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 got in report that someone's wound was looking good after my weekend off. i pulled the dressing off that i put on friday. i got in report that someone was "status quo"..they were actively dying. you report things, they try to find things that you're doing wrong....and it turns out, you're using your experience to keep it going, and told....stop it.
I learned why penicillin is effective. Apparently it attacks the bonding in the cell walls, indirectly causing said bacteria cell to lyse (burst open), and die.
I also learned that microvilli are effective little ways our body absorbs nutrients. I made the connection with bio 1 that states the greater the volume the smaller the surface to volume area is. So microvilli protrude into the lumen like peninsulas so they don't have to increase their volume to increase their surface area.
1. I learned that a very fit, otherwise healthy person can have a massive MI at
2. I learned that Stage IV CRF and cardiogenic shock do not mix well. At all.
3. I learned that I can be just as slammed with 2 uber-critical total care patients as I was working in Med-Surg taking care of 10 patients. I made my pedometer very happy!
4. I learned that I'm ready to leave the bedside already. Counting down the months.
5. May run over from the previous week, but I learned that some people have some wild expectations of ICU nurses, ranging from holding in farts all shift to dipping long, flowing hair into a warm C. Diff soak. Good times. And my nose hairs are now super sleek and glossy. Thanks for the tip, Far!
I witnessed elder abuse first hand where a so called "professional" (leaving out details due to the high possibility of being realized in my general area) smack the ever living crap out of one of my patients right in front of me and act like it was perfectly acceptable. I intervened, reported, followed all proper channels but I'm currently suspended pending investigation in case My best just wasn't good enough at preventing further injury. So add that to the list- I learned this week why people are so afraid to report elder abuse out of fear of retaliation or being in trouble themselves.
And thank you so much :)
Oh my god!!!! How does your employer not recognize the absolutely devastating consequences to this action?! GET OUT! NOW!
terri visco
20 Posts
i watched illegal **** (sorry, cant call it anything else) over the last week. my bat is next to me.