My day

Nurses General Nursing

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One of my patients yesterday was a young male in his early thirties.

This patient had AIDS with with CD4 count of 3, hep b & c with liver cirrhosis, jaundice, esrd-on HD, sepsis, seizure D/O, lung ca, multiple pressure ulcers-about 10 or more, vent dependent, nonresponsive, running temp of 102-104, very low b/p, desaturating, edematous and oozing from face to toes, wt 78 Ibs with height of 5'11",was on multiple ABT, pressors and fluids. full code-suppose to be in ICU but there was no bed available. Don't get me wrong, I love the challenge but only when we don't have a bunch new incompetent R1s. Well after my initial assessment, I told my CNA that I was sure we will wrap his body before noon and that she should make sure we have a shroud.

The one big thing I hate about nursing is postmortem care, so I pray and work very hard on this pt. I spent 80% of my 12hr shift on this patient without a break, I had 5 patients for your info. Any way patient survive my shift, coded 2x and was pronounced dead 2hrs after I left.

Lucky me it happened after my shift. :up: :up:

Hope your yesterday wasn't like mine. :nono: :nono: :nono: :nono:

Just venting.

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

Oh my God, how did you do it all? He sounds like a very difficult patient. It is one of those kind of patients where I just shake my head and wonder why in the world we have kept them alive so long...for what? Anyway, good job getting him through your shift. I don't blame you for venting...unreal....

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Specializes in ub-Acute/LTC, Home Health, L&D, Peds.

I have known shifts like that and I really don't know what to say. I hope you are alright and can rest on your next day off.

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Specializes in Jack of all trades, and still learning.

Supposed to be in ICU? and you had @ 5 patients? So they couldn't get an extra staff member to keep an eye on him more closely? That must have been hell for you!

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.

Wow- they really should've had an ICU nurse come to your unit and take care of this patient. It seems you did a great job under the circumstances- you should not have had this patient with 4 other patients.

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Heck I had a 450 lb guy in step down the other night throw an enexpected PE while sitting on the toilet and was coded and died half in the bathroom half in the room on the floor. that was a fun night

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Nights like that suck!!!

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Specializes in ER, Occupational Health, Cardiology.

Bless your heart! You must have done primo care for him-perhaps he sensed it?

What I have never been able to understand is pts w/diagnoses such as you describe and families/SOs who "want everything done for them." To what end? At the stage that pt was at, there wasn't much else, except ACLS, that could have been done for him.

This very situation occurred in the ICU at the hospital where I worked, and as a Charge Nurse it was my duty to respond to assist at codes. The pt was "saved," only to be furious when he regained consciousness (which he did)! He wanted to be left alone to die. Go figure.

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