Using my nursing skills on vacation.

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

Wow, my instructor was right. Nursing is not a job or career even............it is a lifestyle. I'm on vacation and I'm still nursing, or at least using nursing skills.

See, I've worked very hard to put myself in a position where I HAVE NOTHING TO DO ON VACATION. I wanted it that way BTW. Dinner with the folks, a little bit'o grocery shopping and........thats it.

People asked me before I left for vacation "What are you going to do? Any exciting plans? Are you going anywhere?".

My response" "Yeah, I'm going somewhere, I'm going to my couch with a good book."

But, despite my best efforts, I find myself flexing my nursing muscles and using critical thinking. For example:

I used my time management skills twice today.

1. I couldn't decide what to eat for dinner. It was either going to be chicken breast or pizza. I couldn't decide. So, I combined the two and got both done at the same time. Instead of cooking the chicken or pizza, I ordered out pizza WITH CHICKEN ON IT. See, got both done at one time.

2. I had to decide, watch a movie at home or watch baseball. Lots of movies I wanna see, have had a good movie from Netflix waiting for me for awhile now to view too. But, my fav. baseball team is playing tonight, and they are HEATING up (the BoSox). I couldn't decide. So, I got both done at the same time.

I watched a movie ABOUT baseball (Field of Dreams). See, now that's critical thinking.

3. I also couldn't decide weather I wanted Crown Royal with ginger-ale tonight or Dark Rum/Coke. Used the same critical thinking and figured.................eh.................do both. I aim to be VERY productive, so time management is a must.

So, after a few of #3's have been downed, I got to thinking..............I could use other nursing skills too. In fact, it's a time management thing too. See.........I'm tired of getting up and going to the BR. It's a waste of time. Think of all the vaca. time I waste doing that.

So, I put a foley in.

<_>

>_>

[pockunit, ADN, RN]

I wish I'd taken advantage of my foley and watched the entire LOTR series.

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

I wish I'd taken advantage of my foley and watched the entire LOTR series.

OMG.

I thought I was the only person in the world who considered doing LOTR marathons. Let me see how brave you are though: Did you do theatrical or unedited? I did unedited.

This foley isn't all its cracked up to be. I feel like I AM PEEING actively, but I know I'm not, and I'm worried to death about one of my kittens attacking the bag.

[pockunit, ADN, RN]

Oh, hell, theatrical. I'm a fan but I'm not rabid. Well, I get foamy over Viggo from time to time . . .

[pockunit, ADN, RN]

OH, and wait for the bladder spasms before you d/c it. You have to have the full experience or it doesn't count.

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

OH, and wait for the bladder spasms before you d/c it. You have to have the full experience or it doesn't count.

Yeah, for real.

Guess I'm learning via Empathy Training. At least thats what I'll tell people if they ask why I have a foley in.

[donsterRN, ASN, BSN]

You two are crazy!

*wine

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

You two are crazy!

*wine

Don't act like you've never considered putting a foley in yourself. Heck, I almost did it when I was a travel nurse and had to go from one end of the country to the other.

Empathy Training lesson #3: Foley's suck, especially during the first day, because you forget you have them in and walk away. OMG that is too much tension. My bag is full cause I'm WAY too much into my Rum/Cokes and it fills an hour after I empty it.

Guess I'm not saving all that much Vacation time with this thing.

[nurse678]

HAHA I wish I had a Foley in every time I wake up during the night having to pee! I hate having to get up!

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

HAHA I wish I had a Foley in every time I wake up during the night having to pee! I hate having to get up!

No you don't. This stuff is for the birds, I'm considering taking mine out. It might be different if, like in the hospital, someone else were responsible for taking care of emptying it, but...........I'm the nurse AND the pt. here............have it in me but have to empty it and all.

Constantly feel like I am actively voiding even though I know I'm not, bag fills up quick as heck cause I'm still pounding Rum/Coke/Crown/Gingerale, I don't want to let my kittens withing ten feet of me and I've walked away from the bag only to get a very painful "DING DONG" in a very painful place to remind me "Hey, you are hooked up here".

[donsterRN, ASN, BSN]

Don't act like you've never considered putting a foley in yourself.

Well, OK... maybe once. But I fought the urge.

However, I did awaken once after surgery with a Foley. Then two days later, I removed it. I think that was the same day I removed my NG tube, too.

Aahh. Good times...

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

You two are crazy!

*wine

And, BTW, I am not crazy, I am drunk.

I would expect you to know the difference. See, you too must use your nursing skills in your outside the job life. Have you not learned how to assess the difference between intoxication and mental illness?

<_>

>_>

[Won't admit, even with a gun to his head, that he can't...............pretends it's common knowledge and continues to be critical]

I am ashamed of you. If I had you as a nurse, you would have me in the Psych. unit when all's I need is some rest and perhaps a detox night or two.