It is recommended that some medications need to be diluted more than others, due to their caustic natures. When looking up medications in a drug book or guide, you will find advice for mixing and administering injections. Rocephrin, an antibiotic, is an example of a very caustic medication. Some drug guides suggest that high doses of Rocephrin be mixed with lidocaine (a local anesthetic) to decrease tissue irritation, and that each dose by divided and given...  Read More »

RN is an easy one. BSN is pretty simple, too. But how about APRN, PNP, and DEd? Or CEN and QXLPTV? Okay, that last one is made up, but you get the point. Tongue-twisting collections of credentials–due to various degrees and certifications–are growing almost daily in the nursing world. “We seem to love our alphabet,” says Diana Swihart, PhD, DMin, MSN, CS, APRN, BC, a CNS (clinical nurse specialist in nursing education) at Bay Pines...  Read More »

No matter where you live or who you know, you’ve heard about it. The whispers start in August and slowly get louder and louder as the months go on. Those lazy Sunday afternoons in the summer turn into fist-clenching, hair-pulling hours in front of TVs and computers in the fall. Instead of talking about your day at dinner, you suddenly hear about bad draft picks, botched extra points, and receivers who just aren’t producing like they were supposed...  Read More »

The holiday shopping season is upon us, and looking for the perfect gift has you tossing and turning at night. It can be such a hassle sometimes. Of course, there are always the old stand-bys like socks, oversized sweatshirts, and those adorable pink bunny outfits. But, why not try something new this year? The average salary for a staff nurse in the United States is $41,642, according to Allied Physicians, Inc. Did you ever wonder, in one lump sum, what you...  Read More »