Last night I had an unnerving experience. I came in at 7pm and was coming out of charge report when one of my nurses i found crying at the nurses station. She stated she was having chest pain and it was the worst she ever had!!!. After giving her o2, aspirin (she refused the nitro) and taking her bp(290/144). called er ahead told them i was coming down with a nurse in severe distress! When i arrived the er nurse told me she needed to have her forms filled out and triaged, itold her in uncertain terms i triaged her and she needs attended now,!!!! Thank god one of the cardiologists that i know quite well was there with his sister(she was being admitted with a headache) He took over and found out within 5 minutes she was having a major infarct!!! She was started on nitro,mso4 and tpa he later came up to the floor and told me if the circumstances had been different, at home and we had not responded as fast as we did she would have had major heart damage and probally would have died.
Cardiac patients is my specialty, but when it was all over ri realized that i could have lost my friend, one of the kindest nurses i have ever known.
Lately work has been a bear and i wonder about the stress we are induring with all the changes going on in nursing today. My friend is only 47 years old, shes one of those nurses that take everything to heart(literally), i'm sure she won't be back on my floor(it's too stressful) Needed to share.
