WILT 11/5: No Fast Track for YOU...

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

As the high peak season continues, one of the most frustrating things that comes with my position is a particular provider that works the fast track and will have patients that are otherwise 1-2 hours a four out visit, which makes a level 4 or 5 patient a 4 hour wait, allowing the waiting room to remain overcrowded during the 12 hours this provider is working.

With sick kids coming in, staying, and boarding mixed with a provider who treats fast track like a small low volume doctor's office, it can make one keep the mantra "I need my job"...

The silver lining was other providers picked up patients and tried to help the situation, but everyone knows that this person is not up to par, but due to short staffing continues to be needed and makes a shift challenging between disgruntled parents and delay of care.

I anticipate a much better week; I have four days off starting Tuesday, which makes my next shifts much easier to look forward to.

So, what I learned this week:

That I knew that a DinaMAP only measure mean arterial pressure and guesstimates what an actual blood pressure COULD be.

That our unit needs to advocate more for detecting ovarian torsion in our female pts; the residents seem more willing to work up for PID first instead of torsion, for some reason-although so far no ovaries have been lost, why take that chance?

Subjective opinion in a position of power can be dangerous and make peers question one's intent;

That healthcare advocacy can allay people's fears and can help turn frustrations into a position of progress.

That I could probably pass the CPEN, but will take a few more steps before I take the certification test-my plan is to have the same study blueprint that I had for the NCLEX to allay my test anxiety.

What have YOU learned this week?

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

That the world can be very very small. You can run into people you know in the least expected places, including at work.

That apparently ovarian torsion is a thing.

[Kitiger, RN]

I learned that it's nice to have the parents want me to come to the doctor's appointment with them; I can help them remember to mention all the things that they wanted covered, and the parents want my nursing assessment to be heard. It's important, though, to be sure that I'm on the same page with both the father and the mother. I discuss the appointment with each them at home, ahead of time.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

LadyFree28 said:

What have YOU learned this week?

I learned that some physicians engage in blatant, unapologetic, public fat-shaming of overweight colleagues. Weightism is one of the last socially acceptable biases against people, and this needs to change promptly.

Fat shaming, explained in one terrible tweet - Vox

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

I learned that even though I sorta, kinda miss nursing; nursing may not be for me. If I am able to bridge or only get my associates, I don't ever see myself getting my bachelor's (mainly because I'm lazy & HATE writing papers). The hospitals down here don't care one way or another as long as you are a licensed RN. So if I never get my bachelor's, would I be a floor nurse my whole career? Doesn't sound appealing to me. So I am looking at other careers which may suit me better.

[AceOfHearts<3]

I learned just how much abuse I will take from a belligerent patient before standing up for myself. This was the first time a patient was truly belligerent (and not just grouchy) and it was the first time I actually told a patient "I don't deserve to be treated like this". I kept my cool in the room, kept my tone even, and I then walked out of the room when the patient got even worse (before I lost it and said something that would have gotten me in trouble after I was told to "just shut up, I've heard enough"). I calmed myself down and then tried again (morning meds, vitals, and assessement), then walked out again and had another nurse take over. A provider who was outside the room the entire time also went back in the room to address the patients behavior.

I also learned a weekend away visiting friends and engaging in a little retail therapy can work wonders. It was a very rough week at work.

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

Had a sonogram today. Our little boy is doing great!

[FurBabyMom, MSN, RN]

Things I learned last week (I'm late to the party):

1. Sometimes I need to watch my word choices more carefully.

2. I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of grad school. Here we are and it's week 12...

3. Healthcare is a *very* small world. *cue the Disney song*

[Lauraingalls, BSN, RN]

I learned to keep my mouth shut when 18 yr old baby daddy of 16 yr old mommy tells me to shut up and pay attention when she was pushing.

I learned that there are mothers who give their 16 yr old daughters a diamond necklace when they give birth too.

Other than this delightful entitled couple, L and D has been phenomenal!

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

I learned that even though I sorta, kinda miss nursing; nursing may not be for me. If I am able to bridge or only get my associates, I don't ever see myself getting my bachelor's (mainly because I'm lazy & HATE writing papers). The hospitals down here don't care one way or another as long as you are a licensed RN. So if I never get my bachelor's, would I be a floor nurse my whole career? Doesn't sound appealing to me. So I am looking at other careers which may suit me better.

I hate to see you take a path away from nursing, but only you know what is best. You could do other things beside acute care nursing with an RN though. ADN or BSN, there are options out there. I am also glad to see the little cutie is doing good and growing big. Keep up the good work Mom!

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

I learned that you can pass "THE" annual State inspection and get ZERO tags, despite the organization being an absolute mess right until (and truthfully) during their stay.

That the more time I spend with my patients I am growing to like the ones I initially didn't, and I am growing to dislike the ones I initially liked. I'm tired of being taken advantage of.

I think I am reaching my point of exhaustion and really need to lower the number of hours I am working, but can't afford to, so I am stuck. School is really sucking the joy out of my life, or maybe it is the miserable place I am working, or maybe it is both.

That despite me really disliking the organization I am working for, most of the other places I have interviewed are pretty much the same out here. Here's hoping the one I go to on Thursday is at least lackluster if nothing better.

I did get a compliment this week during clinicals. The main nurse for the patient I cared for said my documentation is the most thorough and well written she has ever seen from a nursing student. I reminded her that I am already an LPN and she said it made more sense, but she was impressed regardless. That made my day.

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

I hate to see you take a path away from nursing, but only you know what is best. You could do other things beside acute care nursing with an RN though. ADN or BSN, there are options out there. I am also glad to see the little cutie is doing good and growing big. Keep up the good work Mom!

Thank you!!!!

I will have to see where life takes me. Maybe I'll become an RN or maybe I'll do something else. Nursing is all I know so it's hard to leave it. But with the birth of my second son fast approaching it's too soon to say for sure what I will do in my professional life.