anyone else??

Specialties Med-Surg

Published

Why me? does anyone ask that? Well, it seems any pt that is going to have a problem I get! I don't know if I can take much more of this. It doesn't matter what it is, its going to happen. for example, get a post-decubitus debreidment pt, of the sacrum, what do you know, but her dressing is draining blood, soaking 3 abd's per hour. How is this possible!! And right next door is another post-op same docs, who is bleeding out abdomen. Grr. All I want is a few good days. I can see a few comps, but really this just keeps happening. How about getting an asymptomatic patient who develops bilat PE's after surgery? How about another Vag patient post-op bleed out. How about a post-op getting to the same room as the vag bleed (who BTW skipped ICU and went straight to OR) and within half hour to getting to floor needing Narcan - twice. How bout a stroke victim who mid-day assessment no radial pulse (gets transferred out)? how about coming in mid shift to relieve someone and their patient goes into SVT and hour after they leave, and on the sameday as the pulseless limb. How bout pt that's fine all day, calm, cooprerative, orientated, IV pump in failure, pt goes bannanas and busts the bolted to the wall mercury blood pressure fixtures? And then comes a root cause analysis for that one. Oh and they took him of Ativan the day before b/c of somnolence. Great. How about a ped of 12 months who goes into kidney failure, has a lets say major fluid shift and has to be flown out, from a M/S floor. How bout getting a post-op from ASU who is swollen like a chipmunk, voice unnaturally high pitched, and get report pt c/o cp just prior to transport. What?! I could go on. Plz, is this normal? Maybe this is what nursing is all about, however, the stories just keep racking up.

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Specializes in LTC and MED-SURG.
Why me? does anyone ask that? Well, it seems any pt that is going to have a problem I get! I don't know if I can take much more of this. It doesn't matter what it is, its going to happen. for example, get a post-decubitus debreidment pt, of the sacrum, what do you know, but her dressing is draining blood, soaking 3 abd's per hour. How is this possible!! And right next door is another post-op same docs, who is bleeding out abdomen. Grr. All I want is a few good days. I can see a few comps, but really this just keeps happening. How about getting an asymptomatic patient who develops bilat PE's after surgery? How about another Vag patient post-op bleed out. How about a post-op getting to the same room as the vag bleed (who BTW skipped ICU and went straight to OR) and within half hour to getting to floor needing Narcan - twice. How bout a stroke victim who mid-day assessment no radial pulse (gets transferred out)? how about coming in mid shift to relieve someone and their patient goes into SVT and hour after they leave, and on the sameday as the pulseless limb. How bout pt that's fine all day, calm, cooprerative, orientated, IV pump in failure, pt goes bannanas and busts the bolted to the wall mercury blood pressure fixtures? And then comes a root cause analysis for that one. Oh and they took him of Ativan the day before b/c of somnolence. Great. How about a ped of 12 months who goes into kidney failure, has a lets say major fluid shift and has to be flown out, from a M/S floor. How bout getting a post-op from ASU who is swollen like a chipmunk, voice unnaturally high pitched, and get report pt c/o cp just prior to transport. What?! I could go on. Plz, is this normal? Maybe this is what nursing is all about, however, the stories just keep racking up.

All I can say is (as a new LPN graduate who doesn't know a lot) you are going to be a very (or are) experienced nurse. Although, I would be pulling my hair out in your shoes, I am so hungry for experience I would like it (for a while ) Talk to me in a year.

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hmm. lol. i wanted a lot of experience also, I wanted to learn the most as quickly as I could. Not the best idea if you would like to keep your sanity as well. :) Well, good luck, you sound like you have a very positive attitude with loads of determination. Two very good qualities!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

I feel your pain. What i wouldnt do for just a normal day, not one racked with a drama or some ICU shouldbe. And of course they never get to go to ICU,, i have to deal with them along with my other 10 patients. And keep everyone happy and having a pleasant stay. Who has a pleasant stay at a hospital for gads sakes??????

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I don't know, it is almost worse if you sometimes get those calm days, when EVERYTHING goes smoothly--then when you have a crappy day, you have this amazing day to compare it with, and the crappy day feels even worse!!!

Lately it seems I have been the nurse of choice for the detoxers. I think in part it is because I dont' have a problem with detoxers emotionally (we all know nurses who do), and in part because I am an LPN, and they don't typically have meds that I can't give. Sometimes I think I should go into rehab nursing; then I remember that chances are good I am already going to be a rehab nurse that night! No need to change jobs!

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Specializes in Almost everywhere.

And all this time I thought I was the only one!

This is a day in the life of a M/S nurse...you do have my sympathy and attention!

Enjoy any time you have away! When you have a good day, write that down somewhere and that way you can look back and if it has been a while....TIME FOR A VACATION DAY!!!!

You will have tons of experience...didn't know people would be jealous of you for that??? Something to ponder...do remember to take care of yourself though! :icon_hug:

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

This is pretty much the way it's been on most of the med/surg floors I've worked. Med/surg is like the end of the line. When all the other units are full, med/surg is the only place left for them until beds start emptying out.

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