CoolHandLu

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He went from our unit to the ICU, so I'm not exactly sure right now. He wound up having massive pulmonary edema a couple of days ago though, so I would imagine it would be that. It's just really, really sad. The entire situation... I've only been a nurse for 5 months, and I just started in the burn unit the day he was there. I don't know if it's for me emotionally. Apparently I cry too easily when I see people in severe, deadly pain. I didn't cry infront of the family or infront of him or any other staff. Just when I was alone after. I don't think that's such a bad thing since I'm human and it's horrible watching that... The crying let's it out and stuff. But yeah, I just don't know about burn nursing for me. How do other people deal with kind of thing emotionally?

He died.

Septra for a UTI.

There's a middle-aged man who came in to our burn unit who has Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis due to a sulfa drug. He has skin sloughing that went from 60% of his body today to over 80% - just on my 12 hour shift. His eyes are sloughing and his GI tract (so far his mouth) is starting to blister. This is really quite upsetting to see and I keep getting welled up thinking about his face today... he is in so much pain and is so terrified... Has anyone seen a good outcome of this disease... good outcome as in someone who has lived?

stkates - He rang his bell and when I went to answer it, he passed me his number when he was deeking into the bathroom. I didn't chuck it out. Call me ignorant, but I don't see how he was vulnerable. I didn't feel like I was in a position of power over him. I guess this is a topic that does not have black or white answers. I will look in our policy and procedure manuals.

So this is an old thread, but I thought I'd go to allnurses.com for some insight and opinions on this topic. I've been caring for a guy who is 6 months older than I am who came into my unit with a broken jaw a couple of days ago. I had him on my shifts his entire stay. Anyways, he's mentally competent and is quite a good looking young fella despite his puffy, wired jaw. We had a good, therapeautic, professional relationship during my shifts with some witty banter thrown in for good measure. On my last shift (which ended this morning), he said he wanted to cook me dinner when he's able to open his mouth and that he wanted to give me his number. I said I couldn't accept either because it'd be unprofessional. He said he was going to make me take his number, which I did wind up with at the end of my shift. He has been discharged from my unit now. So this all got me thinking, am I cruel, unethical nurse if I did wind up taking this guy up on the offer or by calling him? Who is it hurting? What is unprofessional about it? If I did either, I don't really see me taking advantage of someone who is vulnerable physically or emotionally. He's not mentally ill or addicted to anything and the only thing remotely physically awkward I saw was his right butt cheek when I gave him an IM for pain control. I never really thought I'd be entertaining going on a date with an ex-patient. Never really thought it'd come up...

If you want it, do it. I have a bunch of large tattoos. Occasionally patients will see them and it tends to spark positive discussion. The only place I've had issues with having tattoos was in nursing school with dinosaur-aged instructors and fellow nursing students who were super uptight. You're you first and your job is a nurse. Do the things you want within reason, and try not to live by what you think others want from you. Tattooed or not, I'm a good nurse.

Hey, After my night shifts, I have a tough time sleeping. No problem getting to sleep, but I usually sleep like 5 hours and am SOL after that. I think my body's like, "Hey get your butt out of bed, it's daytime even if it is dark in your room." I wear earplugs, too, but it's not cutting it, leaving my zombied thereafter and afternoon naps escape me as well. I have taken the occasional half dose to full dose of Immovane (which I believe is Ambien in the USA), but would rather not because I don't want to become dependant on it. Can anyone give me some tips on sleep? Is there anything non-addictive I can occasionally take? Thanks.