I had my first my MET call. My legs, hands, and body was shaking I was terrified of what to do and how to handle it. Did I make the right decision calling the MET? Was the doctor going to think I was silly for calling a MET? All these questions racing through my mind as I sat bedside with my patient as they became more combative, confused, and somnolent. I always dreaded the day I would have a patient go south on an acute care floor. I feared I would freeze and my mind would become a blank space. The MET team arrived and began asking millions of questions, What happened, how was the patient before, what does the team want....etc.....Immediately my sympathetic nervous system kicked in to overdrive and I was thrust front and center as the advocate for my patient. There was no time to doubt my intuition, to second my choice, or to feel stupid about what I was saying. I had to exude confidence. What I learned from this MET call as 4 month new nurse: I am strong, I am educated, I am a patient advocate, and I can rise to the challenge. I knew my patient needed help beyond my control. I knew that I needed help beyond my expertise. I knew that I should not fear how the multidisciplinary team may react when a MET is called. I must stand to my own instincts and apply the years of nursing school knowledge when in doubt. Some may say the MET was not necessary, I say I know the patient best. They are my patient. I know them, I care for them, I give their meds, I check them hourly, I know their baseline. I am not to be doubted. Nor should you. First MET call down and I say it was a success. I made my patient's outcome my priority. I was their advocate when they could not be.
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Reminds me of the time working agency nurse at a new to me hospital. In report I was told my patient had a "sealed vein". Gee, I don't know what that is, never heard of this before and been an RN for 6 years, LPN for 2 years. Turns out a "sealed vein" was a hep-lock (heparin lock) now know was a saline lock. Have never heard of a sealed vein anywhere else.
OMG! Nurses in Colorado have a really weird/annoying thing where they call a saline lock a "Buffcap" - apparently a type of saline lock device was invented at University of Colorado, home of the Buffaloes. The nurses who have only gone to school and worked in Colorado apparently don't realize that this is NOT a universally known term. When I moved here from AZ, I remember taking report on my first shift and the blank stare I gave the off-going nurse when she told me "the IV has been buffcapped."
I swear every professional association these days has acronyms. I work In a rural hospital so I work In the OR, ER, OB, and do IP, and employee health. Each one has about 5 different professional organizations that are all acronyms. I have started a list just so I can keep track off who is who.
I am a little confused about the OP. Ok, you called your first MET, ok you patted yourself on the back ... what was the end result? Can't leave us hanging like that .... Being the MET person, I would be very happy if the floor nurse called me before the patient started "sleeping quietly" with the symptoms you describe. Sounds like a mix of hypoxia, and hypercapnia, so did he buy a tube or what?
OMG! Nurses in Colorado have a really weird/annoying thing where they call a saline lock a "Buffcap" - apparently a type of saline lock device was invented at University of Colorado, home of the Buffaloes. The nurses who have only gone to school and worked in Colorado apparently don't realize that this is NOT a universally known term. When I moved here from AZ, I remember taking report on my first shift and the blank stare I gave the off-going nurse when she told me "the IV has been buffcapped."
You just helped me understand why several folks in my AZ hospital call those "buffalo caps". This very thing came up just last week with one of our new travelers. Gracias.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Its the medical emergency rapid response team. We call it a MET. sorry!! HAHA
Oh, a MERRT call! I think it's safe to say you'll never regret an unnecessary call more than the one you wish you'd made. Got to admit I was thinking "met call?" "mets call?" Shouldn't the oncologist be handling that kind of news?
Sometimes I wonder why I post. The outcome was great, thanks to the MET team. I didn't intend for this to be a back and forth about acronyms, but thankful for a learning experience. The MET saved the situation. Always thankful
I am a little confused about the OP. Ok, you called your first MET, ok you patted yourself on the back ... what was the end result? Can't leave us hanging like that .... Being the MET person, I would be very happy if the floor nurse called me before the patient started "sleeping quietly" with the symptoms you describe. Sounds like a mix of hypoxia, and hypercapnia, so did he buy a tube or what?
Sometimes I wonder why I post. The outcome was great, thanks to the MET team. I didn't intend for this to be a back and forth about acronyms, but thankful for a learning experience. The MET saved the situation. Always thankful
OMG! Nurses in Colorado have a really weird/annoying thing where they call a saline lock a "Buffcap" - apparently a type of saline lock device was invented at University of Colorado, home of the Buffaloes. The nurses who have only gone to school and worked in Colorado apparently don't realize that this is NOT a universally known term. When I moved here from AZ, I remember taking report on my first shift and the blank stare I gave the off-going nurse when she told me "the IV has been buffcapped."
YES! I was clueless about this when I started my travel contract in Denver.
Mavrick, BSN, RN
1,578 Posts
Well, IGEKWATAAF!
IWJFS
RP!
(Well, I'm glad everyone knows what all these acronyms are for.)
(I was just feeling stupid)
(Really, people)