This week I have learned (6/20, a day late)

Nurses General Nursing

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I almost didn't start one of these this week because I did the "I am thankful for" list a few days ago, but I just love, love, love the way these conversations go! I'm keeping it rolling!

This week I have learned.....

1. A healthy young man who uses toilet time to escape the kids for 30-60 minutes a day can cause a bleeder that bleeds to the point of a 6.5 hgb and three blood transfusions during an inpatient stay.

2. I will always be so deeply touched and amazed at the endurance of humans who truly want to have it.

3. I married a person so colossally different from myself, which lately is starting to be more and more of a problem.

4. I'm really starting to lose patience and understanding for the young exaggerating patients. I had one this week in a room next to a 94 year old walkie talkie CVA that manages to have zero residuals and got frustrated because we wouldn't let her get up and move around as much as she wanted to at night. This other woman.... I can't tell if she's having some kind of somatoform disorder legitimately or if truly she was making it all up. What she said was going on, though, wasn't. She hit jackpot gold because her hospitalist was the one who does next to nothing anytime he can get away with it, so he'll turn what should be 2 night admissions into 6 nights just to pass the buck to the next guy. So lucky young lady got to soak up all the pampering at hotel d'ixchel with complete room service.

5. I want to precept. Like, I'm craving it. I know only a year in on this gig is too soon, but God I love working with the noobs. I had a brand new right off orientation nurse take report from me the other day and we shared a patient who straight up sounded terrifying. But really, he was just way more complex than we might see, even in a really sick patient. Heck, he might be the most complex I've had yet. But I loved helping her regain footing, walking her through how things aren't really as scary as they seemed, reassuring her that she will have the charge nurse keeping an eye out for her knowing she's going to be nervous anyway. *sigh* I think I've found my next adventure. Just not sure how I'll know I'm ready.

I don't have much this week. Been a bit boring! How about you? What have you learned?

Specializes in Renal, Diabetic.

1: There is a difference between 108 degrees and 112 degrees.

2: I can physically say the words, "it's only 110 degrees today!" and not be sarcastic.

3: Be eager to try to draw the patients that are hard sticks, and missing doesn't mean you'll be a terrible nurse. Practice, practice, practice!!

1: There is a difference between 108 degrees and 112 degrees.

2: I can physically say the words, "it's only 110 degrees today!" and not be sarcastic.

3: Be eager to try to draw the patients that are hard sticks, and missing doesn't mean you'll be a terrible nurse. Practice, practice, practice!!

Hey you must live by me!

My unit function in the stone ages....I have to do manual BP! I haven't done manual BP since 1st semester clinicals! I had to go find my BP cuff tonight and practice on my kid....Lawd help me not to look crazy tomorrow!

Despite having a few months in oncology, and not being a new nurse, this week I really, truly learned what cancer is.

Cancer is this horrifying, life changing, anxiety to-the-point-of-hysterical-sob-inducing word. It starts off bad, and gets worse. First we get you through the new diagnosis. Then, we give you treatment options. We are going to cut you, burn you with radiation and then poison you with chemo. We can't promise any of this will cure you. We can promise you will feel horrible. Awful. You will probably lose your job, which is the source of your insurance which is partly at least covering the unbelievable costs of these drugs in the first place. The physical, emotional, financial stress these patients are feeling is unreal.

In the ER the nature of our patient interaction is short. I never gave cancer much thought. We see oncology patients for sepsis, pain control, transfusions.....but always briefly. This new practice area has forced me to get to know these patients and their families who hold their hands through every treatment, every last drop of chemo....and my heart breaks. I feel some of the compassion that the ER has robbed me of returning.

Specializes in 15 years in ICU, 22 years in PACU.
2: I can physically say the words, "it's only 110 degrees today!" and not be sarcastic.

You gotta experience it to believe it. I lived in Tucson for awhile and found 110 degrees to be the cut off. Above that it really is HOT!

Specializes in 15 years in ICU, 22 years in PACU.

What I learned this week:

1) I can't work my newfound word, butthurt, into enough conversations.

2) Five full-sheet "going away" cakes is too much for a three-day work week.

3) It's OK to help out a fellow nurse because you feel sorry for her. That foot surgery patient just would not stop bleeding and a leaky Wound Vac is no fun. I messed around with that thing for two hours until I finally called the surgeon and he took the patient back to surgery to tie off some bleeders.

4) My wife wants to convert to Buddhism so I'm checking it out. I might, too.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

I learned that families know when the nurse has worked hard to facilitate an eagerly-awaited discharge, even when the nurse covers for the docs who delayed it for hours because they were punting doing the paperwork back and forth.

I learned that know-it-all nurses who think they are perfect will judge one insignificant part of your care of a patient--and claim the patient was offended by it--but you can pretty quickly shut them down with, "Look at the bracelet my patient made for me!"

I learned that I'm beginning to love my work again thanks to a minimum dose of Lexapro. (Better living through chemistry!)

what does 60 20 mean?

From what I gather about you on this site, any noob would be lucky to get you as a preceptor.

I took a vacation this week--and learned to apply sunscreen to your ears. Ouch.

Specializes in critical care.
What I learned this week:

4) My wife wants to convert to Buddhism so I'm checking it out. I might, too.

Even if you don't "convert", applying many of its principles to your every day life will dramatically improve your mood, happiness and satisfaction with your life.

Specializes in critical care.
From what I gather about you on this site, any noob would be lucky to get you as a preceptor.

I took a vacation this week--and learned to apply sunscreen to your ears. Ouch.

Awwwww thank you!! I talked to my unit manager about this this yesterday, and the recommendation was to get into a workshop the education department is doing in the fall. I think I'm going to do it!

Specializes in critical care.
what does 60 20 mean?

Can you put it in a sentence? (Or quote where you saw it?)

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