Using my nursing skills on vacation.

[eriksoln]

Wow, my instructor was right. Nursing is not a job or career even............it is a lifestyle. I'm on vacation and I'm still nursing, or at least using nursing skills.

See, I've worked very hard to put myself in a position where I HAVE NOTHING TO DO ON VACATION. I wanted it that way BTW. Dinner with the folks, a little bit'o grocery shopping and........thats it.

People asked me before I left for vacation "What are you going to do? Any exciting plans? Are you going anywhere?".

My response" "Yeah, I'm going somewhere, I'm going to my couch with a good book."

But, despite my best efforts, I find myself flexing my nursing muscles and using critical thinking. For example:

I used my time management skills twice today.

1. I couldn't decide what to eat for dinner. It was either going to be chicken breast or pizza. I couldn't decide. So, I combined the two and got both done at the same time. Instead of cooking the chicken or pizza, I ordered out pizza WITH CHICKEN ON IT. See, got both done at one time.

2. I had to decide, watch a movie at home or watch baseball. Lots of movies I wanna see, have had a good movie from Netflix waiting for me for awhile now to view too. But, my fav. baseball team is playing tonight, and they are HEATING up (the BoSox). I couldn't decide. So, I got both done at the same time.

I watched a movie ABOUT baseball (Field of Dreams). See, now that's critical thinking.

3. I also couldn't decide weather I wanted Crown Royal with ginger-ale tonight or Dark Rum/Coke. Used the same critical thinking and figured.................eh.................do both. I aim to be VERY productive, so time management is a must.

So, after a few of #3's have been downed, I got to thinking..............I could use other nursing skills too. In fact, it's a time management thing too. See.........I'm tired of getting up and going to the BR. It's a waste of time. Think of all the vaca. time I waste doing that.

So, I put a foley in.

<_>

>_>

[donsterRN, ASN, BSN]

And, BTW, I am not crazy, I am drunk.

I would expect you to know the difference. See, you too must use your nursing skills in your outside the job life. Have you not learned how to assess the difference between intoxication and mental illness?

<_>

>_>

[Won't admit, even with a gun to his head, that he can't...............pretends it's common knowledge and continues to be critical]

I am ashamed of you. If I had you as a nurse, you would have me in the Psych. unit when all's I need is some rest and perhaps a detox night or two.

(head hung in shame...)

But fairly certain I'll get over it...

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

Wonder if posting on AN while drinking is a good idea?

Ah well, I have staff who track me like wolves seek the lone lamb. If I'm going to be in trouble, they'll be here shortly.

Anyone else ever post here while on vaca./drinking?

<_>

>_>

N/M. I don't want to know the truth.

[boojum]

No you don't. This stuff is for the birds, I'm considering taking mine out. It might be different if, like in the hospital, someone else were responsible for taking care of emptying it, but...........I'm the nurse AND the pt. here............have it in me but have to empty it and all.

YOu need some spare bags so you can fill up a few before you have to empty them. Perhaps a drain on the floor, nearby?

[casi, ASN, RN]

YOu need some spare bags so you can fill up a few before you have to empty them. Perhaps a drain on the floor, nearby?

Why not just a lot of extension tubing to the bathroom?

[nursel56]

You are so funny Erik. See I spelled your name right this time and I am horrified about all the times I didn't.

I found this: "my response? Yeah, I'm going to my couch with a good book" both funny and probably useful - maybe even as a signature line!

I get so tired of saying, "No I do NOT wish I was on a cruise to Cancun!! The blankety-blank fjords are doubtless lovely at this time of year - but

--let's just say that if I discovered my butt melded to the couch at the molecular level I might shrug a little and finish my chapter before calling the Fire Department.

I have a remote, lots of books, a nearby 711 and a 24 yr old son who is pretty good about taking on the role of a Sherpa (at least for a little while) I'm set!

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

There is no way I'd ever have a foley in, it's disrespectful to the patients who NEED them!

There Erik, you've been reprimanded, so you can relax. (I feel vaguely guilty for enjoying this thread even though I wrote the guilt trippy post.)

If I had a Foley I'd go on a beer-a-thon. I'd drink lots and lots before bed, and then sleep through the entire night. I'd go camping knowing my poor bum would never have to go outside and be tickled with pine needles and bugs. I'd read a trashy book before bed, but I'd fall asleep before going pee that one last time.

[nursel56]

wha--? Erik really did cath himself? My nursebrain just scootched right on past that in thinking "who the hell would do that?" But anyway, a bit more catheter weirdness I feel compelled to share.

It involves a true-life story about an ER visit for recurrent cystitis in a young, healthy man - reverse catheterization with an alcoholic beverage and the moniker of "wine steward" I'll let you take it from there . . .

It comes from the blog of an ER doc - we aren't allowed to post links to non-allnurses blogs, but I would be much obliged and relieved to hear this was a big pile of BS like the black-widow nest in bee-hive hair story.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

you could have one of those little plastic urinals people men use in bed, you know....would save wear and tear on the tubing!

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

wha--? Erik really did cath himself? My nursebrain just scootched right on past that in thinking "who the hell would do that?" But anyway, a bit more catheter weirdness I feel compelled to share.

It involves a true-life story about an ER visit for recurrent cystitis in a young, healthy man - reverse catheterization with an alcoholic beverage and the moniker of "wine steward" I'll let you take it from there . . .

It comes from the blog of an ER doc - we aren't allowed to post links to non-allnurses blogs, but I would be much obliged and relieved to hear this was a big pile of BS like the black-widow nest in bee-hive hair story.

Yes. Some people wake up from a night of drinking with strange people in bed with them.

Me, I wake up with self inflicted cath insertions.

My life sucks. May as well be eating worms.

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

See, when DH and I use our medical skills outside of work, it's him performing rogue surgery on the ganglion cyst I have on my wrist until I nearly vagal out and I tell him to put me in trendellenberg.

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

see, when dh and i use our medical skills outside of work, it's him performing rogue surgery on the ganglion cyst i have on my wrist until i nearly vagal out and i tell him to put me in trendellenberg.

don't you just hammer them real good with a book or something? does it hurt when its successful? i mean, not "does it hurt" at first, i mean, is it like...............it hurts for a long time after? i've almost done that to someone, but in the end i was like "eh, her threshold for pain is low, if it hurts she'll think i damaged her or something."

i should take a poll with the orig. posters of this thread, let them vote:

when am i going to take this foley out? today, tomorrow before going to dinner with the folks or right at the end of vacation?

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

don't you just hammer them real good with a book or something? does it hurt when its successful? i mean, not "does it hurt" at first, i mean, is it like...............it hurts for a long time after? i've almost done that to someone, but in the end i was like "eh, her threshold for pain is low, if it hurts she'll think i damaged her or something."

i should take a poll with the orig. posters of this thread, let them vote:

when am i going to take this foley out? today, tomorrow before going to dinner with the folks or right at the end of vacation?

nooo! you aren't supposed to crush them anymore. the current theory is that it's trauma to the joint that causes ganglion cysts and whacking your wrist with a big ol book just causes more trauma. you're supposed to aspirate the contents with a needle. well, your health care provider is supposed to in a proper environment.