FAILED IN SYRACUSE

[MauraRN]

I am so happy for you Kelly. I failed that last PCS because I forgot to check off skin turgor on the PCS recording form. Sheryl admitted that she saw me do it, I also did mucous membrane check, she saw that too. I had a s/p spinal fusion man with ab assess, resp management, comfort, PVA oral care,meds, multiple IV TPN, man had bilat CVA events during surg and lost his swallow reflex, NPO. My peds was a 5 month old with multiple cancerous liver tumors, had ab assess, resp assess, diapers, comfort, apical resp, bp pain mgmt pt teaching of mom. Passed it no problem. I had a feeling this was not a go for me right from the start when they were short a CE and I had to do all the labs last and my first PCS that I prepped for Friday nite and had a different pt on Sat morning with only 20 minutes to prepare for. I worked like crazy on that Friday nite care plan and Kardex only to not have that pt on Sat morning and I still passed the first PCS. My second PCS on Sat was s/p colon resection ab assess, resp mgmt, vitals, comfort, PVA, assist to ambulate. She was still NPO with 2 iv very dry with a weak thready pulse that I couldnt keep track of doing radial. CDM for apical, this CE had the oldest, crappiest steth, could barely hear, and the plastic earpiece broke off sand the steel rod went in my ear, scratched somethin in there , so I had one ear bleeding and the other unable to hear apical. I asked her for another steth, she said no, so I had to guess the count of course I got it wrong and failed, hence the Sunday PCS repeat where I forgot to check off skin turgor. Maybe I should play the lottery, my luck is bound to improve.!!! Thanks to all who encouraged me along the way.

Maureen

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Oh, Maureen!! I am so sorry. *hugs* Sounds like your care was excellent ... darn that paperwork!!!

[NC Girl BSN]

Oh Shoot Maureen. It hurts me in my heart to hear that. I wish I could give you a big hug right now. I hate it when good people such as yourself do not pass this monster. Is the CPNE something that you would do again? Just know that if you want to talk, give me a call and I will be all ears. I don't think you should beat yourself up too hard, not many people make it to Sunday Morning so I count that a victory on your behalf. You are definetly in my thoughts. Keep at it, you will get there.

[Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN]

I am so sorry. Your apical pulse debacle sounds horrible. I had to make an educated guess on my baby's apical pulse too, but I wasn't putting myself in physical jeopardy using the steth like you were. That was just wrong. The skin turgor thing documentation thing...ugh. You would have gotten that if you were working the floor, no question. I remember this quite well. I wish I could hug you.

So, what's the next step?

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Well, crud, Maureen. I actually didn't have a good feeling when you didn't post anything at all yesterday.

The situation with the broken stethoscope was terrible. I don't care what anyone says, some of it is subjective.

I know what it feels like to fail this, Maureen.

{{{{{Maureen}}}}}

And feel free to ask for more hugs. I didn't stop crying for a week.

[Raggedy Ann]

Maureen,

Hugs sent your way to heal your heart. Remember...You are a success for having attempted this monster, and now you know what to expect. I also know it is easy for me to say this because...I have yet to do this scary,unknown exam. Traci

[FocusRN]

Could the refusal to give you a new steth esp after it left you bleeding be, grounds, for a free repeat? I mean if , you had been given another you wouldn't had to guess, could have passed that PCS, and of course not failed the redo. Just a thought.

[Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN]

Could the refusal to give you a new steth esp after it left you bleeding be, grounds, for a free repeat? I mean if , you had been given another you wouldn't had to guess, could have passed that PCS, and of course not failed the redo. Just a thought.

I agree.

At the very least, you may be able to make noise because you were denied use of another steth that clearly wasn't up to snuff if it injured your ear, regardless of the apical pulse failure. I'd think her denial of providing you with a safe instrument would hinder any of your efforts in that PCS. I know it would certainly throw me for a loop. It's so early, and you don't have to make any decisions now. Just let it sting for a while (I hate to say that) before making your next move, if you choose to do so. I couldn't have made any sort of appeal for at least a week after my CPNE failure...the coherent thoughts I had were buried underneath the emotion of it all.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

I can't say that I've never felt such heartbreak, but it was sure up there on the list.

[MauraRN]

Thank you all for your kindness. I did forget to include 2 other weird things. I haven't cried yet. I have done some hysterical laughing though, emphasis on the hysterical.

During PCS 2, the one with the stethoscope, I asked the CE to switch arms with me. This was a really weak and thready radial pulse but I got it on the other arm. 45 seconds in, the CE said, "OH, I lost count. You have to start over." I didn't lose count, she did. So went to apical, got stabbed in the ear. Sounds like an episode of the Sopranos.

The repeat PCS that I had to do on Sunday was a toughie, but I did it. Unfortunately, the only places to sit to do the Evaluation phase were taken, so they put me in a stairwell with my papers and a pen. A very busy stairwell with many people who were kind enough to inquire why I was there.

Emphasis on HYSTERICAL.

Maureen from Boston who now has no money left.

[Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN]

I never cried about the CPNE. It's okay. I am so sorry to hear about your experience. Personally, I think you got a raw deal.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

I never cried about the CPNE. It's okay. I am so sorry to hear about your experience. Personally, I think you got a raw deal.

God, did I cry.

And I agree with the raw deal.