ledzepfan

It's not welcome by me either. Do go away.......for good.

After 32 years in nursing, I think I've learned pretty well how to leave work at work, but I admit that now and again I have that patient that I can't get off my mind on my days off. You don't have to shut off your warm and compassion and I hope it never gets to the point where you do. You did the best you knew how for that patient in your care that day,remember that. It will get easier. Sometimes it helps to visualize just shaking off the day when you step outside your workplace.

I hope all goes well for you.

I understand your viewpoint, I really do. I'm not advocating that we burn down all these cancer centers and shoot everyone who is diagnosed with ca because they're going to die anyway. If my reply sounded too cut and dry I didn't mean it to. And other replies are right too.....patients should have the choice to use these centers if they want to. Sometimes a terminal diagnosis is just that.....a terminal diagnosis, whether it's made by one doctor or ten. I just wish sometimes we could extend more energy into pallative care. ( maybe the profit isn't there?)

On a recent thread about healthcare trends and the customer service mentality, someone wisely stated that patients claim to want to hear the truth from their doctors but they can't handle it when they do hear it. Unfortunetly these cancer centers play right into the thinking that a patient should never be told there is nothing else that can be done for them, even if that is the truth. I know of two families who went to these cancer centers in desperation and they couldn't do anything else for them either.

Oh sooo soooory, just trying to help.

Good for you! I think it's great to see someone interested in ostomy care. Who provides the ostomy supplies at your hospital? We use Convatec and the rep. gave us a plastic stoma to use for practise with applying the wafer plus several pouches. The United Ostomy Associations of America has a wonderful website of information, plus tips and perspectives from ostomates themselves.

You're not an idiot. I let it happen also......once. Lesson learned and it never happened again.

I'll never forget a patient years ago that accused me of being flippant when I answered his call light. He said he was in a lot of pain ( this was way before pain scales were used ) and couldn't remember when he took his last pain pill. I said "okay, I'll check on that for you" I wasn't even smiling when I said it. Imagine if I came into his room with a huge megawatt smile. "Hello Sir. How are you Sir? What can I get you on this beautiful day in our wonderful hospital?' He'd probably clock me.

You are perfectly normal. I am probably the only nurse in my hospital that gets excited when they get a patient with a new ostomy.

I didn't witness this, but shortly before my grandfather died my mother said he raised both arms in the air as if reaching for someone. She was so shocked because he'd had a stroke and hadn't been able to use his arms for years.

I honestly enjoy working with new ostomy patients. It is so satisfying to see a patient that couldn't stand to look at the stoma right after surgery participate in their ostomy care with confidence at discharge. To me, an ostomy wafer/bag that keeps leaking and won't stay on is a trouble-shooting challenge that I don't mind at all. I think I missed my calling.....an ostomy nurse.:)

I had never heard of Genene Ann Jones, so I googled her name....... unbelievable........just unbelievable....I actually had a knot in my stomach when reading about her case.

I recently had to stop using prescription allergy meds due to side effects and starting using a Neti pot for nasal irrigation instead. Wow!.....works almost as well as the drugs...without the side effects.:yelclap:

I started working nights(7p-7a) 3 years ago after working the day shift got too stressful. It took me several weeks to acclimate to a night schedule but everyone is different of course. Working nights may be a good option in your situation if you can get enough sleep during the day. Good luck with your program and I hope you find a solution to get more sleep, I think I would be so crabby with 3-4 hours of sleep no one could stand to be around me.