2/20: what I learned this week: people do not understand TB

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in critical care.

People......

This week. I got asked by my bosses boss to pick up a shift. I used the weakest excuse there is and I stuck to it: my group was just too much, I haven't gotten sleep, and I desperately need my days off.

So now, I bring to you what I learned while sitting in my home ED triage wearing an N95. Yup. It's been that kinda week.

1. I have yet to meet a grumpy person who didn't perk up after giving them a shift of kindness. It feels like the biggest victory, too.

2. It sucks that being required to report abuse and self harm means destroying the trust you'd achieved before that point.

3. Some patients make me hate nursing homes. I'm so sorry to the NH staff we have on here. I understand you function under terrible limitations. However.... When a nursing home gets a patient they are unequipped to handle, they don't realize how horrible the outcome can be. One such patient made me cry. HARD. I found a dark corner of the hospital and just hid. Some things we'll never let go of.

4. We have a patient with us who has been with us three times over 3 months and was not shown to have TB until last week. For some reason only those of us directly exposed seem to be freaking out at all over this. Sputum results would be nice, please.

5. You can do everything in your power on the planet to fight hard to end abuse and make progress for a patient. And then you can find that it did absolutely nothing. Your time was wasted. THIS is where burnout begins.

6. When you FINALLY feel awake enough to get your URI checked out, and you're honest about your TB exposure, you'll get turned away by everyone but the ED. What a waste. Honestly.

7. I don't want to be a psych nurse. I tip my hat to all of you out there. I don't want to be a psych nurse, but you know what? I'm good at it.

8. I don't know what is going to happen if I'm positive for TB. My kids have fevers this morning. Maybe they'll let us room together. [emoji22]

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Specializes in critical care.

Allow me to add, I had no idea how much my face could swear until wearing a properly-sized N95.

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Specializes in Telemetry.

(((hugs))) ixchel

Hope things improve for you.

Yeah, psych nursing takes some special skills - not every nurse has those skills, but every nurse has patients with psych diagnoses. This can be difficult for both the patient and the nurse because of course these patients deserve to have their psych needs met. Glad you've got the skills, ixchel.

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Liking your post out of support - praying that your results are negative!

1. Job hunting is a tedious process, especially when you're looking out-of-state and can't physically visit the facility.

2. Monutor urine output if your patient is at risk for shock.

3. Uncontrolled diabetes can cause lots of problems.

4. Highest priority after a pt comes out of Sx is respiratory.

5. Post-op, a pulse deficit can indicate dysrhythmias.

6. Trendelenburg can cause vagal response.

7. I washed 3 cars today and submitted a paper. Pretty productive day. Now, I'm just fancying up my resume and cover letter.

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Specializes in Hospice.

(((((Ixchel))))) hope it turns out negative.

I did have to smile at your comment about psych nursing.

My psych rotation was ok, didn't really touch anything in me (this was back in the 70s, when too many psych hospitals still had the "Snake Pit" stereotype. Plus, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" had come out a few years previous.

When I got my Board results back, guess which section was my highest score? Yep. Psych.

Still didn't make me want to be a psych nurse, though, lol.

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Specializes in SICU.

1 I hate it when we get new residents and fellows, every day is a nightmare until they are well trained ( to nursings specifications [emoji12])

2 liver failure patients are ticking time bombs.. When your ptt is 100+ with no anticoagulants on board.... You are going to die of a bleed...not if, but when...

3 we put a patient on an insulin gtt.... And then gave them a diet... And then everyone was scratching their heads as to why the BG was still uncontrolled.... I used to think the hyperglycemia protocol was pretty standard ( npo on the gtt) I guess not

4 I'm seriously burned out when I work

Day shift...

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My psych rotation was ok, didn't really touch anything in me (this was back in the 70s, when too many psych hospitals still had the "Snake Pit" stereotype. Plus, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" had come out a few years previous.

Snake pit?

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Beautiful song, great video.

Hang in there my friend.

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Specializes in LTC and Pediatrics.

Hugs ixchell, I hope you get the results soon and that they are negative.

I learned this week that taking a night shift once in a while is not bad. Just don't want to do it all the time.

I learned this week that a verbal abuser who is a resident in our LTC is going to be extremely difficult for me to deal with. I work part time and each time I was at work this week, he yelled at me, called me names and incompetent because he thinks he is the only one who needs help and should get what he wants, when he wants it and if not, then you are a very horrible person. I can usually talk with people and come to some sort of meeting of the minds, but this guy just wants to yell and shout at you.

I also really appreciate 2 of the 3 night shift nurses because once report is given, narc count done and keys turned over, they recognize that if I am still there to finish charting, that is why I am still there, not to work another shift. The 3rd nurse, gets upset with me. Last night, she couldn't believe that I did not know where the backup batteries were for the lifts. Well, the CNAs take care of that as whenever they need my help, the lift is already to go. Now, I wonder why she doesn't know where they are as it is her and one CNA on nights. I know why the CNA doesn't know, because, normally, they don't get people up with lifts on nights.

I am so ready for spring! Had a few nice days, and now back to snow in the forecast.

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Specializes in Family Medicine, Tele/Cardiac, Camp.

I'm so sorry, Ixchel. I hope everything works out. Fingers crossed for you.

This week I learned:

1. I am woefully unprepared when it comes to understanding NP contract language.

2. My acute care/ICU knowledge has really waned since I started focusing on primary care. Looking forward to my ACLS course coming up.

3. Explaining what it will look like as someone begins to die to my sister-in-law and husband was humbling, heartbreaking, and something I never imagined myself ever doing.

4. I'm so glad my other sister-in-law is an ICU nurse.

5. I had the best mother-in-law I could have ever possibly hoped for. She saw me, supported me, and understood me in ways that my own mother never did. And it absolutely F-ing sucks that she only had 50 years on this planet.

6. Cancer is one of the most evilest things in the history of forever. But I guess we all knew that. Still doesn't make it any less sucky.

7. On an unrelated and happier note, throwing yourself a birthday party instead of stewing over how no one remembers your birthday is definitely the way to go. Even if you're in your late 30's.

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

Don't trust the med student to accurately report the symptoms of a declining patient to the intern/resident. Someone should teach this particular one the difference between delirium and unresponsive.

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I'm so sorry, Ixchel. I hope everything works out. Fingers crossed for you.

This week I learned:

1. I am woefully unprepared when it comes to understanding NP contract language.

2. My acute care/ICU knowledge has really waned since I started focusing on primary care. Looking forward to my ACLS course coming up.

3. Explaining what it will look like as someone begins to die to my sister-in-law and husband was humbling, heartbreaking, and something I never imagined myself ever doing.

4. I'm so glad my other sister-in-law is an ICU nurse.

5. I had the best mother-in-law I could have ever possibly hoped for. She saw me, supported me, and understood me in ways that my own mother never did. And it absolutely F-ing sucks that she only had 50 years on this planet.

6. Cancer is one of the most evilest things in the history of forever. But I guess we all knew that. Still doesn't make it any less sucky.

7. On an unrelated and happier note, throwing yourself a birthday party instead of stewing over how no one remembers your birthday is definitely the way to go. Even if you're in your late 30's.

I'm so sorry for your loss and...Happy Birthday!

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