(8/29) This week, I have learned......

Nurses General Nursing

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(Forgive the early submission this week. Got a busy day tomorrow and last week's thread has just changed its code status to DNR, with a discharge to hospice. Thankfully, most of the family agrees. Unfortunately, one person thinks I'm trying to get more inheritance than Farawyn, but thankfully that's what probate lawyers are for.)

This week, I have learned:

Creatinine can go from 9 to 1.9 in 12 hours. Then 0.65, 24 hours after that, with 13,000 mL out in two shifts.

If you're prepared to ask if your patient group can be split up tomorrow, be prepared to be made out to be an a-hole in front of the rest of the staff just for asking.

My legs are a-holes.

Furry woodland creatures are terrifying.

Metoprolol is a hell of a drug.

Cardiologists should consult nephrologists for beta blocker dosing once a creatinine hits, like, 2.

Some patients would rather walk across the room to pull the code blue button rather then push the nurse call button on their remote they've had glued to their hands for days.

It appears the end of August is "Celebrate Right Before Shift Change Disasters" season.

There are two miserable ladies who post in every thread. But now I'll never know who they are.

There is a person with an STD in their colostomy stoma.

An iPhone can delete all of your contacts in one area code and rename all of your contacts 'Steve'.

I am incredibly frustrated that hospitalists don't clarify code status at admission. Families are SHOCKED to consider that just because their kids know what they want, doesn't mean we'll know.

The State Highway Administration employs archaeologists.

My baby turns 8 tomorrow. I remember feeling impatience at the end of that pregnancy because I wanted to KNOW her. She was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen, and has grown more so with every passing year. As fulfilled as I am by being a nurse (I was one of those disgusting "called to it" nurses. Wear gloves when you read my posts, friends. That icky stuff might be contagious.), being Mommy is my one true superpower. :)

What have you learned this week?

A pirate-themed water park sounds awesome. All I get are dreams of my grandma chasing me with a knife and my brother getting possessed by demons. I think there is some serious need for therapy over here...

Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

That when another area of the department needs help, we are expected to drop everything and help them, even though once we cave in, they magically find the staff they needed. Yet, when we need help, it's never given even when we beg.

That Joint Commission must have some sort of quota of things to ding us on- the same things we didn't get dinged for the last time are now suddenly wrong. And it's truly stupid crap, and makes this much more truth than satire.

I work with an awesome bunch who are willing to make a heck of a lot of switches so that I can get to family events when they're announced long after the schedule comes out.

That I would do the same for that awesome bunch in a heartbeat.

That the awesome bunch can put away a heck of a lot of alcohol and still show up at work the next day.

That my bowling score actually improves when I'm drunk.

That I love designated drivers.

That for the next work event that I'm on call, I'm DD. Unless I get called in, then they have to call a cab.

Specializes in Hospital medicine; NP precepting; staff education.

I learned that I cannot eat nuggets too fast and I might need to start a PPI

Specializes in critical care.
A pirate-themed water park sounds awesome. All I get are dreams of my grandma chasing me with a knife and my brother getting possessed by demons. I think there is some serious need for therapy over here...

Let me save you the $250. Your grandma has changed lately. You feel outcast and demonized by your family. You and your brother have grown apart. I prescribe a nice Saturday night filled with friends, drinks (coffee or beers, your choice), and some light-hearted fun. :)

Specializes in critical care.

Rose_queen, that gomer blog article is hilarious!

Specializes in Hospice.

That my bowling score actually improves when I'm drunk.

Mine improved the more pregnant I was. Apparently my growing bump kept me from leaning too far forward.

Specializes in Oncology (OCN).

This week I have learned...

1. Your quadriceps muscle becomes very weak after three months in a Bledsoe hinged knee brace and weaning from that brace is not only a challenge, it's exhausting.

2. Climbing/descending stairs with crutches sucks. There are two flights--each with 17 steps--to my oldest son and daughter-in-law's apartment. Ugh!

3. Being a Nana is the best thing ever! I have two precious granddaughters. The first is 10 1/2 months old and the second was born today! (Yes, they are sisters! Irish twins!)

Oh, I also decided that I will be bidding goodbye to my Facebook app on Sunday when I start school.

But I can't bring myself to remove AN app, I mean obviously that would be a not smart move, removing a nursing app!

Which means that I might be on here MORE not less, but I will try to make it school related I promise!

I learned that they switched the preK teacher at my 4 year old's day care to someone she LOVES, which hopefully means no peeling off me crying, begging, and pleading when I drop her off (this has been a thing the last month or so).

Teething is not fun. Apparently I had it easy with #1, because my 21 month old is a clingy, drooling mess every since she had a fever last week. My normally independent toddler now freaks out when I leave the room when we are home if she is not distracted.

This week I have learned......

no matter how many times a nurse goes into the patient's room and identifies each medication being administered, and what it is for, some of them will still be overwhelmingly surprised when you tell them they have been taking a drug listed on their allergy list :woot:

ask a stupid question, get an offensive answer :yes:

that if you play be the rules you will be disqualified from a promotion because you are too rigid :yawn:

that management relies too heavily on other's opinions, rather than spending the time to get to know their own employees

Specializes in ICU.
That my bowling score actually improves when I'm drunk.

My bowling abilities on alcohol look a heck of a lot like Starling's curve. Adding more alcohol continues to improve performance up to a point, at which point further alcohol intake no longer improves my performance and will actually cause me to decompensate and throw nothing but gutter balls.

Specializes in Stepdown, PCCN.

I have learned that the new nurses on my unit find it intimidating when I ask questions in report. For example, "did you notify anyone that the 0030 K+ is 6.8?" (And they tell on me for bullying them. I am not a bully)

The same cohort of nurses finds it reasonable to administer diltiazem po and iv, amiodarone po and iv, dig po and iv, sotalol, and metoprolol at the same time.

I've learned how long it takes cath lab to set up for a temporary pacer.

The orals were written by medicine and the ivs by cardio.

Specializes in critical care.
I have learned that the new nurses on my unit find it intimidating when I ask questions in report. For example, "did you notify anyone that the 0030 K+ is 6.8?" (And they tell on me for bullying them. I am not a bully)

The same cohort of nurses finds it reasonable to administer diltiazem po and iv, amiodarone po and iv, dig po and iv, sotalol, and metoprolol at the same time.

I've learned how long it takes cath lab to set up for a temporary pacer.

The orals were written by medicine and the ivs by cardio.

Well that shift sucked. :( Patient okay, though?

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