Hello, everyone! ixchel has been a trooper, juggling many things on her plate, so I have relieved her for this coming week. Here are some of the things I've humbly learned throughout this week:
1. That confused LOL who presses the call light constantly, and presses it several times while you're in the room with her, is charming for the first 5 minutes you meet her. Every time the call light goes off after that makes you want to run in the opposite direction, as fast as you can. Now, I understand what people mean when they say they hear a call light going off during the night. I've been hearing call lights ever since I got home.
2. I'm almost as giddy as my patient when his Foley and wound V.A.C. are removed after weeks of being hospitalized.
3. I emptied my first colostomy bag and was able to teach my fellow cohorts how to do it as well. I've never felt so happy to see a BM (On a side note, am I the only one who notices that my BMs smell like my pt's later on in the day?).
4. A positive Kernig's and Brudzinski's sign are indicative of meningeal irritation and that's not good.
5. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram negative bacteria that is multidrug resistant. Also, not good.
6. Just plastering a smile on your face throughout the shift can really brighten people's days. Although internally, I might not be feeling it, I don't let it show because, come on, the people in the hospital need a LOT more cheering up than I do.
7. Don't inject air into Dilaudid because it will blow the end off the vial. Thankfully, I did not do this, and my instructor told me not to before I even started drawing it up. I also got to flush a central port.
8. My sarcasm and dark/dry humor is not wasted on my clinical mates.
9. There are doctors who don't see some tasks as "beneath them". Garbed in isolation dress, I poked my head out to have a fellow mate grab me some iced water. Seeing my searching gaze, a passing doctor - who was easy on the eyes - asked me what I needed and then brought me some water for my patient.
10. I've been having trouble with frequent urination, including waking up in the middle of the night, even though my bladder isn't that full. It's been irritating, and I'm wondering if I should go see my doctor sometime. I haven't been too concerned, but since it's been persisting for a month now, I do wonder... I've ran through, in my head, the possibilities of diabetes, cancer, and hyperthyroidism with my current symptoms.
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
...we need so much more education on mental illness and depression across the board.
Yep. Seeing that in my local newspaper today- one poor guy who lost it, arrested for a criminal act, was sent home, and now has stabbed his father and stepmother (fortunately both expected to live). Not just the education about what to look for, but we need more resources as well.
to the poster that talked about LOL's and their profanity laced rants...I couldn't hold back the laughter some nights - especially when they threaten to stab me...um you're in a hospital and can't wipe your own ass - not worried about you using that plastic butter knife to your advantage ha ha...
There is such a thing as TOO much overtime - I worked 65 hours this week...I'm done.
If the nephrologist calls me tomorrow I may throw a pie at him...
I have been reminded of how essential leather restraints are when you need them. Oy vey!
I learned that we don't have Levemir in the ED. I mean, it makes sense that we wouldn't. However when we hold patients and end up needing to call the admitting doc because pharmacy took too long to send the levemir and we're outside of the ordered admin time, they are always shocked that we don't have it in the ED. Nope, we pretty much only give regular insulin and we usually give it IV. We also have aspart, but it gets used much less frequently than regular insulin.
I learned that per the manufacturers, you are not supposed to dilute Dilaudid or Morphine. That's not popular with me.
I learned how great Geodon is for Psychosis... but I also learned what a pain it is to reconstitute!
I learned that we really do catch people who are depressed/suicidal with our mandated questions
I learned about the differences between power ports and non power ports
I'm sure I learned more, but I am super tired and it's time for bed :)
I learned that watching someone you love fade away is a little like Chinese water torture. Every day it seems there's a new symptom, a little less energy, a little more discomfort. It's awful to witness, and there's not a damn thing I can do about it.
Tears when I read this; I wish I had the words that could help you. (Hugs)
I learned the actual flu really sucks. I was down for 7 days. I lost a lot of weight though!! I needed to.
I'm learning a lot on my shift tonight. I'm seeing all kinds of things I've never seen before. Trying to do patient care for the whole unit though, it's a lot. But at least the night is going super fast.
I'm so ready to be done with school. This he been a long three years and I truly just can't do tests and papers anymore. I keep saying, one more month.
I'm also ready to move. It sucks just being away from my boyfriend for one night, but three nights in a row is just terrible. We all need to be in one house. I move into our new house the weekend after graduation. Can't wait!!
Specializes in long term care Alzheimers Patients.
I learned that when three different people diagnose you with the same thing, you ought to start believing it.
I learned that I miss nursing more than I thought I would. Having my husband's hospice RN visit us every week reminds me of what I used to love about being a nurse. I'd give almost anything to be able to come back, but the politics and the ridiculous workloads would drive me even crazier than I already am. I know---I've been through it.
I learned that watching someone you love fade away is a little like Chinese water torture. Every day it seems there's a new symptom, a little less energy, a little more discomfort. It's awful to witness, and there's not a damn thing I can do about it.
Sending you a big hug Viva . So sorry for what you re going through
I learned NOT to tell a friend that today feels like nothing can go wrong, because it will. Called in due to call outs. Now, day shift relief called in. Hello double, good bye weekend off.
I need to go see my grandson again, or maybe one of my granddaughters.
Hello, everyone! ixchel has been a trooper, juggling many things on her plate, so I have relieved her for this coming week. Here are some of the things I've humbly learned throughout this week:
1. That confused LOL who presses the call light constantly, and presses it several times while you're in the room with her, is charming for the first 5 minutes you meet her. Every time the call light goes off after that makes you want to run in the opposite direction, as fast as you can. Now, I understand what people mean when they say they hear a call light going off during the night. I've been hearing call lights ever since I got home.
2. I'm almost as giddy as my patient when his Foley and wound V.A.C. are removed after weeks of being hospitalized.
3. I emptied my first colostomy bag and was able to teach my fellow cohorts how to do it as well. I've never felt so happy to see a BM (On a side note, am I the only one who notices that my BMs smell like my pt's later on in the day?).
4. A positive Kernig's and Brudzinski's sign are indicative of meningeal irritation and that's not good.
5. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram negative bacteria that is multidrug resistant. Also, not good.
6. Just plastering a smile on your face throughout the shift can really brighten people's days. Although internally, I might not be feeling it, I don't let it show because, come on, the people in the hospital need a LOT more cheering up than I do.
7. Don't inject air into Dilaudid because it will blow the end off the vial. Thankfully, I did not do this, and my instructor told me not to before I even started drawing it up. I also got to flush a central port.
8. My sarcasm and dark/dry humor is not wasted on my clinical mates.
9. There are doctors who don't see some tasks as "beneath them". Garbed in isolation dress, I poked my head out to have a fellow mate grab me some iced water. Seeing my searching gaze, a passing doctor - who was easy on the eyes - asked me what I needed and then brought me some water for my patient.
10. I've been having trouble with frequent urination, including waking up in the middle of the night, even though my bladder isn't that full. It's been irritating, and I'm wondering if I should go see my doctor sometime. I haven't been too concerned, but since it's been persisting for a month now, I do wonder... I've ran through, in my head, the possibilities of diabetes, cancer, and hyperthyroidism with my current symptoms.
So, what have you learned this week?
I've been a nurse for nearly 9 years in ICU and I didn't know about the dilaudid (and other meds that come that way) until about 3 years ago when I accidentally did that! Scare the bajaysus outta me! hahaha xo
Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN
6 Articles; 12,051 Posts
Yep. Seeing that in my local newspaper today- one poor guy who lost it, arrested for a criminal act, was sent home, and now has stabbed his father and stepmother (fortunately both expected to live). Not just the education about what to look for, but we need more resources as well.