ADDRESSING THE EMERGENCY ROOM

The Emergency Room is an important part
of any hospital, for a number of reasons.
Any patient with an emergent situation will
need intervention in this area.

The nurse has an important role to play with
assessment and following MD orders for
treatment and transfer to the appropriate unit
in the hospital, or to discharge the patient.

Above, the nurse is doing an assessment on
a patient in hypovolemic shock, following
trauma. Signs and symptoms include:
- rapid respirations 
- rapid heart rate
- cool, clammy skin

- decrease in level of consciousness

It takes "all hands on deck" to complete the work.

It is important to recognize that classroom skills
are different from clinical skills. A nurse's
performance in the work place takes on a different 
challenge from the classroom.

Learn more about: Hemodynamic Monitoring and

Cardiac Assessment.

Learn more about: 

Common causes of medication errors

Avoiding medication errors in an emergency situation

Common causes of medication errors

 IV infiltration may cause damage to the skin and
surrounding tissue.Learn more about: IV 

PHARMACOLOGY FOR NURSES IN THE CLINICAL SETTING

Updated 1/26          Dearnurses.net is no longer available.

Dear nurses,

Learn more about  : Avoiding medication errors

Medical abbreviations and 

 Safe medication administration

Over morning coffee

Common causes of medication errors

The nurse above is about to make a medication error.
This is very poor judgement on her part.

Here are some helpful pointers for good medication administration:
- Follow MD orders

- Remember the five or more rights
- DO NOT USE COLOR CODING AS YOUR ONLY GUIDELINE.
Remember, many pills may have the same color, but that does not
mean they are of equal strength.
- If you are a new nurse and you are uncertain, consult with a more
 experienced nurse to help you out.

- Always follow your Institution's policies and procedures

Learn more about: Communication skills

 

THE CLINICAL SETTING STEP BY STEP

Updated 12/24

Dear nurses,

The Clinical Setting Step by Step is no longer available.
New information is provided below.

Regardless of where a nurse works, doing good communication
skills, assessment tools and sound clinical judgment are all part
of a days work. Learn more: Here

Learn more about  : Avoiding medication errors

Medical abbreviations and 

 Safe medication administration

Over morning coffee

Common causes of medication errors

The nurse above is about to make a medication error.
This is very poor judgement on her part.

Here are some helpful pointers for good medication administration:
- Follow MD orders

- Remember the five or more rights
- DO NOT USE COLOR CODING AS YOUR ONLY GUIDELINE.
Remember, many pills may have the same color, but that does not
mean they are of equal strength.
- If you are a new nurse and you are uncertain, consult with a more
 experienced nurse to help you out.

- Always follow your Institution's policies and procedures

Learn more about: Communication skills

 

PATIENT ASSESSMENT

Dearnurses.com is no longer available.

New topics with links have been added below.

Patient assessment is a very important tool. 
The patient having chest pain, would have 

an assessment done by the nurse.

A description of the pain, as well as pain
scales assessment ( 1-10) is usually done.

Documentation of intervention is also 
necessary. 

Below are more assessment links:
 Neurological assessment
Abdominal assessment 

Stroke assessment

   The Nursing Process

Using decimals

Safe medication administration

Pharmacology for nurses

Learn more about: 

Common causes of medication errors

Avoiding medication errors in an emergency situation

An intravenous infusion may be started in a peripheral

site or a central line site.

Learn more by clicking on the link:
IV assessment

UNDERSTANDING HOW TO AVOID MEDICATION ERRORS

Updated 8 /25

Dear nurses,

Dearnurses.com is no longer available. Please click on the
link for the topics listed above : Medication errors

Learn more about : The Nurse's Critical Thinking

Over morning coffee

Medical abbreviations and 

 Safe medication administration

AVOIDING MEDICATION ERRORS

In the image above, Sara is new and afraid to "look stupid".
She is going to administer Potassium Chloride IM instead 
of IVPB ( IV piggy back).

A medication error can happen at anytime. Every attempt
should be taken by the nurse, to avoid it happening. if you
are uncertain,  try to ask someone else or the pharmacist.
Learn more : Common causes of medication errors 

 

Scenario 1: Lynn is a new RN. Her preceptor did not

do a good job explaining the correct way to do an 
assessment. Lynn is not aware of the mistake she
is about to make.

Learn more : Was an assessment done?

ADDRESSING CODE BLUE AND MEDICATION ERRORS

Updated 8/25

Dear nurses,

Scenario: In the above image, a patient was brought into the 

Emergency room with complaints of chest pain and a drop in 
 blood pressure. The doctor ordered Morphine for the pain and 
Dopamine for the hypotension. Both medications were given

  as ordered. The nurse in the green top (left) gave the Morphine
and started the Dopamine infusion.

Medication administration

Next : What went wrong? The nurse forgot to put a label on the
 IV bag and did not document what time both medications were 

 given. It is very important for the nurse to pay close attention 
to the time that medications are given. 
Learn more about emergency events:
Types of medication errors

The image above shows a nurse trying to do a math calculation,

Please take a moment to read and understand what this is about.

Using Decimals  
Have a good day.

COMMON CAUSES OF MEDICATION ERRORS

 

When a patient is admitted to a healthcare facility, 
 information such as allergies, past medical history,
 height, weight and medications taken, are all recorded.

This type of information is very important, as it will help
 the doctor when prescribing medications. It will also be
of use to the pharmacist with providing correct drug dosages.

Regardless of where a nurse works, medication administration 
 is done.The nurse who gives drugs of any kind, should take time, 
to ensure that everything is done correctly.

 Learn more: Nursing fundamentals

Helpful information for the clinical nurse
                                         

                                  

                                         

 

                               Clinical judgement         

Here are some of the ways in which medication
errors may occur:
-Misreading MD orders. If the nurse is uncertain
about an order , it is best to communicate with the
doctor or pharmacist.   
-   Poor communication of information, for example,
   when a patient is  transferred from one unit to
  another.
  - Improper dilution of medication ( always check
  the manufacturer's instructions for proper dilution). 
 - Drug incompatibility: An example - Dilantin
   can only be mixed with  Normal Saline.
- Confusing one drug with another, as some
    drugs have similar names.

 

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL NURSES - ENJOY LEARNING!

Updated 9/25

Dear nurses,

New topics have been added, for your learning
pleasure.

Learn more about: Avoiding medication errors
and Medication errors

Learn more about: Paralytic ileus

Learn more about: Care Planning in the Clinical Setting

CARE PLANNING IN THE CLINICAL SETTING

Updated 7/26

Dearnurses.com is no longer available.

Dear nurses,

New topics and links have been added below.

Learn more about: The Nursing Process

Learn more about : Nursing communication

Common causes of medication errors

Like the artist perfects painting skills, so does the
nurse perfect clinical skills!

Nursing Fundamentals

Learn more about: 

Avoiding medication errors in an emergency situation

An intravenous infusion may be started in a peripheral

site or a central line site.

Learn more by clicking on the link:
IV assessment

It is important to recognize the importance 
of being a safe nurse. Linda's story continues :

Here 

 

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL NURSES - ENJOY LEARNING

Updated 9/25

Dear nurses,

New topics have been added, for your learning
pleasure.

It takes "all hands on deck" to complete the work.

It is important to recognize that classroom skills
are different from clinical skills. A nurse's
performance in the work place takes on a different 
challenge from the classroom.

Learn more about: Avoiding medication errors
and Medication errors

UNDERSTANDING FLOATING IN THE CLINICAL SETTING

 

Updated 6/25

Dear nurses,

Hope you had a good week.I just wanted to share

a topic which some nurses dread.Floating does not

have to be an unpleasant experience. It can be an  

opportunity to learn something new.

Learn more by clicking on the link: 

Over morning coffee

 In the image above, Lynn is a new graduate who
 is full of expectation. She arrives early on her new
 unit. But her hopes are shattered when her preceptor
 suggested that she is too busy to do an orientation.

Learn more about: Critical thinking

Common causes of medication errors

Learn more about : Avoiding medication errors

UNDERSTANDING MATERNAL NURSING

Updated 7/26

Dear nurses,

Dearnurses.net is no longer available.

New topics and links have been added below.

Endocrine_System_and_Hormones
Enjoy learning and have a nice day!

PREECLAMPSIA  AND ASSASSMENT
In the image above, a 32 year old female is
pregnant for the first time. She is preeclamptic
and is receiving Magnesium via IV infusion.

She is lethargic and hard to arouse.

Learn more about : Magnesium infusion

It takes "all hands on deck" to complete the work.

It is important to recognize that classroom skills
are different from clinical skills. A nurse's
performance in the work place takes on a different 
challenge from the classroom.

Learn more about: Hemodynamic Monitoring and

Cardiac Assessment.

Learn more about: 

Common causes of medication errors

Avoiding medication errors in an emergency situation

An intravenous infusion may be started in a peripheral

site or a central line site.

Learn more by clicking on the link:
IV assessment