This week, I have learned... (8/8)

Nurses General Nursing

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This week, I have learned....

1. I have never in my adult life slept through an alarm clock. I only learned (realized?) that because last night was the first time ever that I DID sleep through and alarm clock.

2. I have learned the one thing that as a nurse, I hate to do most: convince patients with dementia to take their medications.

3. A bad day at work feels even worse when it's your first day back after vacation.

4. It still upsets me a bit deeply when Alzheimer's patients get shipped to us from a nursing home and they are absolutely terrified of us doing pretty much anything, regardless of how gentle we are. I know that a lot of dementia is irrational, but what if some kind of abuse really is happening regularly? It's sad. :(

5. My kid stole my telemetry/dysrhythmias book and notebook. He's been reading it at bedtime.

7. The coworker I dislike the most professionally (lazy, rude), turns out to be an amazing charge nurse. Pleasantly surprised!

8. I genuinely want to find a way to practice IV skills. I'm just so tired of being bad at them.

What have you learned this week?

I forgot one:

Scratching/rubbing my legs and feet after taking off my compression socks is amazing.

You've got that right!! :yes:

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(I have loved reading these each week!!)

What I learned this week:

-I learned what a Clagett window is. I never knew someone could walk around with a ginormous hole covered with a simple dressing and not have further wickedness happen

-People are level-crazy enablers

-My husband makes a terrible patient

-I worry way too much about ridiculous things. Example, I couldn't sleep one night this week because we had storms, and our daughter was spending the night at grandma and grandpa's...sleeping in the upstairs bedroom...and I worried that a tornado would take out their upstairs while she was sleeping (I know it's ridiculous, it's the OCD in me.)

-I walk at least 5 miles every day during my 12 hour shifts

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Specializes in Hospital medicine; NP precepting; staff education.
More to add:

Being an HIV patient as a middle-aged black man married to a white man in a traditionally conservative Christian area is pretty terrible. This guy has a steady reputation of being mean to staff to the point that multiple have left his room in tears. I had him for the first time ever my last shift, and he was as sweet as sweet can be. All I did was listen and be nice to him. I left him alone when he wanted to be left alone. I treated him with respect and dignity. I couldn't imagine walking a mile in his shoes. :(

I love you even more now. In my very young days, pre-nursing, I had an unfortunate patient in the ER. I was a phlebot then. She was so sad and quiet and pulled at my heart strings. HIV+. When I finished drawing her blood I took of my gloves, hugged her, and kissed her forehead. She cried. She said, "no one wants to touch me anymore, thank you." I did not fear the disease because it was intact skin to intact skin.

What I've learned this week:

#1 Field advisors can't see the humor in a teleconference when my preceptor tells her (jokingly) that I'm a horrible student nurse practitioner.

#2 That I forgot the name of a disorder that describes behavior inclusive of nervous picking of skin.

#3 That being done with clinicals for this quarter has made me have mixed emotions: happy it's over but sad because I was having fun!

#4 That I'm still looking for a preceptor for women's health because two more have turned me down this week and two still have to call me back. I've been trying since December 2014. :/

#5 That it is much harder to tone and lose weight now that I'm older, even than just a year ago. Dog-gone it!

#6 I'm a peer eater, apparently, but I have great motivating coworkers who know my struggle and are keeping me from being my own worst enemy (in more ways than one.)

#7 I knew this already, but it's always good to re-acknowledge it, my husband knows me better than I know myself and that I so love and appreciate how well he takes care of me.

#8 Bathing suit shopping is evil.

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Specializes in Public Health, TB.

i learned about Graston maneuvers--basically rubbing/scraping metal instruments over tight muscles for myofascial release.

Also learned that cupping will leave a hicky on your arm.

I am sore from that massage session, but by gum, my shoulder feels better.

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Ixchel,

There are those of use who try very, very hard to NOT send out our Dementia patients; because of everything you mentioned. It is heartbreaking to be suspected of abuse because your Dementia patient who fell and has a knot on their forehead is scared and frightened and away from the ones that they recognize and is really combative. It is also heartbreaking when you get the same patient back who, you now have to detox off all the ativan and haldol and seroquel and zyprexa that was used to control said combative behaviors; medications that they were never on in the first place.

What I have learned this week? It's hard when your nursing style is so different than my counterpart. It is difficult/embarrassing to hear "thank you, because "The Other Nurse" never does this".

I have also learned, that while difficult on the budget, going part-time in prep to finish pre-reqs for my bridge program was the best decision I have made.

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I've learned that behind innocuous doors on an average street there are people desperate for home care, way more than SN, PT, and OT can provide.

I've learned that the elderly are getting lost in the system.

I've learned we need way more SW and Pysch for said population.

I've learned I am starting to really like Home Health nursing. Then again, I'm a noob. Give me time.

I've learned the Mets will probably break my heart again. Screw you, hope!

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Specializes in Cardiac and OR.

1.That I love sitting with a patient, holding their hand as I explain pre-op prep, what will happen day of the surgery and then what happens afterward, answering questions they have regarding the procedure (those within my scope), and seeing apprehension fade a bit

2.That I am completely thrilled about transitioning to the OR

3.That I still get a little happier than I probably should when people appear shocked that I am 10-15 years older than they thought. Vanity? Psshht.

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I learned that if you say "Goodbye" to a Vocera, you will hear a voice from the grave.

I learned that the three way stopcock that you attach to a PEG tube is called a Lopez valve.

I learned that a timely hug and kiss can prevent a suicide. Pay attention to the people you love.

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I learned that:

I binge eat candy during finals week.

It's possible to be embarrassed to the point of tears, by someone else's actions.

An accelerated semester may sound good in May, but it's awful in August.

Our library is only open from 1-5 on Saturday and when they say they're closing they will lock you in if you lose track of time.

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Specializes in ICU.
More to add:

Being an HIV patient as a middle-aged black man married to a white man in a traditionally conservative Christian area is pretty terrible. This guy has a steady reputation of being mean to staff to the point that multiple have left his room in tears. I had him for the first time ever my last shift, and he was as sweet as sweet can be. All I did was listen and be nice to him. I left him alone when he wanted to be left alone. I treated him with respect and dignity. I couldn't imagine walking a mile in his shoes. :(

That's been my experience, too. They are usually the coolest people. I had this one middle-aged HIV+ guy who just broke my heart a couple of months ago. He had the absolute best stories. Hitchhiking to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, hitchhiking to all these different festivals/conventions, climbing out of a crazy truck driver's window to escape, stuff like that. A level of freedom that would absolutely make me lose my mind because I am a control freak and can't just go with the flow like that. He really had the time of his life and I can only hope I'll have half the fun he had.

Of course, his lifestyle did get him his disease, so there's something to be said for not using IV drugs, but it still sounded like he just had the best life. The saddest part was he cleaned up after learning about his HIV status - but his friends didn't. He doesn't have any left now, because they've all ODed/died of liver failure/drowned while intoxicated, etc. He'd finish telling me this great story with a smile on his face about one of his friends, turn thoughtful, and end it with something like, "But he ODed before I had a chance to see him again," or "She drowned in a boating accident the next year because she was drunk and fell out of the boat. I pulled her out of the water but it was too late." UGH.

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I've learned we have to keep bumping this one to the top, because the other members still think it's the Week of 8/1.

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I learned that I am apparently for hire.

If anyone goes to Vegas to get married and needs a witness, give me a call.

Surely I have no life so I can drop what I'm doing for 4 hours, right? 😬

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