Annoyed Nurse

A place where nurses and nursing students can find interesting info and laugh about everyday nursing experiences (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga'); ga('create', 'UA-42320933-1', 'tumblr.com'); ga('send', 'pageview');

[annoyednurse]

In case you're all wondering...

In case you're all wondering, yes I'm still alive. Here's a little info. I graduated with RN this past December and I passed my boards in February. I was an LPN for one year prior and I continue to work at the same facility as an RN. It's been quite the change moving to full time. I will say, it is nice not to have to study when I get home from work, but only having one day off out of 5 is stressful. That's what I've been up to and why I haven't updated in a while. My posts from this point forward will be about working as a nurse instead of being a nursing student, since I am no longer a nursing student, THANK GOD! I hope you stay tuned in and enjoy the posts. Thanks!

[annoyednurse]

When you're finally done with nursing school and you can go out and have fun, work, hang out with friends, etc without having to worry about studying for a test.

[annoyednurse]

WHEN YOU FIND OUT YOU PASSED YOUR RN BOARDS!!!

[annoyednurse]

When you find out you don't have to do a single care plan all semester long!

[annoyednurse]

When you walk into the first day of your last semester of nursing school... =D

[annoyednurse]

Having trouble answering RN delegation NCLEX questions?

NCLEX increased the difficulty of their test in the Spring of 2013 and from what I'm hearing, it's harder than ever and has a lot more questions about delegation. Well, here's an easy way to narrow down some answers...

The RN is responsible for all assessment, doing anything with an IV, and teaching the patient

Whenever a question asks what the RN should delegate to an LPN or a CNA, these three things cannot be delegated. You might ask why assessment cannot be delegated to an LPN. The reason you won't delegate this is because the RN has more experience and better assessment skills (don't chop my head off for saying that. This is coming from Pearson, not me. Lol.)

Sometimes you also have to delegate to a "New RN". Obviously they don't have experience and therefore should not be delegated tasks that require a lot of action. Give them the least complicated situation! Although they could probably control an IV pump, they still should not be delegated assessment or teaching tasks (because they don't have the experience on the floor to do so).

***Keep in mind that these hints that I give you are for NCLEX questions, not necessarily questions on exams for school. Some teachers make their own questions and don't follow the rules. -__-

[annoyednurse]

Here's a helpful hint for answering NCLEX questions

This is an easy way to narrow down answers without having to know much about the question. Ready? Here it goes...

Assess, unless in distress

If the question has a patient that is in distress (chest pain, SOB, etc.), you will pick an answer that has an intervention in it, such as give nitro or apply O2.

If the question has a patient that is not in immediate distress, then you will choose an answer that is an assessment, such as vital signs.

Simple, right?

[annoyednurse]

When you realize holiday break is almost over... Do I really have to go back...?

[annoyednurse]

Having trouble with Coumadin vs. Heparin?

People always mix up the antidotes and can't remember which goes with Vitamin K and which goes with Protamine Sulfate. Coumadin's antidote is Vitamin K. You can remember this by thinking Coumadin and K (Vitamin K) both start with a "Ca" sound and therefore go together. That obviously leaves Protamine Sulfate for Heparin.

People also always mix up the labs. The three labs are PT, INR, and PTT. This is how I remember it... PTT has an extra 'T' in it than PT. Therefore PT gets grouped with INR because if PTT was grouped with INR, PTT would be selfish because it already has the extra 'T' to keep it company and would leave PT all by itself. Then you can remember which tests go with which med by thinking of the meds alphabetically. Coumadin starts with a 'C' and comes before Heparin that starts with an 'H', so Coumadin gets two tests and Heparin gets one test.

I know these tricks are silly, but they helped me and I hope they help you!

[annoyednurse]

Sorry I haven't been posting as much!

I've been working on a new addition to the Annoyed Nurse spectrum! The idea will be announced soon!

[annoyednurse]

THIS IS THE BIGGEST TIP I CAN GIVE YOU WHEN ANSWERING QUESTIONS ON AN EXAM OR NCLEX! If you memorize 'Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs', you can answer just about any nursing questions out there. If you are between 2 answers on an exam, always think of this chart and what is more important on the hierarchy!

[annoyednurse]

Holy god! Do you know how much easier an IV start would be?! This is VeinViewer and it projects an image of the veins that are underneath the skin. Genius idea!

[annoyednurse]

What I feel like every page of my nursing books looks like... Only highlight the important info. *News Flash* It's all important info.

[annoyednurse]

Always forgetting how to draw up insulin? Problem solved. I always remember which solution to draw up first by thinking, "I wouldn't want to get the Regular insulin dirty." By that I mean, since the Regular is clear and the NPH is cloudy, you don't want to make the Regular "dirty" by accidentally inserting the NPH when drawing up the solution. Therefore, to keep the Regular "clean" you have to draw it up first.

[annoyednurse]

What I want to do every day in lecture... 

[annoyednurse]

How I respond when my non-nursing friends and I talk about gross stuff about my job... No shame...

[annoyednurse]

After reading the endocrine unit...