A Rough Nursing Shift...

savannahpam · Nov 16, 2017

Boy was that me several weeks ago. Got a patient late 80's, full code, sepsis, EF 23, CHF IV, AKI, transferred from ICU at 0500 with admission diagnosis respiratory failure. It was Sunday. You get the picture. ResidentS were pouring in saline 100/hr x 2 days for sepsis. At 1000, R 43, BP 170's p 140's, gasping. Chest tube for pleural effusion leaking air, not draining on water seal. I called MET team and by 1100 they had poured in Lasix and fixed the chest tube and stopped the IV fluids and ordered transfer back to ICU.

Guess what? No bed available for any ICU!! I had 4 other pts, 2 with sepsis. Had to pour in tons of meds , ABT's etc . AT 1700 got a call that ICU bed was available as soon as another pt died. He died at 1800, but family demanded to see him in ICU ans they were 4 hrs away!! So I was stuck until end of my shift. Never knew I could move so fast! Charge no help as she was tied up with another critical pt. Came home and collapsed!!!

Accolay · Nov 22, 2017

I had one of these a few weeks back. 12 hour shift. One very sick patient who eventually died the next week. I didn't take a break, no pee, no food. Unsure if I drank any water. Yeah, probably my fault, but that's how it went down. One thing after another after another after another.

JCGerow · Feb 13, 2018

You got this, only 7 hours left to go.... Go get 'em tiger!!

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Sep 2, 2018

Makes me darn happy I'm on vacation right now.

Editorial Team / Admin · Sep 26, 2022

On 2/13/2012 at 11:40 AM, Joe V said:

I'm sure you can relate. We've all had rough shift.

How bad is burnout in your area?

Daisy4RN · Sep 27, 2022

I am not working anymore but have felt like this many times 30min into a shift!