What I learned this week (6/27)...

[ixchel]

1. Don't go to the hospital code blue during shift change.

2. Not all shaky benzo-wanting 36-year olds are actually benzo-abusers. (Still, pee in the damn cup.)

3. No all drunk chest pains are alcoholics. (Still, WAS scale.)

4. For now on, if a family member has my extension, I will turn it off and get a new one.

5. I have family members who think HIPAA doesn't count if they ask. (It's okay. I don't need a job.)

6. My coworkers value me!!! (Yearly review this week - not one person said a single negative thing!)

7. Apparently cocaine just isn't that interesting this week.

8. Hi, Davey Do!!!!

9. This place needs Esme.

10. If your vitamin D level is 13, you will be tired.

11. I'm still tired and my "what I learned" list sucks this week.

How about you?

[Littleguccipiggy]

This week I learned

- If your guardian angel pins breaks when you walk into a patient's room...its a bad sign.

- Having one patient with a psychiatric disorder on a med-surg floor is enough to make me run back to my crazy oncology floor

- Please stop picking at that abscess

- Please don't go outside to smoke

- Please leave your bandage alone

- Please don't make me change your bandage again

- Its ok to fire yourself from a patient

- Sometimes social work consults are your best friend

- Labs that are "dispatched" are not the same as "in lab", stupid ER didn't tell me the labs weren't drawn!

- I will still kick myself over the silliest things

- Sometimes patients say mean things when they're having visual hallucinations

- Sometimes a coban ant trap is all you need

[Mavrick, BSN, RN]

What is a coban ant trap?

[CelticGoddess, BSN, RN]

I learned, that no matter how many people you have cared for while they are dying, and no matter how strong you try to convince yourself your hat you are, sometimes, you really just need to cry and let it all go. And that no matter what you tell yourself, you do become "attached" to patients that you see frequently (I work Onc) and it's really hard to watch them get worse and eventually die.

I also learned that sometimes, a hug is all you need to make your day brighter.

And it's okay to be secretly glad that a patient ranked you higher than your backstabbing co-worker. (And gave you more points!)

ETA:

Some doctors are really wonderful. And will do all they can to help their patient, including cleaning up vomit and stool.

[ILoveHealthCare]

I learned that holding a residents hand while waiting for their family is the best feeling. The worst feeling is when they take their last breath holding your hand and the family walks in just after they passed.

[Littleguccipiggy]

What is a coban ant trap?

My patient had visual hallucinations and was seeing red and green ants crawling everywhere. Which lead her to get agitated when staff said they couldn't see them, "because its all a cover up!". Anywhoo, antivan, trazadone, sitter placement, and a roll of coban that was an "ant trap"; eventually the patient calmed down.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

My patient had visual hallucinations and was seeing red and green ants crawling everywhere. Which lead her to get agitated when staff said they couldn't see them, "because its all a cover up!". Anywhoo, antivan, trazadone, sitter placement, and a roll of coban that was an "ant trap"; eventually the patient calmed down.

Damn - I was hoping Coban trapped ants for real. Because whay I learned this week is that when it rains 4 inches in 24 hours, the ants come in to your house. All of the ants. Every room of your house.

I also learned that after at 6 weeks short of 40 years of marriage- it is OK to sleep in separate rooms from Mr. MaryJean in an effort to get some quality sleep due to his snoring. (No, he doesn't have OSA - the guy just snores.)

[ShortFuse_LPN, LPN]

This week I learned that you really should stay out of the sun when taking a round of Bactrim DS.

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

That the hillbenders put out a kickass bluegrass cover of tommy. Yep, hillbilly opry.

[NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN]

This week I learned that you really should stay out of the sun when taking a round of Bactrim DS.

I learned this the hard way on a trip to Disney earlier this year...didn't sleep a single minute in that $300 resort. Nothing would touch that rash...

[FurBabyMom, MSN, RN]

I learned how much cancer (and its treatments and side effects) suck. Between a cousin's experience and a coworker's child - enough reality in my face.

I learned (re-learned) that I have some of the bestest work friends and coworkers. :) We help eachother out no matter what.

I learned that according some of our night shifters - their shift ends before 0650 (despite remaining clocked in until 0730). Meaning they get really hostile and angry when you walk in to relieve in an already running emergency case "late" at 0658 (when you start at 0700).

It's a small world after all. Everyone knows everyone. Or their brother. Or their cousin. Or someone, something like that.

A day off spent doing nothing work related is something made in heaven.

I got to boss a much more experienced coworker around this week. Nicely - but it was an emergency situation and something I deal with frequently which they were new to.

This one is a little late - belongs in the 6/20 thread. Don't go into your manager's office with legitimate and logical complaints about a policy, protocol or situation. They're liable see your point of view, be convinced and task you with fixing it.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Older people know how to handle their drugs a lot better than the dumb young punk kids. Love the concert summer series

[Farawyn]

Older people know how to handle their drugs a lot better than the dumb young punk kids. Love the concert summer series

I learned this too, but through the other side. Dumb punk kids.