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.
This week I learned that I really don't care that we're family focused, as the wife of a patient requested her 6th cup of coffee. My patience thin, I explained (straight up lied) that we were out of coffee until dietary restocked us, and that she should get some rest.
I'm not the nice nurse I thought I was.
I also pushed for something the doctor didn't think was necessary, and after explaining why it was, he ordered it. Win for the patient, first for me. I felt good afterwards.
You have to get coffee for the family members yourself? At least we have a small food room with a vending machine and a coffee pot off of the waiting room where visitors can help themselves.
I would point her in the direction of the cafeteria if it was me. Ain't nobody got time for that.
You have to get coffee for the family members yourself? At least we have a small food room with a vending machine and a coffee pot off of the waiting room where visitors can help themselves.
I would point her in the direction of the cafeteria if it was me. Ain't nobody got time for that.
I would point her in the direction of the cafeteria, but it's so far away (I'm not kidding when I say it's a seven minute hike) that I don't even get food from there. Just having coffee in the waiting room would be a godsend, but that would make too much sense.
This week I learned that I really don't care that we're family focused, as the wife of a patient requested her 6th cup of coffee. My patience thin, I explained (straight up lied) that we were out of coffee until dietary restocked us, and that she should get some rest.
I'm not the nice nurse I thought I was.
I also pushed for something the doctor didn't think was necessary, and after explaining why it was, he ordered it. Win for the patient, first for me. I felt good afterwards.
I've learned that even though I personally have an anxiety disorder, I suck at helping my students through it.
Our guidance counselor was in an ARC meeting and a kiddo was feeling very anxious. He has been having a lot of anxiety recently related to mom and dad not really caring about him (both have anxiety/bipolar themselves) and he lives with grandparents. Grandpa is so anxious he can only drive within a 5 mile radius.
So, he's anxious and I'm telling him "Calm down, Bud. You're okay." -In a loving tone.
As I am telling him this, in my mind I see myself panicking-like I do frequently-and someone telling me "Calm down. You're okay". And me screaming "I can't calm down, I know I'm okay, but I CAN'T calm down!!!"
My heart hurts for this kid because often I feel anxiety isn't taken seriously, especially in school age kids, and that people think its a mind-over-matter thing. Oh, if only. If only people knew what an awful, uncontrollable feeling anxiety really is. The majority of the time I have no idea why I am even anxious, I just am. That mind racing, jittery, lump in your throat feeling that someone who has never had anxiety will never know. I get a hand twitch when I start getting super anxious, to the point someone will have to hold it still. Sometimes in bed it will be my legs that wont stay still. Hubs will practically have to lay on me to calm me down, and it helps.
Buddy, I feel you. Really, I do. I hate this for you. I know telling you to calm down is stupid. But I have no other words for you.
I got him calm enough to wait for the counselor. I think he needs some sort of therapy. An avenue to talk about his feelings openly, but mom just quit her job-no insurance. I pointed Grandma towards our Medicaid program, but without custody I'm not sure there's much she can do.
So, so many hugs being sent your way. So much love.
After a busy week(s) of school, I aced my exams (98, 97), received a 97, 101 (!) on my two care plans, got called on for the lab simulation and scored 99 for the group ... and I had a confused LOL who charmed me out of my Danskos as well so perfect timing for this week.
I'm now eating key lime pie. By myself. The whole pie. Hiding from the kids. I deserve it.
I'm running away to Vegas tomorrow morning for vacation! Hallelujah! Spring break!
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I thought I was the only one but this happens to me, too! It's too weird.
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calivianya, BSN, RN
2,418 Posts
You have to get coffee for the family members yourself? At least we have a small food room with a vending machine and a coffee pot off of the waiting room where visitors can help themselves.
I would point her in the direction of the cafeteria if it was me. Ain't nobody got time for that.