nursejanefw

Modern RN, I feel your pain. That sounds exactly like the last hospital I worked! They should take more responsibility in the care of their patients, no doubt!

I would imagine that the "sluice room" must resemble the "hopper room" that some of us have experienced in long term care.

ok. ok ....I got it! I have found the solution...I think that these poor ladies should have to wear a medical alert bracelet...yep, that says "Don't panic, it's only a uterus!". Or then, there is the evil prankster in me:saint:, that could only imagine how entertaining it would be to retain my own prolapsed uterus as an elderly woman, just to see what fun I could have! Oh shucks, that's right, I don't have one anymore . Well, you gotta have a little fun in healthcare, right???

Glad I could be of service!

It is only after ten years plus, that I am able to tell the tale, without dying of complete embarrassment. I was a brand new GVN, nineteen years old, and working in a nursing home. Of course, I was working night shift, and was the only nurse in the building. I was in charge of several CNA's with probably much more knowledge than I at the time. One aide called me to the room of a resident for some reason, which I do not recall now. I don't remember all of the circumstances, but I was helping her get the elderly lady off of the commode and back into the bed. We noticed something terribly wrong. There was something in between this woman's legs that was very abnormal! I know that everyone's anatomy is different, that they did teach us in nursing school. But what I saw scared me to death. She had a rather large pinkish-red "organ" that was coming out of her! OMG! This lady's organs are falling out!!!! There was no profuse bleeding, no signs of physical or emotional distress (of course Mrs. So and so was only concerned with "going home" anyway). Not much bothered her.........well, with the exception of some idiotic staff. So, I did what I thought any "prudent" nurse would do, and save this woman's life. I couldn't simply wait until 7 am until the morning shift got there. And do you think that I dare call that "grouchy doctor" at three in the morning and have him hang up on me again?? Nope, I go straight for "the guns". It is vital that this woman get emergency treatment right away, so, yes, I called EMS. Go ahead.....laugh. I already know what you're thinking. I call them and tell them that this woman's organs are coming out of her. My God, what were they thinking? So, just as they should, they come to pick up the woman, and take her to the hospital for treatment. Thank goodness, I had caught this, just in time. I was so proud that I had intervened for the good of the patient, you know, what we all go into nursing for. The funniest thing is that I do not remember the response from the morning shift (that I should have waited for). And I never did hear (selective memory, I suppose) what was said by EMS or the ER staff that received the patient. But OMG, my ears should have been burnin'! NOBODY EVER TOLD ME that it was perfectly NORMAL for women to have their uteruses hanging out!!!!!!!! Oh, I think I could kill my nursing instructors right about now, LOL. Yep, I don't think they covered that one in lecture. Well, now I am totally mortified that I sent my little 90 year old woman to the ER for a prolapsed uterus! That poor little lady had a "ride" for nothin', and you know darn well that some med staff were laughin' their rears off. The funny thing is now I am a nursing instructor. The other day I had a student grab me by the arm and say "You better come look at this!" Guess what we found! No, I didn't call the ambulance.