Monday February 7, 2022

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Good morning!

Joe, hope the solo practice went well.  How was the amaretto?  I can't say I'm a fan of that flavor.

Stars, I hope the depression lifts.  Glad the trip and fall wasn't as bad as it could have been.  

sirI, glad you were able to get some provisions after the storm.  Sounds like a decent day otherwise.

J22, good you don't use cold weather to not get out there in it.  Sounds like a decent day.

Had a busy day yesterday, but around 4pm was able to sit down and get my charting started and complete.  Didn't have to stay too horribly late.  Spent the day chasing someone's blood pressure that would go up, I'd medicate and it would go down, but then go back up to 190's/90's an hour later.  Probably would have been better for him to the in a step down unit on a drip until it got under control but we tried the oral and PRN IV pushes first.  I started using my phone to give me an alarm when I had to go back and check it so I wouldn't forget.  Yesterday I had it ring every two hours to remind me when it was time to turn and reposition one of my patients.  Comes in handy.

Have some anxiety about another incident with narcotics.  AGAIN.  I did an over ride pull of a narcotic on the wrong patient and gave it to the correct patient.  I caught what I did and I fixed it along with a coworker, but the trail was a mess.  I hope I don't get into trouble.  I was covering another nurse on lunch and two of her patients called for pain medication at the same time the minute she left and I was in a hurry because I was doing stuff with my own six patients.  Again, I'm dejected I get so distracted when I'm in a hurry.  

Off for a few days.  Finally going to get my back yard worked on.  It's a mess from having the trees cut down and I want it dug up and flattened out and looking a bit neater.  After this I can move on to some other projects.

My retirement "portfolio" (can't believe I use such language) is dong poorly.  Makes me nervous spending so much money on projects.  Puts off any thoughts of retirement anytime soon.  I noticed my Health Savings Account lost the money put into this week.   But I know what goes down usually goes back up and I'm lucky to still be able to work (for now that is until the Pharmacy fires me for being so such a ditz)

[Joe NightingMale, MSN, RN]

Tweety the amaretto turned out pretty good.  I think the fault lies with your employer, if things weren't so chaotic it would be easier to remember things

Stars I hope you're feeling better today

sirI had the same experience last week, shelves empty before the storm

Hi NJ22

Did laundry before church yesterday.  The solo went OK, the director joined me on the refrain.  Awkward to sing with masks on

J still wasn't feeling well so we decided against brunch

Went for a walk and then had a fairly long meeting with the the church capital campaign committee

Hoping this week at work will be less crazy, with new people to help take on the load.  Though I do have two trainings this week in preparation for next week's change to a new system

Will get up to 30 today, no snow expected until Friday

 

 

[nursej22, MSN, RN]

Good morning.

I like Amaretto; that's almond flavor, right? But I don't drink much liqueur. I also like pastry with almond filling. I am not too keen on marzipan, though. 

Tweety, I agree, chasing a BP around when you have a 6 patient load is frustrating. That's a good idea to use your phone for a reminder.  I hope your administration catches on that your high patient load is responsible for the issues with narcotics. Getting your back yard fixed up should add to the value. 

Joe, good to read that the solo went well. Some day, I hope we will be free from these masks. Maybe a solo outside when the weather is nice? I hope your new people on board smoothly. 

For anyone following the Olympics, do you have any favorite events you like to watch? I enjoy the moguls, the trick skiing and snowboarding, sledding, and speed skating. Oh, and figure skating. But I miss Scott Hamilton and Dick Button doing the commentary. 

Today looks to be a nice day, although I am stuck in my windowless office. I will take a walk at noon, down to the mouth of creek and check out the water fowl. And I need to do a home visit at the end of the day, so I will get a drive through the country side. 

Have a great day, all. 

 

 

[amoLucia]

j22 - I watch the Olympics, but I have no clue re 'curling'. Nobody I talk to does either.

[No Stars In My Eyes]

It's a gray, cold afternoon, drizzling right now; apparently it rained all night, but I missed it. 

Tweety, I think maybe that the word "ditz" would hardly apply to you! But I know what you are saying about chaos and narcotics, because it happened to me. It still burns my butt that it was 1/2 cc of water-based topical Ativan they decided was a narc, and the loss of same was worth turning me in to the Board for. Psshhtt. I know I've told this before, but when I started my first job in nursing, it was at Mass General in Boston, where they had a completely open med cart, and ALL the meds were on the top 'stairs' of the cart. The only things that were counted were preloaded injectable narcotics. Like missing 1/2 cc of Ativan was a big criminal offense. They never offered to test or screen me, either. Stoopit!

Joe, "Oh solo mio"! Glad it went well, but I agree the masks would make singing difficult. // Uh-oh, did you say the dreaded words "change to a new system"? YIKES! When I worked for that agency forever, several "new systems" came and went, and it was horrific each time. Especially since one time they decided to change systems again, which dumbly enough they started up before it was completely installed and everyone was oriented to it. The techs were at the office for several long weeks of frustration on everyone's part, before most folks "got it" well enough. Lots of my co-workers kept getting their paperwork back to complete it correctly. None of mine, though. I was so thorough, I was a 'golden girl' for a while. I think it was the only time in my career I was deemed "employee of the month". Big whoop, because it was always usually an RN that got that pat on the head, and I was an LPN. 

j22, I like almonds, but Ameretto and marzipan are too sweet for me. // My favorite Olympic events are figure skating and ice-dancing. Also, I like the x-games- type events where the athletes are throwing themselves up in the air on skis and snowboards, then summersaulting, twisting and turning and landing...WHOO! Some of them make it look so easy! There are other things I'll watch, but not that dumb dumb-bell dealy where one of the crew shaves and smooths the ice in front of that whatever it's called, like maniacs...to me that is like watching a poker game on TV, not much to it. You have to be an Olympian 'athlete' to do that? 

Hubby and I just delivered Nannie's Ford Taurus to the repair shop. The 'check-engine light" wouldn't stay off, and it didn't like to idle on it's own. We had to leave one person in the car to 'feather' the gas peddle to keep it running.

Hubby wants to go up to the mountains and visit w/ his dgt and grand-girls, but can't leave Nannie and me here w/no transportation. The oldest grand-girl is getting married in March. This will probably sound, I dunno, snotty or prejudiced, but both grand-dgt's were in advanced classes and got all A's all the time. But the oldest girl isn't going on with her edumication (at least not that I have heard) and I hate that with her brains, she is going to settle for being a waitress (no offense to waitresses or waiters) and then pushing out babies. I may be wrong; in fact I hope I AM wrong. I was always disappointed that my step-dgt had no desire to see or experience how the rest of the world lives. She has stayed within a five-mile radius of where she was born, and that is her world. Kinda sad to me. But I guess not everyone's like I was when I was younger -- moving to different states and trying different jobs. I took two hiatuses from nursing, which opened up my world more. I was the kind that got to the edge of the cliff, pinched my nose shut, and took a big leap of faith into the next life event. But I wasn't brave enough to stay home and have babies, and I don't mean that sarcastically, either. I had/have what the Finns call "SISU", which is the determination and inner strength you pull on when you think you're about to give out. But I think it might take more than sisu to raise a child. I'd  have been put in an asylum if I had to do that for 18 years. I have the patience to deal with cranky old folks, but not to deal with kids for  long days on end. Good thing it takes all kinds to make the world go around!

 

[No Stars In My Eyes]

Ah, thanx to amoLu for posting the word for that 'event' called CURLING. What is it that 'curls'? It CURDLES me!

And where does the Submit Reply button go if you try to edit the post you just posted? 

[nursej22, MSN, RN]

My dh and sons love to watch curling. My dad used to like watching too. The lead or skip  slides a granite rock or at the target on the other end of the ice, Their team mate uses a broom to sweep away any excess water in front of the stone in order to speed it up and or aim it to land in the target or knock the other team's rock out. Way back when, they actually used brooms with with bristles to sweep. It is quite strategic. I agree, it's sort of like watching golf on TV, or paint dry. 

[dianah, ASN]

Love the Olympics (did you see the 41yo Frenchman win silver in the men's Downhill???  https://www.wsj.com/articles/olympic-skiing-history-mens-downhill-johan-clarey-11644223147  ) !  I enjoy it all!    Oh, and the Swedish speed skater who came from 3 seconds behind in the last three laps of the 5000meter, to win!  https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/sports/beijing-Winter-olympics/the-torch/swedish-speed-skater-nils-van-der-poel-wins-gold-sets-olympic-record-after-late-push/3537213/  So exciting!

Joe, have you looked into getting a singer's mask?  It doesn't muffle the sound.  Congrats on the solo!  (what did you sing?)

Tweety, hope today was OK.  Many factors contribute to the making of a mistake.  I am wondering if it is a system issue.  Or you are just plain distracted, because of the staffing situation.   You are NOT a ditz!  We ALL make mistakes!

Busy at work, kinda went between CM and Stress Lab.  I will be in the office tomorrow, as office partner is off to study for her NP boards. 

OK, time to eat!  Have a good evening!

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Thanks for the support.  The problem started when "Percocet 10/325" was ordered and we don't carry it.  The system is supposed to automatically  let you take out two oxycodone 5mg tabs and one 325 Tylenol to create the Percocet and it didn't.  So I turned around to check the order to make sure it was 10/325 and it was, and when I turned around I clicked on the wrong patient (just above the one I wanted) and did an over ride to get the oxycodone out and went to give it to the correct patient.  Later the pharmacist corrected it so the next person wouldn't have that issue.    I really have to make a better effort to concentrate but I have so much on my mind and was irritated that two of my coworker's patients called for pain medicine right as she went to lunch.  I always make sure my patients are medicated before asking someone to cover my lunch.

Oh well, I didn't get any calls from the manager today so I guess I covered my butt okay.  We'll see if I get a call tomorrow.

When I went to Peru there were two sisters from Wisconsin vacationing together.  We became friendly and I asked "what are you husbands doing while you're away".  Oh they are enjoying their curling league.  I was probably 55 at the time and had never heard of it.  Guess it's a Winter sport way up north.

Dianah, I enjoyed the video of the skater making history but I miss having a crowd go wild.  Seemed odd to have no one cheering.