Pneu Pnurse

After I graduate from nursing school…

At this point I have triple digit student loans thanks to nursing school. But when I graduate from my Masters program in December, hell if I’m not taking the opportunity to go on an adventure. I have decided to HIKE THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL in its 2000-mile entirety. I’ll trek through 14 states from Georgia to Maine with my good friend/future trailmate Benji. I’m so excited! 

I figure, right now I’m in my 20s and my only real responsibilities are my two guinea pigs (who will be tenderly cared for by my dad during my hike, unbeknownst to him). I’ll work an extra year when I’m 66 to make up for it :)

I’m clearly blogging about it, so if you’re curious follow here: www.amazeballsAT.tumblr.com

<3

Help with 12 Lead ECG Interpretation

As tricky as it is to read ECG rhythm strips, it gets waaay more complex with 12 lead ECG’s. Here’s some help :)

http://library.med.utah.edu/kw/ecg/tests/index.html

http://www.ecglibrary.com/ecghome.html

The -Mycins (answers below)

(A) Aminoglycoside (B) Glycopeptide (C) Macrolide (D) None of the above

1. amikacin

2. azithromycin

3. clarithromycin

4. clindamycin

5. daptomycin

6. erythromycin

7. gentamicin

8. neomycin

9. streptomycin

10. tobramycin

11. vancomycin

Read More

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

“Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

In about 10% of cases, ALS is caused by a genetic defect. In the remaining cases, the cause is unknown…ALS affects approximately 5 out of every 100,000 people worldwide…

Symptoms usually do not develop until after age 50, but they can start in younger people. Persons with ALS have a loss of muscle strength and coordination that eventually gets worse and makes it impossible to do routine tasks such as going up steps, getting out of a chair, or swallowing.

Breathing or swallowing muscles may be the first muscles affected. As the disease gets worse, more muscle groups develop problems. ALS does not affect the senses (sight, smell, taste, hearing, touch). It only rarely affects bladder or bowel function, or a person’s ability to think or reason.”

(source: PubMed Health)

Siftr Series: Isolation Precautions

Contact: wear gown and gloves, private room, dedicated equipment

MRSA, RSV, VRE

Airborne: wear particulate respirator, room with negative air pressure

Pulmonary TB

Airborne & Contact:

Chickenpox (Varicella), Herpes Zoster

Droplet: wear surgical mask within 3ft of the patient

H. influenzae, N. meningitidis, meningococcal pneumonia

*Use Contact Precautions for Hep A in patients incontinent of feces

Siftr Series: Developmental Milestones

Check out this sweet link for easily reviewing milestones by age:

CDC Developmental Milestones

Siftr Series: Vaccination Schedules

HepB: birth, 1-2mo, 6-18mo

Rotavirus (RV): 2mo, 4mo

H. influenzae (Hib): 2mo, 4mo, 12-15mo

Pneumococcal (PCV): 2mo, 4mo, 6mo, 12-15mo, 65yrs

DTaP: 2mo, 4mo, 6mo, 15-18mo, 4-6yrs

Poliovirus (IPV): 2mo, 4mo, 6-18mo, 4-6yrs

HepA: 1-2yrs (2 doses @ least 6mo apart)

MMR: 12-15mo, 4-6yrs, 1-2 doses in adulthood

Varicella: 12-15mo, 4-6yrs, 2 doses in adulthood

Tdap: 11-12yrs, every 10yrs

HPV: 11-12yrs (3 doses w/in 6mo)

Meningococcal (MCV4): 11-12yrs

Zoster: 60yrs

Influenza: yearly starting at 6mo

**Varicella, Zoster, and MMR are contraindicated in pregnant or immuncompromised patients

source: www.cdc.gov

Siftr Series: Intro

According to my practice NCLEX, I have a lot of Stuff I Forgot To Remember.

Really, this is just a way to compel myself to study, but I hope you all will get a little something out of it, too :)