I was charge nurse on the geriatric psych unit last Friday. I had a bad attitude, but it was a busy shift with good coworkers, so all in all, it went well. I successfully dealt with a brittle diabetic, a couple of behaviors, and was graciously complimented by two patients.
Saturday night, my work wife Eleanor acted as charge nurse. There were four other positions on the 11p-7a portion of the shift: working the floor, two 1:1's, and the stupid sentry position of a staff member who acts as a door to the community room so patients won't go in there and hang themselves with a chair. The four positions rotate every two hours.
I worked the floor the first two hours of the rotation, which I truly enjoy because there's always something to do: 15 minute rounds, behaviors, meds, direct patient care, documentation, laundry, etc. The next few hours of the shift are typically slow unless there are behaviors or admissions.
Saturday night there was an admission who was also a behavior problem. The patient was on the floor at the end of my rotation and I dealt with her behaviors basically through direction, limit-setting, behavior mod techniques, and meds. I think I did a pretty darn good job of keeping things in order.
The next part of the two hour rotation had me acting as the "stupid sentry position". I sat at the end of the long partially lighted hallway with the darkened community room at my back. I got to watch Mickey Weird, ex nurse extern, try to deal with the lithe, loud, psychotic new admission. With the dark community room behind me, and the partially lighted hallway, I felt like I was in a theater watching a stage show!
I drew this as I sat with a sleeping 1:1 patient on the next part of my rotation.
There's more to come in sharing my experience, but that's enough for the opening post.
