Author: J. Ennifermallen

I can’t believe we are in our final semester of nursing school! I didn’t believe it during my first semester when I was told that nursing school goes by fast, but it really does! I had a very restful winter break and spent lots of time with my family, my boyfriend, and friends (taking advantage of having plenty of time to do so!). Below is a picture of me, my boyfriend Sean, and our dog Leroy on Christmas day! After a nice 6 week break, I definitely felt well rested and ready to come back for my last semester. I am determined to finish out the program strong and do work hard this semester! I have mixed feelings about these rotations (transitions to practice and critical care). I have heard from previous cohorts that this is such a great semester; some even said that it was their favorite! However, I am nervous because of the difficult content in the course, and because of the intense environment of the ER/ICU in clinical. That being said, these are also great opportunities to learn and to be the best nurse possible!

On Saturday I “disconnected.” I disconnected myself from my phone, my computer, and my tv; and I can honestly say that it was liberating. I feel like our society today is so dependent on technology and social media that we sometimes forget about what is really important in our lives, particularly the people around us. We spend so much time connecting with others via text message and social media that we don’t pay enough attention to the people that are present with us in person. On another note…with the election coming up and with how much negativity and hate is all over the media right now, it was really nice to get away from all of it.

I chose to spend quality time with my boyfriend on Saturday. We both lead very busy lives and it was nice to be able to have some time for ourselves and to be away from technology for a little while. We went on a hike at one of our favorite spots, went to lunch together, and finished out the day by going to church on Saturday night like we do every week. Not having my phone with me and not being “connected” was something I really needed this week. Life has been particularly stressful for me for the last few weeks and having this one day to relax, de-stress, and disconnect was truly helpful. I think we don’t realize how often we actually use our phones because they are such a necessity in today’s society and it becomes a habit to be on our phones a lot. However, when we spend an entire day without it, we really realize how much more time we have for more important things when we are away from our phones. I think it’s important that we remember to disconnect from technology and reconnect with people. 

Allopurinol (Aloprim, Lopurin, or Zyloprim) is an anti-gout agent (xanthine oxidase inhibitor) that is used to prevent gouty arthritis and secondary hyperuricemia. It works by lowering serum uric acid levels. It is absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and metabolized in the liver.

Although it can greatly reduce serum uric acid levels and lead to improvement in patients treated for gout, Allopurinol should be used cautiously in patients with dehydration and renal insufficiency, and the dose should be decreased if the creatinine clearance (CCr) is less than 20 mL/min. It also has multiple GU side effects, including renal failure and hematuria.

For patients taking Allopurinol, nurses should monitor intake and output ratios because renal impairment can cause the drug to accumulate to toxic levels. They should ensure and encourage adequate fluid intake to prevent kidney stone formation. It is also important to monitor creatinine clearance, BUN, and serum creatinine, as elevations in these values may indicate nephrotoxicity (which is usually reversible after discontinuing allopurinol therapy).

Something about me: I love hiking, running, and anything that involves being outdoors

Favorite Lab Value: Sodium, it’s easiest for me to remember, it affects a lot of other lab values, and sodium levels are significant in many health conditions

Least Favorite Lab Value: Magnesium – I always forget normal ranges