From loony tunes, to total inadequacies, this week was ... unusual. Certainly plenty to learn. I actually had a much bigger list and realized I was a bit *too* specific with some details. Don't want to anger the HIPAA gods!
That aside, I got my fair share of unstable people and psych consult-worthy (and maybe law enforcement worthy) people. Good times....
Flipping back to days this coming week, and only this week. I hate days. Expect Grumpy ixchel for the next several days. You've been warned! [emoji5]ï¸
This past week, I have learned:
Biopsy was negative! And I'm surprised, because two different providers told me to expect something abnormal. Trust me - it's a happy surprise!
Esme is back!
Being on dayshift this week makes me want to cry. Also, there is no night shift jetlag/hangover when you stay up all night every night. Apparently I do better without all the sunshine.
Using a little creativity to bring a patient a small bit of joy after a week in the hospital from sepsis can really fill the heart. All it took was brewing some fresh iced tea.
"Roadkill", in rural poor slang, means cigarettes in public ashtrays that have enough left you can pull them out and finish smoking the rest.
I have met the creepiest man on the planet. I swear to God he killed his mom the night before he was admitted, and I'm pretty sure every single morning he dosed himself with different meds to have different legit symptoms to keep him in the hospital. By the way, being hospitalized is probably a great alibi.
There is a certain look that a terminally ill total dependent care patient gets on their face when you can tell they're only full code because their family insists. I wish I never noticed that exists. When you get them care that clearly makes them uncomfortable they get that look and all I want to do is apologize and promise I'll never cause them pain or discomfort again.
Expecting short term rehab because your driveway is snowed in is totes legit, yo.
If you are wondering why a medication that you get has increased in price, perhaps it's because their promotional brochure has started to include videos that can be played in English and in Spanish and is in full-color stuck in the middle of an actual pamphlet. God bless the pharmaceutical industry. (As much as I hate to link Vanity Fair, some of this is alarming. Deadly Medicine | Vanity Fair)
Lantus still smells as bad as it did the last time I broke a bottle of it.
If you feel your heart heavy after a shift because a patient situation was handled so horribly wrong, your hospital's patient advocate will enjoy hearing from you. You will also be able to go home and sleep knowing its in the hands of the person who is paid to solely make things better for the patient. If, as an RN, I opt for a 9-5, that's a job I could absolutely love.
I have once again witnessed how hard a body will fight to live. I'm sad for the circumstances with everything that went wrong, but honestly remain enamored by how impressive bodies really are. Newbies, remember this - the body wants to live. Let that truth steady your hand.
I actually found myself incredibly angry at EMTALA. It had good intentions, but now it can justify the non-emergent people pulling vitally needed staff away from the critically ill, leading to malpractice and negligence from severe lack of resources to handle the sudden influx of overflow.
I learned that when it is snowy out, that if you call in and get really whiny with the DON coming up with how horrible it is out and that when you do this over and over, you still don't get fired. Oh, I have just as far to drive in just as bad weather and I can make it.
I learned that it is important to make sure equipment is checked regularly. We haven't had to use the suction machine in such a long time that when we got it out to see how it works in case we needed it, that it wasn't working.
I have learned that it is important for me to take a winter vacation. Got it scheduled for the first of March. I am ready to take a break from winter as well as demanding and rude residents.
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
1. I learned that waiting until the very last minute to write a five-page paper is a really bad idea. I should have started writing it a week ago, but at least I've completed 3.75 of the 5 required pages.
2. I've learned that I must become more disciplined due to my new work-from-home situation. I've been waking up later and later and not leaving the house to conduct my field assessments until late in the afternoon. Life is different now that I must control my own time.
3. I've learned that aging is not fun.
4. I've learned about the 5-day pouch test.
5. I've learned that few people reach self-actualization.
1) Elder abuse is a VERY real thing that actually does exist. Like people who really are that horrible do exist in life, and some don't even care if they smack the heck out of a patient right in front of you.
2) I have learned which ER doctors I will NEVER allow to touch me or my family members.
3) I'm going to be a mother again! This time to a little boy. (Lord help me!)
4) Crying in front of the male techs/nurses because you're hormonal will land you a butt ton of chocolate and whatever else you're craving. Haha
1. There is a YouTube channel called "My Drunk Kitchen" that has existed since 2011 and I just found out about it.
2. I am obsessed with this channel. I can't stop watching it.
3. There is a role playing game called Habitica that helps you set goals and earn coins to buy armor and go on quests. It has changed my life! My house is spotless and I have flossed more in the past week than I have in a year.
4. If I want to end a conversation I bring up Habitica. Nobody cares.
5. Ever since that guy went to Planned Parenthood and secretly video taped that woman, nobody will let me interview them for my community health field project.
6. Who can blame them?
7. I found creative solutions to this dilemma that will make me a darn good public health nurse.
Specializes in Pediatrics/Developmental Pediatrics/Research/psych.
I learned that I am considered an anomaly in that I volunteer over 400 hours per year. I was shocked to hear that most people don't know how to find volunteer opportunities in an area of interest.
I learned that my manager is leaving and many of my coworkers are threatening to leave as well if a certain applicant becomes the manager.
I learned that I can handle multiple shifts back to back as long as I eat and sleep.
I learned that sometimes I'd rather not take a break than ask a nurse with no psych experience to cover me.
Ixchel, I am glad to read that your biopsy turned out to be negative - I am sure you must be relieved!
I learned that my routine with exercise and "sort of diet" does not give me the results I need. Now I am moving towards a healthier diet and have been cutting out a lot of unhealthy crap this week and need to keep track of my calories more. Menopause weight problems are real...
I learned that a persimmon is a really cool fruit! I ate one for the first time in my life and it tastes so good!! Just sliced or in fruit salad.
I learned that if I do not take 2 classes in graduate studies next term it will take me forever to get done...
I learned that I am extremely lucky to work with such a great team - camaraderie is very important and a good laugh will get you through a lot ...
Specializes in Med Surg, ICU, Infection, Home Health, and LTC.
1) Elder abuse is a VERY real thing that actually does exist. Like people who really are that horrible do exist in life, and some don't even care if they smack the heck out of a patient right in front of you.
2) I have learned which ER doctors I will NEVER allow to touch me or my family members.
3) I'm going to be a mother again! This time to a little boy. (Lord help me!)
4) Crying in front of the male techs/nurses because you're hormonal will land you a butt ton of chocolate and whatever else you're craving. Haha
I learned about elder neglect and that if you let someone lay in saturated urine long enough they can develop second degree chemical burns before bedsores.
And congrats on the new baby....if I understood #3 right.
1. The perspective of some of my coworkers is enlightening. I love them. I really do.
2. I probably won't change my boss' opinion of me. It doesn't appear that her opinion of me is so positive. Oh well. Can't please everyone. As long as I'm doing the best I can for my patients and coworkers it doesn't matter really what someone thinks of me on a personal level. That's not for me to own. I am working on the interpersonal things too...because there may be some level of truth to that and there is always room for improvement and self-growth. But other than trying the best I can? I can't do anything to change others' opinions. Realizing this has helped me a great deal.
3. I successfully spent part of one day this week putting out fires. I charmed and disarmed several of the surgeons we work with (not that their frustration wasn't warranted, it just wasn't going to help anything) and I found instruments that nobody knew where they were hiding. I helped set a coworker up for success on a procedure they'd never done before.
4. I told my boss about having had to re-direct or better, charm and disarm, one of our surgeons (and what I did/how I handled it). This attending has the ability to really frustrate me, but I remained cool as a cucumber, and managed to calm them down too. My boss complimented me on how I handled this situation.
5. People are far more perceptive and read much more into things than you would imagine. This would be why I had one of the conversations I had this week with one of our surgeons. I just have to wonder how I became someone this attending would have a conversation like that with.
6. I'm anxiously awaiting the decision about my grad school application. I mean, I want to know, but I also don't. If I haven't heard anything then I also don't have to face what I would feel if I'm not admitted. At least I tried? I feel like I'm awesome, but I also know this is meant to be competitive. I guess I'll just chill out and wait (hold on to hope as long as I can?).
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Libby1987
3,726 Posts
So glad to hear your biopsy came back negative!