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I don’t think that I’m cut out for acute care. Rather than a rush of adrenaline, I feel a sick sense of dread during any kind of event. I’m still very new to nursing, and I’ve been telling myself that this is just a result of my knowing just how little I actually know. That it will get better as I gain experience in managing a crisis. But I don’t really believe myself. Deep down, I’m sure that I will be happier in primary care. But I need at least a year of experience before starting my masters, and that program will take at least two years. Three if I decide to go part-time. Until then, I have to suck it up and absorb as much knowledge as I can.
** Near the end of my shift I had an elderly woman who’s heart rate jumped from 70s-80s to the 140s-160s. The rest of her vitals were stable. A cardizem bolus and drip were ordered – 10mg and 10mg/hr. The infusion label read 125 mg in 100 ml, so when I did my math the rate was 8cc/hr. Her heart rate soon dropped back into the 70s at sinus rhythm. When giving report, the oncoming nurse questioned the rate I had set. I showed her my math, but she insisted that cardizem was 1:1 so my rate should be 10cc/hr. Wouldn’t it only be 1:1 if it were 100mg in 100ml?
