[cotjockey]

I work in a small, rural hospital. Our ER averages about 10 patients a day. This week we've averaged 18 patients a day and most of them were AWFUL!!!

13 year old, impregnated by her step-father delivers a 22 week gestation baby...perfect little boy and this young lady was so excited for him to be born...once the baby arrived, she was supposed to go live with relatives so her family didn't have to "suffer any shame." Sigh...

4 year old is brought in by her mother...blood all over the 4 year old's underwear...her 21 year old uncle thought he should "show her want a man does with a woman." I got to help to a rape kit on a four year old... Then I got to help scrub the wounds of the 21 year old uncle so that the med student could suture him after the little girl's father beat the **** out of him. Later that night I got to help with the exam of the 4 year old's father when he started having chest pain at the jail...and I pitched in $50 so his wife could bail him out of jail.

Then, I cried with a mom whose 5 year old daughter fell of the top of a bunk bed and hit a cement floor with her head...the mom's husband died about six months ago after he was hit in the head while a tire he was fixing exploded. The little girl got her first helicopter ride...

Coded a 38 year old MI patient, watched our PA take down punk that took a swing at a nurse (Co-Band makes great handcuffs), and helped the housekeeper suck up gallons and gallons of icky water when a pipe broke...to top it off we have a new admission clerk, a bunch of EMS students, and a PA student who thinks all patients are sincere and no one in the world has a bad bone in their body...sigh.

Am off until Monday...not sure if I'll go back. :-) I have to go back...I love my job despite all of the **** we go through.

Thanks for listening!

[V. Nightingale]

Yuck, what a dreadful week! There are simply no words for some of the things you've had to see. It sucks; the patients you've had are the ones that stay with you (mentally) for a long long time. Just remember that they'll remember you, too -- for the caring and compassion you showed them in their darkest hours. As tough as it's been, you made a real difference to those people this week.

I hope that you have a great weekend (put your feet up, drink a margarita and chill out!) and that next week all your patients are treat and street with happy endings.

P.S. I also hope you used a Brillo pad when you were cleaning the 21 year old uncle's wounds.

P.P.S. 10 patients a day?! Holy cow!

[imenid37]

Sounds like the script for an episode of ER. I don't know how you guys do it! I am glad to be in OB. I'd like to show that kid's uncle what a mother wants to do to a child molester. I hope he can be someone's best girlfriend in jail.

[canoehead]

What a horrible, horrible week- enough for a whole year and then some.

[Havin' A Party!]

Wow, Cot! You sure got to experience some crazy happenings this week.

Hope next week's a little better for ya.

BTW, good job!

[athomas91]

ughh.... sorry you had a bad wk - but come work w/ me for a wk - you'll love your job - we are also small and rural - but average 100-125 people/day - and your wk sounds like the norm for us! it sucks though - esp. when it all hits the fan at once - hope your next work wk goes better!

[CountrifiedRN]

Originally posted by imenid37
I'd like to show that kid's uncle what a mother wants to do to a child molester. I hope he can be someone's best girlfriend in jail.

I second that.

[kids]

Wugh, what a truly awful week you had. I hope you have none that comapre for a long time.

Dealing with abuse is my one regret in being a Peds nurse.

[Kiwi Nurse 2 Be]

OMG!!!! That was a very stressful week for you! I can't even imagine! I'm hoping that next week will be better.

[itsme]

Cotjockey, I hope you have a relaxing weekend- you deserve it!! I truly admire all of you ER nurses, I dont think i could do all that you do and put up with all that you put up with!! Please know you are admired by fellow nurses!!