A First For Me!

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Specializes in ICU of all kinds, CVICU, Cath Lab, ER..

The last night I worked over the past weekend, I was assigned two patients in surgical ICU....one little old man (pit tumor removed) was ready for transfer and discharge...he dealt with his roommate by keeping a blanket over his head and sleeping all night....got up by bedside for urination.

I got a terrible start (got the two patients from two different nurses), my other patient was post stop-sign running granny who T-boned my patient on his motorcycle .... he was post cerebral hemmorhage and still casted for a broken leg.....the nurse giving me report said to me, in a loud voice x 3, "you're not going to be able to handle him"....several other nurses around her and I heard her and they apologized to me later - they were appalled that she said that to me...

I thought, honestly, that the RN giving me report and saying that to me was retarded; especially since her report consisted solely of reading me the CT report on the patient...I bit my tongue.

My patient was purely insane: he spent most of the night getting oob to use the urinal; they had pulled the foley prior to shift change...he was not displaying any signs of retention and he refused a one-time straight cath .... he refused monitoring; he refused NBP, etc.

He was alert and oriented and spent the other part of his night moaning about being "fkd" by the accident - he is a postal worker on probation for cocaine use - the accident will cause him to loose his job (I seriously doubt that).

Complain, complain, complain.

What he said to me at one point while I was supporting his back with my left hand and he was leaning on the top rail using the urinal: why are you shaking? I explained I have PD....he then said: GET YOUR HAND OFF ME - IT DISGUSTS ME.

I cannot begin to tell you how hurt I was.

I did the best I could with him the rest of the shift. He refused his insulin at 0600; I called the Doc and let him know.

Piece of work!!!

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Specializes in geriatrics,med/surg,vents.

OMG,I would have had to bite my tongue to keep from telling him "drug addicts disgust me" LOL.You did say early on that the guy was"purely insane".What a horrible thing to say to you.

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Specializes in ICU of all kinds, CVICU, Cath Lab, ER..

I wish I were quicker ... that would have done it...what a creep he is...no wonder his coworkers at the post office turned him in for violating parole....

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Oncology, Ortho.

Yikes. Pt's can be really hurtful sometimes. They're feeling cruddy and strike out. Of course they don't realize that we're often feeling pretty cruddy too, and it takes a lot of patience and will power on our part not to snap back an equally hurtful response. I know I've bit my tongue many times. I'm sorry that pt was nasty to you.

take good care,

Susan

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

he was nasty , i am sorry he is so ignorant.that shows his mentality right there. he was disgusting. every dog has their day... and he will have his ..probably sooner than we think. take care..

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