Document Everything!

TheGooch · Sep 15, 2015

That feeling of impending doom is real.
When I was having an anaphylactic reaction at work, the last thing I remember before I stopped breathing was telling the totally clueless Nursing Supervisor was "I. Am. Going. To. Die".
She still refused to call a code and took me down to the ER herself. In a wheelchair. Turning blue. Because I wasn't breathing.

Wow, and she was a nurse? Is she still a nurse?

ArlyleRN · Sep 17, 2015

Wow, and she was a nurse? Is she still a nurse?

Promoted to Chief Nursing Officer.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Sep 17, 2015

Promoted to Chief Nursing Officer.

:facepalm:

Graduatenurse14 · Sep 24, 2015

The first and last time I heard a patient say that they thought they were going to die was the elderly male patient with several chronic health issues in the ED bay next mine- where I was the other patient! While I was doubled over in pain, vomiting, getting labs drawn and pain meds administered I was yelling in my head to his nurse to "listen to him when he says he thinks he is dying!!!"

He was still alive when I left with my newly diagnosed UTI, ABX and Zofran. I hope he was ok!

Also, I was surprised that there is absolutely no HIPAA love in the ED, which is how I heard everything!!

ixchel · Jul 21, 2016

In light of the "Overcharting" thread which reminded me of this one, I thought I'd resurrect it to have fun.
O/T:
1931: Report received, care of patient assumed. Color of hospital gown is teal blue.

This thread bump wins the interwebs!!!

ixchel · Jul 21, 2016

My most recent "I'm going to die" patient was transferred to another facility and I've been waited to hear it happened or see him admitted again ever since.

If any of you recalls the WILTW about having a good cry, this was the guy! He survived, and when I got to see him again, we both enjoyed a fierce hug and a happy cry. :) He'd been in my patient group so many times over the period of roughly a year, and so he was one of those patients I got to know, and I got to be a nurse he knew would take care of and advocate for him. We were fond of each other, in the context that a patient and nurse might be. The happy cry admission was just to change his PICC and abx. He was happy and healthy.

Moments like that bring a nurse fuel to remain committed, even on bad days. :) This was a huge victory, given all he'd been through.

ixchel · Jul 21, 2016

1945: Pt reports bowel movement over call bell intercom. Upon inspection, gown now teal superior to substernal region, fading into a green and then brown subumbilical area. Observed unassisted pt ambulation through hallways during shift change. Pt reports presently unable to assist with pericare or turning. Pt given bed bath and pericare with assistance of PCT. Gown replaced, white in color with blue designs. Will monitor.