3rd night in the ER series(More interesting)

[guest042302019, BSN, RN]

2/27/2010

My third night in the ER. WOW!!! What a night I had. Where do I begin. First of all previous to tonight, I decided to research other people's volunteer experience, specifically volunteering in the ER. I read few forums and articles that related to what I was searching for. As I read, I noticed a reoccuring theme. Alot of people consitantly said don't be timid, don't be afraid to ask questions, and put yourself out there. One author specifically mentioned that he or she wished they had simply asked " Do you need any help?" Apparently, the author realized that by asking this simple question, he or she would learn alot more and inevitably, get alot more out of their volunteering experience. So, I decided to do just that. I made it my mission to ask as many nurses and ER employees if they needed any extra help. AND, it paid off ten-fold!!

I walked in to the ER, checked in to the head nurse and she said " Ahh, you've come back for more eh?" I said " Yep, Do you need any help with anything?"(My mission) She begin to think of anything I could do for her, but got distracted with her work, which I completely understand. So I decided to take it upon myself to find something to do. So, I looked at the board and saw no lines through names, which means a patient has just left and the room needs to be cleaned. No names had lines through them. However, I went to all the rooms and checked the cubbards to see if any were low on various supplies, such as sheets, pillow cases, patient garments, and proceeded to fill as needed. I also remembered from last week that I wanted to learn about other cubbards and where each item was and how to stock the items. I asked a nurse to show me the "ropes" and what goes where. She took me to the stock room and showed me where the basic stuff was, such as 4X4 gauze pads, NaCl solutions, bed pans, etc. So as I stocked the linens, I also stocked the other basic essentials that a typical room needs to have.

Also, I was in the immediate vicenity of 2 nurses talking and they waved to me to come over and talk to them. Apparently, a gentleman had fallen asleep drunk outside, which I dont know how someone could do that. Let's face it, it's the midwest-It's cold in Feb. The nurse said, "Hey, why don't you go check that out!" I was like huh? "Ok, I'll just go up to him and ask, can I look at your incredibly screwed at hands for educational purposes?" The nurse said yeah, most people are fine with it, and if they don't want you to, just leave-no big deal. So I go up to the room entrance, and do just that. "Hi, im a medical student, do you mind if I take a look at your hands?" He waved me in. At first glance, this gentleman looked older like 30ish, but I later found out he was in his mid twenties. He must've been "around the block" a few times, he was definitely in a hard knock life, I could tell. I observed the gentleman had EXTREME frost bite, and his hands were bloody and swollen beyond belief. His fingers were so swollen, that one finger was practically doubled in size. He told me that they haven't given him pain meds. yet, but I tried to reassured him that they would be in momentarily, even though I had no idea if they were or weren't going to be. I introduced myself and his name was ryan. Considering the circumstance, he was very calm and nice. Although, how could he not be. He had screwed up hands and was at the complete mercy of the medical staff. If I was in his situation I would be to. I went to get him a glass of water, and held the glass while he drank, obviosly he couldnt without hurting his hands. I also changed the large cloth that the nurses laid over him to avoid him getting blood and puss on his clothing. From a quick look at wikipedia, because I am unfamiliar with degrees of frostbite, I could tell from my observation that he had atleast 2nd degree if not 3rd degree frostbite. He will need to go through several surgeries and painful rehab for the slight chance that he will have a semblance of a normal-pre-drunked night life back. What surprised me the most was that he was only outside for 45 minutes. His hands were so bad, I thought he would've been out there for hours on end. But, a lesson in life is learned (for him), don't get so damn drunk you pass out in the freezing cold. Who would've thought? What is really unfortunate is that he may not get his normal feeling back ever again. What a night-for him in this case!

After that, I continued to do my duties of cleaning the rooms and stocking the cabinets. After an hour or so, I sat down at the central table of nurses, where the infamous and undesirable charting takes place. At the corner of my eye, I saw a nurse come out of room 3, she looked like she needed help. I decided to gather the courage, AND ASK IF SHE NEEDED HELP. What happened? I got to HELP!!!!!!! I go in and I immediately notice that the patient is incredibly over weight, I put on gloves and stand by her side. I also soon realize that her husband is the guy I helped find his way to the ER as I was going down to start my shift. As I walked him down, he explained to me that his wife was sent here from the nursing home. I made conversation in relation to his hat that I noticed. He had a ship on it, which automatically says to me, he was a sailor or a marine. So I talked abit about my dad, his navy experience, etc. to make conversation while I walked him to the ER nursing triage.

I stand there and I marvel at the site of woman, a person, a human BEING, that is roughly 400-500 lbs. She was literally 4 feet wide, and in really bad shape (no pun intended, literally speaking). This woman had just about everything wrong with her, and them just alittle bit more. I stand there and I was instructed that she needed a new catheter inserted, because the one she had was a month old, and needed to be replaced. This woman was so large that she couldn't move her limbs by herself, so several people were required in order to move her limbs, and girth out of the way in order to insert the catheter. I must say, as we began to proceed with the catheter insertion, the smell was a mix of blood, mildew, and rot all in one. It was a smell that filled the air in the room, and even when I tried to breathe with my mouth, I could pratically taster her smell. But, I gathered my thoughts, and my small urge to vomit, and continued to assist the nurses. Even afterwards the nurses were taken a back by the smell, but it's job.

I must say that the husband is a true husband. A loving husband, he is the man that accepted his vows, through health and sickness. He was there for her. Bravo my friend. So many people could learn from this devotion. He was so composed, so ready to aid his ailed wife. I applaud you my friend for such devotion, most would gladly walk away from such a horrid and emotion provoking situation. Yet, he was there, holding and caressing her hand in love-his bed-ridden love. But, the charged nurse was unable to insert the catheter. So, the head nurse of operations was called in to assist. All together, there was the woman, 3 nurses, a med tech, myself and the husband in the room, luckily the room is fairly large, otherwise it would be pretty interesting fitting us all in. However, the head nurse of operations used her skill and experience, and little bit of "feeling around" and inserted the catheter with relative ease. How amazing her skills are and with relative ease as well as calm understanding of the situation. I talked with her afterwards and she seemed throughly compassionate towards the ailed woman. I asked her if the woman was physically disabled to become this large. She told me more than likely and it so sad, and surprising her "poor little heart" has to go through this. Also, as we were inserting the catheter, I noticed the women had boils on her inner thighs, darkened lower extremities, and dried skin, randomly positioned, up and down her lower body. I assumed that all these were symptoms of her physical self, but I asked the nurse to fully understand it. The boils was her body literally pushing fluids out her body. Like, help help, too much, too much weight. It was her body talking through the boils. The dry skin was due to lack of oxygen, and blood circulation. This was all explained to me by the head nurse of operations after we had left the room.

Also a couple hours later, myself, a paramedic( in clinicals) and the nurse transported her to x-ray for a thoracic scan. I'm not sure what the exact type of scan it was, but later, it soon presented quite a conundrum as far as how do properly do it. I guided the equipment carrier on wheels while the nurse, and paramedic navigated her to the x-ray room. There were around 7 or 8 people in there, including myself, contemplating exactly how they were going to take a scan and whether to move her to the proper table or simply, leave her in the bed. I have no authority nor say, so I just stood there and waited for instructions. Finally, the xray staff and the nurse decided to leave her in the bed and take the picture that way. Inevitably, the picture wasn't very clear, semi-fuzzy, which was probably due to her largeness. Truly sad, that anyone has to bear such weight and pain, but no one forced her to be this way, BUT everyone has their problems, and she is not different, and deserves the same amount of help and compassion as anyone else.

After the scan, we rolled her back to her room and sat back down at the infamous round-charting table. For the sake of simplicity, I'm going to refer this table as the charting table. This the table behind the counter that the doctors, paramedics, and nurses sit at to fill out paper work. Which is something that seemingly, no one likes to do.

On a side not, I wonder if i'll feel the same way I do now about nursing. The excitement I have is something I dont want to lose. This love I have for people is deep inside of me. I could become a biological scientist, but why? I'd sit in a room, look through a microscope and observe cells and tissues. That's all great and interesting, but I want to be there when a person rather a life needs me, because I believe I am the type of person that someone could need and want in their time of absolute uncertainty and pain. I can shed a light in their dark times.

Furthermore, I was asked to help walk a very old patient. She was probably around 70-80 years old. Myself and a nurse helped her walk about 20 feet from her room and turn around to back to her room. I imagine that the reason for the short walk was to stretch because she had been there a long time. When we got back we had the issue of putting her back into the bed. The problem was that she was a very small woman and when the bed was at the lowest positon her bottom was barely touching it. So, we had to put her back in the bed. Probably against all hospital rules and ethics, I picked her up and placed her back in the bed. When I did that I shocked myself and expected a through a** chewing, BUT, the a** chewing didn't come. But rather, the older woman, even in such a frail condition asked me "Was I heavy?" I smiled in a bit of shock and said, " No not at all, you are perfect!" She smiled. Her daughter( I assumed, or an older relative) asked me " do you think she is in condition to leave?" I told her I was a volunteer, and the nurse took over and told her that she probably isn't in a good enough condition to leave. Thanks for saving me, nurse( I can't remember your name for the life of me). I must say, I can't believe I picked up a patient. It's so unorthodox. So not "right." But, it worked and I think my gumption partially impressed the nurse, but I am happy that I didn't screw up and hurt her-hey, it could happen. Furthermore, a younger gentleman came in that was definitely drunk and likely high on something. Once again, I asked the nurse if I could help in any way. She asked me to go in his room and encourage to drink some water so they could get a urine sample. So, I go in and he is sleeping like a baby. It's like he has made the room his home, he seemed so cozy, so I decided to vigorously shake him to wake him from his slumber. I encourage him to drink some water, but I could only get a meager groan out of him. I continued to go back every couple minutes and finally, I said" Listen dude, we need some pee to make sure you are ok, PLUS this is an expensive hotel, and unless you want to spend even more money, Id suggest you give me some pee!" He smiled, and went back to sleep.

When it was about 1030, I decided to pack up and go home. I talked to the head nurse of operations before I left. She said that I've been doing a great job, and she was relieved that I was here when she came in. How could this be? A simple volunteer being wanted and appreciated in such a high asteem. Also, she said when summer comes around I could probably get a job down there and actually get paid for what I do. Although, I wonder if I want to. It's not so much proving that I am willing to work for nothing but I enjoy working for nothing, because I am gaining experience and understanding that wages can't compensate for. Well, I'll see when summer comes around, more than likely, I'll take a job down in the ER. An actual job would allow me to be more involved with the patients and learn more. I will see. I suppose.

Tears come to eyes thinking of the pain that this man goes through for his wife. Yet, he is strong for her. Strong for her because otherwise, i would guess, she has no one to be strong for her. You are amazing sir. I bow down to you in awe and utter respect for what you do. GOD, I LOOOOOOVE what I'm doing right now. I write my experience to ensure that I wont forget one bit of experience that I go through. I dont want to forget. I notice that the ER is so dynamic and every moment is different than the one before it. It is exciting, yet so sad, but the people in there move beyond that and stay objectively compassionate to help these people. Also, looking at these people really makes me appreciative of my life and my immediate family. Life is amazing yet can be take away so easy and quick that when a person close to us goes away we wonder if we said what we wanted to or should'nt have fought when we did. An experience such as mine really makes me wonder if I a m living my life to fullest and treating people the way they ought and must be treated. Because life really boils downs to how one afffects others, not money, not possesions, but rather NOT "oh he was so rich, im gonna miss him" but rather, "Oh he went out of his or her way for anyone, even if it hurt their circumstances, it didn't matter to them, people were their #1 priority"