4/16 What I learned this week: POD2 and I want my button back

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Specializes in critical care.

Hello, my lovelies...

I will avoid rambly as I am in pain and rambly left ages ago. I've popped a fever today, and let me tell you.... I really don't know if I have ever felt so bad. Im in a clear patch at the moment, able to think clearly and communicate.

I made a pre-op and post op list through this week. So this week, I have learned...

Being that it isn't remotely close to summertime, I am feeling a large degree of resistance to all of the grooming I have to do in the name of pride and humility peri-op.

I'm going to have a piece of a dead guy in me.

Why is the end of a straight cath ribbed? It certainly is NOT for her pleasure!

I wish I started looking for "mommy is with you" trinkets for the kids sooner. The idea only struck me this past weekend. I found cute things they'll like. I just know I could have done better.

No NSAIDs for seven days does become horrible.

I've withheld every impulse in me to make a request list for post op orders. There are just SO.MANY.THINGS. Like, please do motrin instead of tylenol.

I'd like to apologize in advance to all my nurses just in case I'm "that nurse patient". I promise I don't mean to be. This has been a long, horrible journey and reaching where I am now is scary.

(I have trust issues.)

There aren't any tiny womens cut fun hospital gowns that I can find in my quick 7-minute search.

I hope my hardware in entirely titanium.

Being pediatrically sized is complicated.

Post op:

I am very thankful for the functional differences between morphine and dilaudid.

I might actually be taller now.

No, really! I think I am!

Falling asleep with a phone in your hand will result in one of two things happening: 1. getting smacked the face by a phone, or 2. getting the **** scared right out of you when you get a text.

It's still annoying as a patient when a patient has their 49 closest friends and family packed into their room and the hallway.

It's still annoying when patient family members stare in a room. MY ROOM.

It really sucks when the floor starts sundowning early and your PCA is empty and your stomach is jacked up and you have an idiot CNA who freaks out because your 12 respirations are LOW!OMG! "Can you silence your PCA's alarm?" for the 18th time is making me very cranky.

Flipping lights on and shouting as loud as you deem necessary does not actually mean the sleeping person in front of you heard a single word you said.

Alaris PC Guardrails is a really crappy PCA.

It's 5:30 in the morning. Do you know where your sundowner went?

You guys learn anything good?

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

I didn't learn anything good this week but *hugs* to you ixchel.

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I learned I have an amazing friend named ixchel. Oh, wait, I knew that.

Keep being strong.

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Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

Hugs... just go on... one day, one hour in the life. It is not an end... it is something new to begin!

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

I've learned when the boss is away, the troublemakers come out of nowhere. They will rile up the entire shift's staff. And I want to smack some sense into them.

I've learned that my "boss" at my second (non-nursing) job thinks I have potential. Whew, that's a relief. I was worried.

Sending ixchel positive vibes for a quick recovery.

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*hugs* ixchel, I hope you have a speedy recovery

Things I learned:

1. I need to have more confidence in myself. I had a pt who was acting strange, and the nurse seemed unconcerned. After taking VS, the pt's Biox had dropped from 98% and hour before to

2. My mom's Pap test came back positive. Prayers that it's not cancer.

3. The pattern of bruising can indicate whether it was accidental or intentional. As sickening as it is, child abuse can also be identified by looking at the pattern.

4. ET tubes are usually put in for facial burns. Laryngeal edema can be delayed and causes difficult intubation later if the pt needs a tube.

5. Watch for fluid shift and electrolyte imbalances in burns pts. Hyperkalemia and hyponatremia can occur due to the shift. IV fluids are pushed. Calorie intake is increased and oftem the pt needs an NG for the additional calories (if pt is able to eat).

6. Bioterrorism is a sobering thought. Especially since many of the agents are colorless and odorless.

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((((Crackle))))

Keep us posted on mom.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

*hugs Crackle*

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Specializes in LTC.

ixchel, I am sending quick recovery wishes your way.

I learned that a friend gave my name to the DON at the facility where she works and now that DON will not stop sending emails asking me to go and meet with her. It is a great facility, not for profit, has had amazing surveys last couple of years. The pay is also higher than what I am getting at my current facility. The cons - longer commute 30 minutes vs the 4 minutes I have now, PM shift (have I mentioned how much I hate the 2-10 shift?), and less flexibility with schedule which will mess with my schooling. In other words, I am not changing jobs but it is nice to be wanted.

I learned that as hard as these past 5 years of being a widow have been, I am blessed. My girls and I survived and are in fact thriving. We miss DH dearly but we are ok.

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Ixchel - I hope you will feel better soon and speedy recovery! Being a patient can be rough - I had major surgery last year (also trust issues) and though I was doing well the second day after surgery it was sort of rough being a patient.

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Specializes in Emergency Department, ICU.

Prayers and good thoughts and vibes for you, ixchel!

WILTW....

Cardizem isn't very effective for HTN.

It is a pain in the butt to pull a vial of zofran only to get to the room and realize that the physician ordered a zofran odt. Why am I giving this with IV morphine? lol

In our ER we give adults breathing treatments but have to call RT to give peds breathing treatments.

Forgetting to send a patient's urine slows everything down... a ton.

Nothing sucks like going to work and feeling like you're behind the ball all day because things were a total mess when you got there. Chasing my own tail all day stinks... but I love my job no matter how stink the day is :)

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Hugs and a speedy recovery ixchel!

* I have 22 more days until my final. I am so ready to be done with this semester yet there is so much to do!

*I did alot better on my last test than I thought I did. I think I may have gotten a 94/96.

* that would mean that I could potentially still get an A. But then I think about how that means I could only get 6/7 out of 100 questions on the final wrong and I stop caring. Lol

* I am loving this weather. I'm going to try this summer to take my she children out more this summer, Crayola Factory, Dorney Park(discounted from the hubby's job thank goodness), an aquarium, a farm, and a zoo all on my to do list. Along with the beach of course. And then as I write that out I immediately think I am being overly ambitious.

*I am so happy I started a local ICAN group (international cesarean awareness network). People are reaching out its awesome to connect with moms on that level, although nursing school makes me a neglectful chapter leader.

*I am overly ambitious to a fault. There is so so much I'd like to do and accomplish and dream of, but I have to slow things down and assess their viability, because it's too much for just my lonesome self.

*I'm slightly annoyed that the rest of my clinical group convinced the new clinical instructor to take a day off, on top of the last 2 days that we are allowed to take off as students (we are allowed to be absent for, 12 hrs total). Darnit clinical time is too short as it is! It's where everything comes together and makes sense and I don't ever feel like we get enough!

*but did I mention I'm ready for the semester to be over?

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