[Me_1]

LOL...OMG, I can SOOOOooo identify with "the handshake" after a procedure!!

BTW, Class that should offered to all female nurses:

How to lift a patient without a male present (aka Men:more than your lift team)

[Sean RN]

Funny stuff. I read the directions as well and then systematically problem solve. And i am offten the go to 'guy' on my unit. But, have you ever heard a fellow colleague (generally the 'female nurse') ask can I use your muscle for a turn?

[123david1]

I must say that this thread is right on the money. I've been in medicine for 15 years (4 of which as a USN Hosp Corpsman and 6 as an RN doing Oncology, Healthcare Informatics, and now Cardiac). I had a very wry and seasoned nursing instructor who once told me, "...To always carry around an emesis basin, so that when a female nurse needs lifting help you can tell her you can't because you have a patient about to throw up". My approach to the problem is this: If I were to always help lift, I'd be putting my back and thus my career in jeopardy. So at most I only lend my assistance 50% of the time and only for nurses whom I know are in need of my assistance.

Regarding the problem of female nurses lacking mechanical skills, healthcare is daily implementing more devices and I don't think the problem will go away any time soon. I can't count on one hand how many times I've had to solve a simple yet "mysterious ailment" a medical device is manifesting. Given the predominance of females and dearth of fellow males in nursing, I do find myself attending to the equipment on my unit more than I should. My belief is that nursing schools should include a "Theory of Mechanics" course required for all nurses that could be tested out of.

I have also found that several female nurses turn to medical tape as a sort of "duct tape" to try fixing things. What's up with that?

[Old_School]

Originally Posted by 123david

I have also found that several female nurses turn to medical tape as a sort of "duct tape" to try fixing things. What's up with that?

Probably because there is nothing else available. I'm planning to keep cable ties in my locker for chest tube/pleurevac connections. I hate securing the joints with tape. They all eventually get wet, slip, and disconnect.

Anyone know why we still keep clamps at the bedside of patient's with chest tubes?