I must vent, to exorcise the demons and release the negative energy that almost caused Monique to punch someone in the throat:
The wound care team (1 masters level nurse specializing in wound care, 1 RN, 1 derm attending, and 2 med students) was rounding on my neuro patient with a healing stage II on his coccyx while I transferred my other patient to the floor. I had JUST removed his moon boots because he was running a temp, he was agitated, I was planning on doing a bed bath, and I was waiting for the tyelenol that I had just given to take affect. They went in the room right after I left and started freaking out about the boots being off-criticizing me in front of the patient's family member and so forth. They even went to my charge nurse who intercepted me before I went in the room to let me know they were on a rampage. They were finishing up with my patient and the patient's wife says "I'm so sorry, I tried to tell them you were coming right back." They were being such a**holes that my pt's poor wife felt like she had to defend me! Then the wound care nurses ask me in this accusatory tone: "And WHY were the patient's boots off???" In front of the whole team....And then Monique (my alter ego) came out to tell them ALL about themselves...I'll spare you the details...it was not pretty.
1) Last time I checked, we were all professionals and it was definitely UNCOOL to criticize your colleagues in front of patients and their family members.
2) Maybe, instead of assuming the worst about our cohorts we should wait to hear their side of the story before we start pointing fingers????
3) Sometimes in the ICU we worry about other things BESIDES skin care. Not that its not important, but boots being off for 30 minutes (when the patient is moving both legs frequently) will not cause a pressure ulcer. I understand their concern, but I am not a janitor, I'm an ICU nurse-I know why I'm using the G.D. boots!
Amen. I feel better now.
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