unnerving experience last night

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in ccu cardiovascular.

Last night I had an unnerving experience. I came in at 7pm and was coming out of charge report when one of my nurses i found crying at the nurses station. She stated she was having chest pain and it was the worst she ever had!!!. After giving her o2, aspirin (she refused the nitro) and taking her bp(290/144). called er ahead told them i was coming down with a nurse in severe distress! When i arrived the er nurse told me she needed to have her forms filled out and triaged, itold her in uncertain terms i triaged her and she needs attended now,!!!! Thank god one of the cardiologists that i know quite well was there with his sister(she was being admitted with a headache) He took over and found out within 5 minutes she was having a major infarct!!! She was started on nitro,mso4 and tpa he later came up to the floor and told me if the circumstances had been different, at home and we had not responded as fast as we did she would have had major heart damage and probally would have died.

Cardiac patients is my specialty, but when it was all over ri realized that i could have lost my friend, one of the kindest nurses i have ever known.

Lately work has been a bear and i wonder about the stress we are induring with all the changes going on in nursing today. My friend is only 47 years old, shes one of those nurses that take everything to heart(literally), i'm sure she won't be back on my floor(it's too stressful) Needed to share.

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God bless you both. It was a good thing you were there.

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My goodness rn-jane.

What an experience. I hope your friend will be able to find a tolerable work situation.

Thank goodness you were there.

Hopefully, we all won't have to be stressed to this point for working conditions to improve.

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Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.

Wow, rn-jane... what a truly unnerving experience, indeed !!!

I wouldn't have wanted to be in your shoes for anything in the world, and commend you for your cool head and prompt action.

I do hope your friend heals well, and that you have many more years of friendship to look forward to... the bond will now be even more special.

What was up with the ER nurse? My gosh, if we can't get our own to look out after our own ... why didn't she just immediately take your word and get working on her? Thank God your cardiologist friend just happened to be there... I shudder to think the consequences had you not persisted and he not stepped in.

Please take care of yourself these next few days.. treat yourself kindly. What a wonderful friend and nurse you have proven yourself to be... you'llnow need to destress for sure as well. :kiss

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You are a hero.:kiss

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This does sound completely unnerving, but try to take some comfort in the fact that you literally saved your friend's life! You did a wonderful thing. What better gift could a friend give? Take some time just to process this traumatic event. Give yourself a couple of weeks before you let yourself worry about the bigger isues, like the job stress. Pamper yourself however you can right now - whether it's buying some takeout food rather than cooking some nights, getting extra rest, or doing less for the holidays. All you should have to do right now is the basics - work, chores that can't be put off, and spending some time with your friend and your family. I bet it will take a month just to get over the shock and the stress of this. Good luck to you. Let us know how you and your friend are doing.

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Originally posted by oramar

You are a hero.:kiss

I can't think of any thing else to say.

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I'm so glad to hear that you took her word for it instead of poo-pooing her CP as "anxiety". We as nurses have to look out for one another and ourselves. You should be proud that you reacted swiftly and fought for your friend!

Hope she is well soon.

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Specializes in Case Management, Home Health, UM.

Angel in disguise!!:saint:

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Good for YOU!

Its sad sometimes, women are overlooked when it comes to heart issues. Some Drs. pass it off as stress, overreacting, etc. Lucky for her, you were there to insist she get the care she needed.......Pls update us on her recovery............((((hugs to YOU))))))

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Glad you were there for her. Hope she is doing well.

I had a similar experience at work (LTC) the charge nurse coming on was sitting at the desk LPN comes to me and says so and so is sitting at the desk with her head down. c/o dizzyness sob ect. I said did you take vitals Noooo she said she would be ok.

I go to desk vitals are terrible b/p 200/100 HR 160 irregular rresp 26 o2sat 82 BS 10.2. Sent to ER admitted with uncontrolled atrial fib.

Phone DON as there is no replacement and I catch hell because they are going to have to pay OT.

Really what was I suppose to do walk out of the building and leave 157 residents with no RN

Like really

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Specializes in ccu cardiovascular.

thanks for all you kind thoughts.

I work in a rural hospital 6o min from pgh. My friend was lifeflighted thw next day she needed two stents placed one in the lad, one in the circumflex. She's doing better, probally a long recovering, but she should be okay.

I've been a cardiac nurse for 8 years, i guess with cp you can never tell, but she had all the classic signs of an mi, it was just something you knew was bad.

thanks

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