IR5676

oh, Lord, the concept of pain management is becoming a big issue...I know when I am having pain, from spastic bowel or dental issues, the run of the mill Lortab or Vicodan doesn't work. That's just me.....a lot of people are the same way....what works for most doesn't work for them. For chronic pain issues, they don't become addicted once the magic bullet has been found. I can receive 100mg of Demeral and 75mg phenergan and walk and talk without difficulty, but it numbs the pain....but I don't want it afterward. Some of these people have legitimate pain and should be treated aggressively, and the nurses should talk to them, because the pain may be referred pain and not from what we think.

Sad to say, there is a lot of what we would call unprofessionalism out there. But, you have to remember, we're only human, and a lot of times the stress makes us forget things. It's not an excuse, but it is how things are. I was in the military for 12 years and could cuss with the best, but I always knew where to draw the line

What I thought would happen in school and what the real world is like is so many porificecs in distance is unimaginable! YOU CAN make a difference, don't let what you SEE in clinical influence you! WHAT you get in clinical is often Not what you experience in the REAL world. What you ARE experiencing is how things would run IF we had the staff, the resources, and the technology to do the things we Want to do! Talk to the nurses you work with. The biggest stigma we have is in communication...what We think is important, what the Dr. thinks is important, and often times, what the hospice thinks is important. This all becomes clearer as you go further in your studies, but now it's all rigamorale. The biggest hurdle you have to go over is how to get along with everyone. You can have your own opinions but you have to know how to put them aside to Give the most to your patient. NEVER be judgemental, you'll feel bad later. A you go along in your career, you'll learn coping measures and how to get by. WE DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING, WE TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE NEEDING CARE! W aren't doctors, we don't have the answers, and then again, what Dr. has ALL the answers?

Having recently entered the management area, being now the interim DON of a small, rural extended care facility, I've found that letting everyone be themselves while giving and setting limits works. We were all under a great deal of stress, rumors were flying, but I knew where I had to take action. First, morale needed to improve for both the residents and staff. I went on the floor and worked alongside my CNAs to ensure the job got done. This improved morale considerably, iIwasn't just a desk-jockey. Then I tried to influence others' moods by always having an up, nutty attitude when at work. But I'm always something of a nut, so that wasn't hard. And thirdly, I gave each individual the respect due them. That in itself made up for long hours and weeks, and enabled me to take over the job. You'll always have different personalities, people that seem to gripe all the time, and those that never say no to any request. I always try to remember these things during scheduling , because now everyone is trying to help 110% to get through our current crisis. Hope this helps in some way.