Three things...

Chart

Expectation that I know everything or "should have known better"

Poor communication from the high ups and co-workers along with favoritism

from management

I dislike- split second decisions that have to be made about patient care, and 2 days later my manager pulls out a policy last updated 10 years ago and claims I didn't follow the one item that had only slightly to do with the situation. (comabtive, seizing overdose pt put on multiple drips within minutes of arriving, crazy family, new critical patients brought in during all this needing assessment,) I didn't search the patient ansd purse thoroughly, make out a patient belongings sheets, listing everything in her purse, find the $400 she claimed to have, voucher it with a second nurse, walk it down to another unit, and lock it in the safe, while her family members stood there saying "sure, we'll take that home for her," and told me they needed the keys she had in her purse to get back in the house. Sure, I was going to fight with them about that. (Seriously folks, given we were 2 nurses for 8 patients plus triage -my 2 were decompensating ICU patients, and the other nurse and secretary were fighting it out among themselves- would anybody out there have searched her and made out a patient belongings sheet??)

OK, I forgot what I was going to say for the good part....

OK, I remember a man diagnosed with MRSA and his wife that required extensive teaching, and talking about having the grandchild over, and dressings, and handwashing, and public embarassment about having the diagnosis. I spent about 30 minutes teaching and clarifying, and I loved the great questions they had, how they worked out what they had heard vrs what I told them, and came up with a plan together so they COULD have their new grandbaby visit, and not feel like they were putting her in danger. I loved having the time to work all that out with them, and know my coworkers were backing me up by watching my patients without me even telling them to, and that I knew also that they would call if they had a problem. Great teamwork there, and a great family to work with.

This thread has made me smile...

Three things to 86...

1) crazy unrealistic family members

2) poop

3) crazy unrealistic physicians

Three things I could do all day...

1) get that difficult feeding tube in

2) educate patients and families who are willing to learn

3) empower my fellow nurses

Things I could do without:

1/Looking for things that should be easy to find, not missing, broken or "hidden" because someone else wants the same wish.

2/ Cleaning the mortar and pestle before I use it because the last nurse(s) didn't.

3/ Non-compliant/combative Pt's.

I could do all day:

1/ Interact with my Pt's; communicating needs, education, changes in condition, .........

2/ Help someone who wants the help.

3/ Watching the click, click, clunk as the "Pt education" penny drops.

4/ Getting home to my kids excitedly running to the gate to greet me after a crappy shift.