Anyone here work in a hospital?

I work in a hospital.

Don't apply for a night position. I work in a 430+ bed facility & they have but one pharmacist and one pharmacy tech from 7p to 7a.

I pity that poor bastard.
 
james said:
I'm thinking of doing the same thing you did. Medic->SICU RN
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It'll be a fun ride for ya...

Here's a little somethin' that can aid you in your drip calculations:
DRIP FACTOR METHOD

To find the drip factor (using Dopamine as a reference):

1. Determine concentration to one ml.

2. Divide by 60(for min)
• 1600mcg/cc divided by 60min/hr=26.6mcg/cc/hr/min

3. Divide by kg(for weight)
• 26.6mcg/cc/hr/min divided by 70kg=0.38mcg/cc/hr/kg/min

4. The Drip factor for Dopamine on a 70kg patient is 0.38

To find the rate

Divide the dose by the drip factor.
• Ml/hr=5mcg/kg/minute divided by 0.38mcg/cc/hr/min=13.15cc/hr
____________________

Drip Factor Shortcuts

Dopamine 400mg/250cc DF 26.67/Kg
Start @ 2.5 Max 20mcg/Kg/min

Dobutrex 250mg/250cc DF 16.67/Kg
Start @ 2-10 Max 20-40mcg/Kg/min

Neo-Synephrine 10mg/250cc DF 0.67 x cc/Hr
Start @ 100-180mcg/min Max 3mcg/Kg/min

Levophed 4mg/250cc DF 0.27 x cc/Hr
Start @ 2-12 Max 47mcg/min

Epinephrine 4mg/250cc DF 0.27 x cc/Hr
Start @ 2 Max 1-10mcg/min

Diprivan 10mg/cc DF 167/Kg
Mcg/Kg/min

Nipride 50mg/250cc DF 3.3/Kg
Start @ 0.5 Max 10mcg/Kg/min

Tridil 25mg/250cc DF 1.67 x cc/Hr
=100mcg/cc
Start @ 3-10 Max 200mcg/min

Inocor 500mg/200cc DF 33.3/Kg
Start @ 5-10 Max 20/mcg/Kg/min

Bretylium 1Gm/250cc DF 0.07 x cc/hr
Start @ 2-4 Max 4mg/min

Lidocaine 2Gm/500cc DF 0.07 x cc/hr
Start 2-4 Max 4mg/min

Pronestyl 2Gm/250cc DF 0.07 x cc/hr
Start @ 2-4 Max 4mg/min

Aggragat Bolus 0.4mcg/Kg/min over 30min
Then 0.1mcg/Kg/min

Integralin Bolus 180mcg/kg
Then 2mcg/Kg/min

Reopro Bolus 0.25mg/Kg
Then 10mcg/min
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I carry this document in my PDA. Other employees usually type it up on a short little card & place it behind their nametags. I don't refer to it all the time, but it helps me to double check my calcs when I'm in doubt.
 
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Keep in mind that on the above drip factor method the example uses a drug that is administered as mcg/kg/min. You would divide down by 60, & then by Kg to get your drip factor.

You would exclude dividing by the patient's Kg on a drug like Levophed since the common method of delivery is described in mcg/min.
 
I hear techs at hospitals get a little more money than retail cause they gotta mix those drip bags (cant believe I forgot what they are called)
 
The Techs at my hospital put together IV piggyback meds (Primaxin, Zosyn). Any monkey can put two pieces of a two-piece puzzle together.

I don't think that they actually "mix" the primary drug bags like Neo-synephrine or Nipride, however.
 
Shifter said:
so what you know of the job, what do you think of it? Pretty decent? easy? stressfull?
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Well, most of the techs seem pretty calm. They even take the time to stop & talk when things aren't too busy.

A high percentage of the pharmacists, however, are usually freaking out; pissed off; or highly emotional in some other way. I really don't blame them though. Their job demands a high expectation plateau.

Recently, one pharmacist actually went bat-shit for a second time & had to be escorted off of the hospital campus by security. She was making terroristic threats and scared the crap out of a few employees--basically equivalent to assault.

Some said that she had a bipolar history. I found that quite interesting--a pharmacist...who needs to constantly monitor their own self-medication. Oh sweet irony!
 
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