working day of 2022. As we head into a New Year, and as a nurse, some things 2022 has shown me:
-We are human. Nurses are not just a number or an employee, but humans, with emotions, with our own health issues and personal lives. And to provide excellent care for others, we must first take care of ourselves!
-Find a job that appreciates you, that builds you up, and that supports the life you want! Don't settle, don't get stuck in the grind or think, this is all nursing is, this is what it is like everywhere. These nursing jobs are out there, they just aren't easy to find. Keep searching. The experiences, good or bad, you gain along the way can only make you stronger and a better nurse!
-Be kind. Kindness goes a long way and we need more of it in this world. Be kind to coworkers, providers, patients, family members and visitors. Practice patience and kindness in 2023.
What has 2022 shown you as a nurse, CNA, caregiver, healthcare provider?

12/25/2022

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas! To anyone working today (not just in healthcare), thank you for your sacrifice and service and may your day be truly blessed! If you are fortunate enough to work in healthcare and have Christmas off, like myself, may we count our blessings, enjoy time with our families, and may your Christmas day be filled with joy and laughter!

12/22/2022

Why do they ask me if I smoke or drink alcohol every time I go to the doctor?
Smoking and drinking alcohol can affect blood pressure, heart rate, and your health, as we already know. These things can also alert a provide to certain labs they should be keeping an eye on, screening a patient for their cancer risk. It is not for us to judge or criticize. Trust me, I really don't care how you answer the question. It is your health and your life, your choice. But answering this question honestly allows us to provide the best care possible and provide education and information that could one day save your life. So please, be kind, be honest, and know we are not judging. ❤️ Heck, there are a lot of healthcare professionals out there that make the same decisions and take the same actions each and every day. And we know better. But we are all human and all in this together!

12/13/2022

What's your nurse fuel?
Mine: Coffee, all the way! ☕️
Before coffee- lost my badge, forgot to unplug the vitals machine from the wall outlet, dropping everything...
After coffee- ready for anything! 🤣

12/11/2022

Happy Sunday!
Who's with me?! Caring for others can put your life, struggles, and attitude into perspective and make you do a self-check. Sometimes, those we care for don't realize it but they do just as much, if not more, for us as we do for them!

12/09/2022

What is an allergy?
Many times patients will say they have an allergy to a medication, so what is truly an allergy versus a sensitivity? When you hear the word allergy, think of anaphylaxis, things such as hives, throat and tongue swelling, difficulty breathing. These are allergies.
The lisinopril that caused a cough is not an allergy, for example. We know that -prils can cause a dry, irritating cough. This is a side effect and can certainly be listed as a medication not to be taken, but it should be listed as a sensitivity, not an allergy. The medication that causes you to itch is a sensitivity, not an allergy.
However, the antibiotic that didn't work to cure your infection or the blood pressure medication that did not work do not fall into either of these categories. Just because a medication did not work for you, it is not an allergy or a sensitivity.

12/07/2022

Did you know, most nurses have more than 1 job? So what is your side hustle/second job? You would not believe the number of talented nurses out there!

12/05/2022

Happy Monday! Run the day, don't let the day run you!

12/03/2022

I was talking to an "older generation nurse" yesterday, she was asking questions about nursing school and we were talking about all the changes in nursing. She hit the nail on the head when she said "As nurses, we used to take care of patients. Now you nurses are taking care of technology." Could it be the reason why so many nurses are leaving bedside nursing, because we haven't gotten away from patient care?

12/01/2022

Why do they always have to get my height and weight at the doctor?...I hate it! Here is why: Measuring a person's height and wight allows us to see trends and may alert us to health issues, for example, if we notice you have a sudden, drastic weight loss and after talking to you, we realize you aren't trying to lose weight, we can investigate this further. Or if you are steadily gaining weight and notice swelling in your legs, we can investigate that further. Also, some medications are dosed off of weight, so it allows us to be accurate when providing you with medications. There are many other reasons such as assisting medical devices may sometimes require us to look at height or weight when fitting you with the right item or your appointment may turn into a surgical consult and we need your height and weight for the procedure and anesthesia planning. So please, just gladly step on the scale and allow the nurses and medical assistants to get your height and weight. We are not there to judge, we are just doing our jobs!