12/5: What I've learned this week - No, I don't have "just a second" to help you

[ixchel]

If I make it out of this weekend without losing my mind completely, it will be an absolute miracle. The last few months seem to be trying their best to do me in completely. I could really use a vacation. Just me, the kids, and sunshine. I'd be a happy girl.

So, some lessons from this week:

Someone posted something on Craigslist that was offensive.

It's surprising how surprising hallucinations AREN'T to some people. (Although on the flip side, it's kind of amusing seeing people get confused when I describe my own olfactory hallucinations.)

We have a tech who is a nursing student. He just finished his first semester. Of all of our techs, he's the most bold (abrasively?) in his approach to patient care and has been the only I've worked with who has made decisions "above his pay grade". I hoped with all my heart that some nursing school would add caution to his approach and performance. I've learned tonight that it hasn't. I genuinely like this person, but am afraid for him (and, unfortunately, patients).

Fitbit needs a NOC mode. Or... Is there a way to change its time zone maybe?

It's weird showing up to work with 6k steps already in for the day.

I'm apparently allergic to something I've put on my face in the last 12-18 hours. Love going to work looking like I have two swollen, black eyes.

Insecurity can turn people into monsters. I already knew this. What I didn't know was how much better it feels to ignore it, rather than engage it. (This is not patient-related.)

We have a tech who would rather cause an injury to a patient (pretending she didn't hear what you said), than increase her workload (by taking a BP cuff off, walking around the bed, and reattaching it to the other arm).

If a coworker is charting in a darker, quieter space, YES, they are are hiding. Go away.

If a coworker calls you and says, "I'm in desperate need of uninterrupted time so I can chart. I'll be (insert place here). Please don't tell anyone where I am - I just want to make sure you know where I am if I'm needed", this does NOT EVEN A LITTLE BIT mean it would be a good time to go chart and chat WITH them.

"Really quickly": adj., meaning to occupy a very short span of time

Ex., "Because literally every single person and patient has needed me to help them with something 'really quickly', I have literally not even begun to do MY OWN JOB yet, and it's 0200 now." You keep using that phrase, and yet your definition of "really quickly" has become my definition of "I am now going to be here over an hour late while you and everyone else I helped get to leave on time." AND I CAN'T EVEN HIDE!

I am so overfilled with my quota of rude people that I just clocked out knowing I'll have some notes to finish when I go back. I may be royally p'ed off at my job right now, but I like being employed.

The charge nurse who told me I am inconsiderate of others' time (by taking too long to give report - apparently I'm not supposed to answer peoples' questions?) spends over an hour and a half receiving and giving report from the off-going and on-coming CNs. (Even when she and the other CN are both mid-way through a 3-day stretch together - so mostly updates only.)

Regarding report, when you interrupt report that you are receiving to ask questions, you're probably asking something they were going to tell you anyway. This will cause you to get an unorganized report. This will also cause report to take longer. Rather than interrupt, you could be a polite person and wait until the nurse is finished giving you reports. If you still have a question at that time, then by all means ask.

And...

Please...

For the love of God...

Don't do your assessments while you are receiving report! That is so rude that I have no words for it! The person giving you report has been there for over 12 hours and may have to be back in less than 12. This is not what bedside report is for!

What do I need to learn...?

When there is literally no one and nothing in the caregiver's "face to face world" to actually give that caregiver care, help and respite, how does the caregiver go about finding those things?

Sorry, guys. Majorly cranky OP this week!

Did you learn anything good?

[Lulu Belle, RN, EMT-B]

1. I learned that I'm going to be a tutor for gen bio next semester, and my school's version of a TA the following semester! I'm so proud of myself--I've always been very shy and underachieving. All of a sudden I'm in several of these "leadership roles," and it's awesome!

2. I learned that there are two types of people in this world: those who think this is a great idea, and those whose minds go straight to emptying a foley bag

3. I've never been one of those "this is my dreeeaaammmmm" people, but I just learned that when I was little, I used to wrap people in toilet paper and cover them in band aids to "fix boo boos." I've actually been considering running away from nursing at full speed, but that seemed kind of like a sign to stick with it.

[Farawyn]

Yea that's such a Foley.

[cracklingkraken, ASN, RN]

I've learned that some nurses don't have a problem or see the problem with changing someone else's charting multiple times.

I've learned that herpes is a terrible STI to get (not from my own experience, mind you).

I've learned that I will miss my Peds clinical group. They were a fun bunch, even though the clinical experience itself was fairly blah.

I've learned that being sick for more than a week sucks, especially when there were 2 nice days that were promising for a run.

[Farawyn]

I've learned that some nurses don't have a problem or see the problem with changing someone else's charting multiple times.

I've learned that herpes is a terrible STI to get (not from my own experience, mind you).

I've learned that I will miss my Peds clinical group. They were a fun bunch, even though the clinical experience itself was fairly blah.

I've learned that being sick for more than a week sucks, especially when there were 2 nice days that were promising for a run.

*flying tackle crackle hug*

So, whose got dem hoipies?

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

2. I learned that there are two types of people in this world: those who think this is a great idea, and those whose minds go straight to emptying a foley bag

Totally foley bag. But at least it's not a fluid resembling urine!

I've learned that my job interferes with my family life at times during the week. Between being on call and not able to leave the area or just being so wiped out the day after being on call and working most of it in addition to my scheduled shift is utterly exhausting. At least I got to make up for it some this weekend, even if I didn't make it to the hometown Christmas tree lighting.

[cracklingkraken, ASN, RN]

*flying tackle crackle hug*

So, whose got dem hoipies?

A patient on the floor. And secondary encephalitis. Yikes.

[kalycat, BSN, RN]

A patient on the floor. And secondary encephalitis. Yikes.

Ick. Herpes with related complications on my unit too this week. I guess I never fully appreciated the fact that, if immune compromised, those little viral buggers can spread... Everywhere.

Also had a rash (ha) of confused, agitated, and angry people, several wildly unexpected codes, bed alarms in multiple rooms, at least 3 falls by said combative/confused individuals, etc. My unit is not usually like this since we are very highly specialized. Right now the whole house is so packed that I swear the house supervisors are "inventing" cardiac issues for some

of these patients!! (Not really but you get it). We've been full up for days...and down 2 nurses on my shift due to injuries. \end rant :blush:

[Farawyn]

Ick. Herpes with related complications on my unit too this week. I guess I never fully appreciated the fact that, if immune compromised, those little viral buggers can spread... Everywhere.

Also had a rash (ha) of confused, agitated, and angry people, several wildly unexpected codes, bed alarms in multiple rooms, at least 3 falls by said combative/confused individuals, etc. My unit is not usually like this since we are very highly specialized. Right now the whole house is so packed that I swear the house supervisors are "inventing" cardiac issues for some

of these patients!! (Not really but you get it). We've been full up for days...and down 2 nurses on my shift due to injuries. \end rant :blush:

Even if NOT immune compromised. Good lord, when I worked in the clinic...I asked one patient, "How did the herpes get there?" (I wanted to call it shingles, but nope, it wasn't)

Her reply?

"Turkey baster, Nurse."

My next question was "Why???" but I had a rare moment of stuffing it down.

[qaqueen]

Got this lesson several months ago. Made a change to a new facility, learned (re-learned), be careful what you wish for. Sometimes new management is just as bad, if only in a different way.

[qaqueen]

This week I learned management can make or break the unit. Some management goes off the rails as they try to fix what they broke: first dropping it on the floor and watching it shatter when it was only previously cracked. . . and then hammering and smashing it to bits, and then beating it with a rolling pin until it's powder. Seriously and sadly, management can suck the life out of a place that was lively, fun, and a good place to be just six months ago.

Got this lesson several months ago. Made a change to a new facility, learned (re-learned), be careful what you wish for. Sometimes new management is just as bad, if only in a different way.

[qaqueen]

And now I have learned that I am a dork, that doesn't know how to quote for a post:cheeky:

[canigraduate]

I've learned that getting report from the same ADD nurse (y'all, I thought I was bad, but DANG) over and over has made me change shifts.

She's so scattered that it takes 40 minutes to get report on 2-4 pts. She's answering the phone, giving meds she missed, calling report that should have been given an hour ago... you name it. And I still have to look up the patients because she doesn't tell me anything important, like THE ADMISSION HASN'T BEEN DONE, THE PATIENT NEEDS THE FLU SHOT, or THE 1500 ABX NEED TO BE HUNG.

Ugh.

Oh, and I learned my unit is changing ratios. Because we are handled the transition from 1:4 to 1:5 so well (NOT!) we are going to 1:6.

And yet, half the staff has left since I was hired and nobody knows why.

I work for (and with) morons.