Why is it that

almost every time I do OT a resident decides to get sick? Yesterday I did a double and sure enough, after working afternoons then my regular night shift at o430 when I'm really starting to feel the most tired a resident called on his call bell and said, "I can't breathe!" I said to myself, "Oh God, here we go....again." The adrenaline rush kicks in. O2 sats @ 64 run for the O2, give him a nebulizer tx, call the doc. Sat up at 91%, but still very dyspneic. Doc sends him out 911. Pheeeeew! Well, it woke me up that's for sure! It's almost like they know I'm really, really tired and do this just to wake me up.

I know the feeling! Stuff just always seems to happen at the most inopportune moment, but I guess that is just the nature of our jobs. Don't ya just love it? Sort of like when you think you are going to actually get out of the facility on time and at 6:58 a resident falls! Just makes me want to scream.

almost every time I do OT a resident decides to get sick? Yesterday I did a double and sure enough, after working afternoons then my regular night shift at o430 when I'm really starting to feel the most tired a resident called on his call bell and said, "I can't breathe!" I said to myself, "Oh God, here we go....again." The adrenaline rush kicks in. O2 sats @ 64 run for the O2, give him a nebulizer tx, call the doc. Sat up at 91%, but still very dyspneic. Doc sends him out 911. Pheeeeew! Well, it woke me up that's for sure! It's almost like they know I'm really, really tired and do this just to wake me up.

Nurses live by the Principles of Murphy's Law. If it can go wrong, it will. If it's a nice night,and you notice, all H$LL will break loose. There are also gremlins who watch you and just when you feel safe, relaxed or satisfied they will do something that will be totally unexpected, the most staable patient on the unit will crash and burn or a toilet will fall off the wall and water will spray 15 feet down the main corridor flooding the rooms 4 floors below, a patient who is the sweetest little old lady in the world will suddently become the most violent patient in the world. She will come after you with her IV pole which actually weighs more than her. You have to watch out for those little boogers every minute. :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

I am beyond serious when I say I am called the adreniline nurse...not because I am quick..it is because no matter what..I am the only nurse that seems to be on duty when emergencies happen (which is a good thing since I am very skilled in emergencies, it is what I had planned on doing).

One day..I had a chest pain in one room, breathing difficulty in the other. I was the ONLY nurse and it was a saturday! OMGoodness. Of course both residents were on opposite sides of the building. The chest pain could wait since they hadn't tried his nitro yet...so that gave me some time to help my BLUE patient try to breathe and get 9-11 on the way. I was running (which we aren't suppose to do but they also insisted that two emergencies at the same time don't happen soooo....heck with them!) back and forth..got CNA's that were great at CPR on the chest pain vic...but the breathing difficulty took the cake and had to be the priority!

The breathing difficulty went into the hospital for a month, barely made it if it wasn't for quick action by myself and crew and the EMT's/Paramedics..and the chest pain..thank GOODNESS was relieved and fine after 2nd nitro!

My CNA's worry all the time when I am the floor nurse...they say "oh great...please not my patient today!" LOL!

I use to think it was a joke, but it isn't...I can't remember a day that I have worked that I didn't send someone in (I am part-time). Uhggggggg, oh well...maybe fate has a bit to do with it since I am the only emergency trained nurse on staff....