Aarrghh!!

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Is there any one out there that can relate to living off Ensure for nutrition and skating by using the restroom maybe once? I considered inserting a foley on myself and had to laugh off such a crazy thought :roll !!! I've been on my own about six months as a new nurse on a stepdown unit and let me tell you about today. I walk into to my first pt's room after report and what do i find? my "restrained" patient half way off the bed with foley in hand, abdominal binder off and scd's disconnected with his trach collar off of his O2 :eek: !!! Ok I'm wanting to cry,scream,walk out (PMS). I fixed him up and am now behind on my other two assessments and charting. What's going with pt number two? She's schizophrenic and bipolar, she's four years old but very "with the program." She can only eat certain foods and does not want to drink Nepro unless it's in a can, she called her "mommy (82 years old) and she doesn't have to eat anything she doesn't want. I am at the point where I want to change personalities myself :chuckle !! Nevertheless I made it through 8 hours with my three patients and can you believe they asked me to stay 4 hours more? heheheh:rolleyes: !!! I just had to let off steam and laugh at myself today, i shouldn't have gotten so wound up this morning!!! That's nursing and regardless I love it !! Thanks for anyone who reads this and offers support!! I pray it gets easier for me and I gain the serenity, confidence and experience to take care of people. Amartin1

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Specializes in tele, stepdown/PCU, med/surg.

Please tell me you work on a psych unit and not a med/surg unit! LOL

Actually, you could use a leg bag for a foley and people might not notice. If it's too busy and you can't get a break, the hospital should pay for it too. Oh and take a can on Ensure for the drive home.

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Specializes in Peds - playing with the kids.

i guess, if we didn't have days like this, then we wouldn't appreciate the good ones.:roll :roll :roll

:icon_hug: hugs to you!!!:icon_hug:

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Specializes in pure and simple psych.

When I find something like that on my first visit to a room, I make sure that I make rounds with the off going nurse before she leaves. That way, if the patient is in chaos, I have help. Might help. And bless you for not screaming in horror and running away.

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Bless you for keeping your sanity! I dealt with a patient the other day who had that horrible wailing voice (sounded just like Fran Dreshner only more high-pitched)who never shut her mouth for the 12 hours I was there, and told me everytime I went into her room, "Omigod, the Dr. told me I can go home soon, but I haven't pooped yet! I've just gggoooootttttttaaaaaa pooooooooop before I leave!!" If I had a stick of dynamite handy, trust me, we would have "poooooooop" and a discharge on our hands!:smackingf

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ER, L&D, ICU, OR, Educator.
she's schizophrenic and bipolar, she's four years old but very "with the program."

typo?

typo aside...this is a very bad day!

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Thanks for the replies and trust me, I do have Ensure on the way home!! oh my four year old pt is actually 63. I had the same two today but add on another crazy, medication addicted RN, who walked into her doctor's office needing to be intubated !!! On top of that she has an imaginary fever that is masked by her respiratory treatments :( . Because of this, I am now doing urine and blood cultures on her, starting a blood transfusion on my confused pt from the night before and trying to level with my "four year old" bipolar pt!!! Are you kidding me? My charge nurse hates me...anyways thanks for the laughs :chuckle God Bless, Amartin1

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Big hugs to you.

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Specializes in ICU, telemetry, LTAC.

I dunno about hating you, but it seems to me your charge nurse is definitely dumping on you as far as assignments go. One nutty patient is enough.

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

I get all the crazies and oddballs!!!!! I am agency but the hospital I am based in knows that I can quell a combative patient and ruthless families beyond most...good for them, horrid assignments for me! LOL! I just have an art for quelling angry folks I guess...

I had a day last week, in a med surge unit, where I had 2 suicidals, and 2 bi polars. The suicidals were rather easier to deal with because they did have a one on one that actually helped out! The bi polars...oh brother! One would be up and almost out of the building and the other getting out of bed (fall risk) and about to do a nose dive to the floor! Okay since I can't be in two places at once...ummmmmmm HELLO?!?!?!?!?

I asked for help, and we couldn't get a one on one for the escape gal, so we were luckily able to move her to a room in front of the nurses desk (that helped a lot really!), and I basically had to put all my time an effort on Mrs. Fall Alot.

The charge nurse admitted she knew I was good with these folks, and that she had over assigned me! I was very sweet all shift, and I thanked her for admitting that and just to be aware if I had loads like that that I will need help...and that I didn't mind, but I sure as heck would be in a pickle if I had someone that needed to be fed, turned, or uhhhhhh even on Lasix??? LOL!"

I simply ask for help or have a discussion with my charge nurses about the assignments after shift so that I can be where I am best, and not somewhere in overwhelmed land as an agency nurse that doesn't know where things are or who to talk to.... I guess agency has that fault, but it has given me much courage to state my mind because they know...I don't HAVE to come back there if I don't want to...and so far they always want me back :) (they are actually quite sweet...very supportive most times...I like where I am working now).

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