Trauma season is upon us

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I've been through a horrible 3 weeks with trauma after trauma coming through the doors. Good grief, what will the summer bring at this rate? I'm sooooo tired, I'm beginning to think that there's got to be a better way to make a living. So much of what I've seen the last few days has been just plain stupidity, kids running from the police and ending up in horrible wrecks, drinking-ATV's-and hillside climbing do not go together, charcoal grills started with gasoline, falls from roofs by the would-be weekend warrior homowner, bar fights turned gun battles.

Please, everyone be safe this summer. Think before you act and try to stay out of the way of those who don't. I miss my desk job. I'm trying to remember why I wanted to do this in the first place. Sheeeesh!

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

Lol! I hear ya, Lori! You forgot about the farm machinery accidents, all the construction workers with ankle fractures from falling off scaffolding...the GSWs and stabbings will increase once school is out...hahaha...and in July- don't forget about all the fireworks accidents. You're lucky- at least you don't have Derby coming up soon...lol.

Just what is it with the drunks and ATVs? We get tons of those ourselves. I've even had 1 of them say, "Oh, I would never drink and get behind the wheel of a CAR!" A future Darwin Award winner right there.

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I work trauma & Neurosurgery ICU and you wouldn't believe all the pedistrians hit by car we have in the unit....it is out of control. I do love my job and love looking after the sickest of the sickest....but these poor people....so many withdrawl's

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Just what is it with the drunks and ATVs? We get tons of those ourselves. I've even had 1 of them say, "Oh, I would never drink and get behind the wheel of a CAR!" A future Darwin Award winner right there.

LOL...I'm sure you experienced nurses can tell alot of those kinds of stories!

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They do seem to be pouring out from under every rock in town as well as every county south and east of here. I don't envy you the Derby drunks. You can have them. All I could think of all week long was how wonderful it would be to simply be teaching nursing students. Drama? Yeah, they are high drama, but at least they are all healthy and in one piece.

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

Lori- you're in the same line of thinking I'm in- I'm going to get my MSN to teach, too! It seems like a dream job at this point, doesn't it?

Cub- you're so right! I forgot about all the ped vs car accidents. The drunk pedestrians do come out of the woodwork once it warms up outside.

CNM- LOL...yes- lots of stories! If you work in a trauma 1 hospital, you'll have plenty of stories in your first week...lol.

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LOL...I'm sure you experienced nurses can tell alot of those kinds of stories!

Yeah, like when going over an op permit I asked "Have you had anything to eat or drink this morning?"

"No, but I guess I need to confess, I did smoke a joint on the way here, does that count?"

I swear it happened.

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"yeah, he shot me because he wanted the eggs scrambled, not fried"

I heard this while pre-opping a 45 year old woman for a gunshot wound to the eye, she was referring to her 70-something year old father, this was one night last summer. She was back within 6 months for a fractured arm, courtesy of her son. Not really funny, really very sad, but then you kind of get this weird sense of humor when you work trauma.

Like the two brothers who were rabbit hunting. One was walking in front of the other. Brother #1 steps over a fallen tree, is about 15 feet in front of brother #2. Rabbit is dislodged from log and runs toward Brother #1, Brother #2 hollars "Rabbit!". Brother #1 turns around just in time for the rabbit to run between his legs. Brother #2 shoots at rabbit, rabbit makes a clean get away, brother #1 not so lucky and has one leg nearly shot off. While prepping the shotgunned leg for surgery and seeing the damage, you have to wonder exactly how much rabbit there would have been left to eat given the size of the leg wound. Oh, I could write a book. I still miss the desk I used to sit behind. (sigh!)

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