This week. I got asked by my bosses boss to pick up a shift. I used the weakest excuse there is and I stuck to it: my group was just too much, I haven't gotten sleep, and I desperately need my days off.
So now, I bring to you what I learned while sitting in my home ED triage wearing an N95. Yup. It's been that kinda week.
1. I have yet to meet a grumpy person who didn't perk up after giving them a shift of kindness. It feels like the biggest victory, too.
2. It sucks that being required to report abuse and self harm means destroying the trust you'd achieved before that point.
3. Some patients make me hate nursing homes. I'm so sorry to the NH staff we have on here. I understand you function under terrible limitations. However.... When a nursing home gets a patient they are unequipped to handle, they don't realize how horrible the outcome can be. One such patient made me cry. HARD. I found a dark corner of the hospital and just hid. Some things we'll never let go of.
4. We have a patient with us who has been with us three times over 3 months and was not shown to have TB until last week. For some reason only those of us directly exposed seem to be freaking out at all over this. Sputum results would be nice, please.
5. You can do everything in your power on the planet to fight hard to end abuse and make progress for a patient. And then you can find that it did absolutely nothing. Your time was wasted. THIS is where burnout begins.
6. When you FINALLY feel awake enough to get your URI checked out, and you're honest about your TB exposure, you'll get turned away by everyone but the ED. What a waste. Honestly.
7. I don't want to be a psych nurse. I tip my hat to all of you out there. I don't want to be a psych nurse, but you know what? I'm good at it.
8. I don't know what is going to happen if I'm positive for TB. My kids have fevers this morning. Maybe they'll let us room together. [emoji22]
