First night off orientation...

yikes..hang in there

i also had a patient die on my first night on my own off orientation...it was expected, but i hadn't really dealt with that on orientation, and no one helped me with the body.

Well it will only get better from here on out.

My first day off of orientation I was assigned lady with an open abdomen (yep, could see her guts) and a kid with DKA (18yo) who went to emergency surgery with a K+ of 8.0, BS of 458, and over 10 feet of dead bowel!

This is how I looked when I left work.....

Tonight is my first night back at work since hell week...I have had 6 blissful, wonderful days off in which I accomplished nothing (no cleaning, baking, Christmas shopping). I am hoping it is a little less stressful, but this is how we learn...right?

My first day off orientation was Monday. It was crazy! I work in the neuro ICU and I had one post op patient on THREE vasoactive drips that I was titrating plus three other IV meds at the same time. He was post op with major BP issues, so much that I couldnt even take the sedation off to gt a post op assessment! He was febrile and having ICP issus. My guy next door was combative off sedation and was having respiratory issues. Everyone who passed me that night asked why I had the two hardest patients on the floor! Thank god for my co workers helping me. It was way much for my firs tnight off orientation..the MD practically camped out in my room that night my pt was so unstable! I went home and like you had 4 days off! I needed it!