WILTW 7/18: I'm tired :\ (complaint department and other things)

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in critical care.

Good lord I'm worn out. It's weird because I honest don't do as much as I did while working, but here I am. It's not as much body tired, but brain tired.

Recent weeks have been eventful, though. Appointments, benefits crap, recovery crap, bakers cysts (OMG), and family crap. It's all that and arguing kids. I can't figure out who decided I have to adult, but that person needs a good throat-punch.

So, as a patient, I have learned...

1. Recovery from spinal fusion is excruciatingly slow. Yes, I mean "excruciatingly". I don't know how to do slow.

2. A doctor is as strong as his staff. I am so thankful for a great team.

3. My time off was extended. This is terribly bittersweet. It feels like I failed missing a landmark, but I'm glad it was obvious I needed to.

4. It is possible to develop bilateral baker's cysts. It is possible to have bilateral cyst rupture. It is possible to have synovial fluid in your feet bilaterally. This will hurt. HORRIBLY. For days.

As a nurse, I have learned:

1. People who have inpatient stays with histories of receiving meds late might bring their own. They might also bring meds from home if they decide staff doesn't administer enough. (Disclaimer: yes, I knew this might happen, but I had a person admit and defend it. They said the staff would never know. I asked what she would do when staff brought meds she already has taken. NO RESPONSE.)

2. I'm now terrified of patients being like that person. When an autopsy shows an overdose of med reaction, the family will blame us.

As a human, I have learned:

1. Even if you think you don't care about a person's opinion, she might still see you for all your faults and weaknesses and tear you limb from limb, destroying your heart in her wake.

2. If you leave your dog home for a week with brief visits from a sitter, when you get home, the dog might not let you beyond paws' reach for days. (Meaning, expect an extremely persistent animal laying on you constantly, and smacking you hard with a paw if you decide to do something with your hands other than hug or pet.)

3. This is a delayed thing, but we got a spacecraft into Jupiter's orbit and watching mission control live as it happened was the most awesome thing!

4. YOU GUYS. You need to watch Stranger Things on Netflix.

I am going to keep this short this week. I was thinking about going longer, but honestly, you aren't the complaint department! Onward and upward, my friends... :)

(I have veered a little from the nursing path, so I'm adding this quick reminder that these threads turn blue when they remain too far off the nursing path.)

What have you learned this week?

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What is Stranger Things about?

On topic, I learned about Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome! It is a very rare disease that is without a cure currently, and involves capillary malformation/lymph system issues. I watched a video about a woman who was quite affected with it and what her life was like, since the disease primarily affected her face and one arm. Great reminder of compassionate care, and just treating people like humans in general.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I learned firsthand about the carryover affect that occurs when you take Ambien, but do not have a full seven to eight hours to devote to sleeping afterward.

With all of the violence that has been occurring in the US and in other countries lately, I learned that we are living in some challenging times.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

I am pregnant & I forgot how crazy it was. This pregnancy definitely isn't as bad as my first was.

If I could go to school I would definitely try to work into L&D. I had some amazing nurses last time & I hope I get just as amazing nurses when I have my second child.

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Specializes in critical care.
What is Stranger Things about?

On topic, I learned about Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome! It is a very rare disease that is without a cure currently, and involves capillary malformation/lymph system issues. I watched a video about a woman who was quite affected with it and what her life was like, since the disease primarily affected her face and one arm. Great reminder of compassionate care, and just treating people like humans in general.

KTS sounds complicated. What is the malformation?

Stranger Things is what would happen if Spielberg directed a Stephen King movie set in the 80s. Only it's a show. And you'll binge the whole damn thing in one day.

I learned firsthand about the carryover affect that occurs when you take Ambien, but do not have a full seven to eight hours to devote to sleeping afterward.

With all of the violence that has been occurring in the US and in other countries lately, I learned that we are living in some challenging times.

I'm sorry you got stuck with an ambien hangover. :(

As for our world... Yeah. I've been feeling heavy with it lately, too. My newest horror has been over Baton Rouge. My brain keeps going to what happens next if this is becoming a "thing" now. What is happening?!?!

I am pregnant & I forgot how crazy it was. This pregnancy definitely isn't as bad as my first was.

If I could go to school I would definitely try to work into L&D. I had some amazing nurses last time & I hope I get just as amazing nurses when I have my second child.

Best wishes for a smooth and awesome pregnancy, Cheerios!!!!

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Specializes in ED, psych.

I learned that a college campus is an excellent place to play Pokemon Go ... I spent my lunch break just wandering around campus stopping at all the pokestops and catching Pokemon.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

I learned that I can still teach!!!

It's kind of a re-learning process; however, being in a new specialty, I still think one can undergo the process where you still have that novice nervousness.

It has been a crazy day 3-4 out of a 7 day stretch where I have to work or be in site at my facility where I'll be compensated. :laugh:

Yesterday I had my first orientee; they are close to being in the resource phase-they have two more weeks of orientation, and will move to their own assignment; I'm glad I have the opportunity to hone my precepting skills to the ED.

Today, I presented my slides for Trauma education; after a few hiccups, I got to present and assist with practicum to help the newbies become comfortable handling trauma pts; I received a lot of positive feedback-I learned how respected they are to my knowledge and practice and are in support of me being involved in educating our new staff. :D

I've learned to be on the lookout for Spice making a comeback in our area-and not the good kind. :down:

(Spice, also known as K-2, is synthetic marijuana.)

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Specializes in Oncology (OCN).

This week I learned:

(Well something I actually already knew, it was just reinforced in a really big way.) No amount of "nursing experience" can ever prepare you for when a medical emergency happens to your family. I almost miss the days before I was a nurse and I was blissfully unaware of medical stuff and no one asked me questions or looked to me for the hard answers.

My sister-in-law was in Florida with my 16 yr old niece for a national softball tourney this past week. It's been a very difficult year for them as my brother-in-law passed away suddenly just over a year ago (May 2015). I talked to my SIL late Thurs. night and she told me she had started passing bloody stools Tues. evening. She was feeling weak, described being diaphoretic, and had passed out in the shower. I convinced her to go to the ER. She was admitted with a Hgb of 6.2. They transfused 3 units of PRBCs and scoped her but did not find the source of her bleeding. Her Hgb continued to drop. I got a frantic call Sat. afternoon from my niece that they were transferring her mom to the ICU. None of our family had made it to the hospital yet as it's more than an 18 hr drive. One of the team moms stayed with her but she felt very alone. She was convinced she was losing her only remaining parent. There is nothing that can prepare you for that. Luckily, this story has a happy ending. My SIL is fine. They prepped her for surgery, found a bleeding ulcer that they were able to debribe & cauterize, but it was a very scary, intense day Saturday.

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Specializes in OB.
I am pregnant & I forgot how crazy it was. This pregnancy definitely isn't as bad as my first was.

If I could go to school I would definitely try to work into L&D. I had some amazing nurses last time & I hope I get just as amazing nurses when I have my second child.

Congrats!

This week that I learned that cold stress in newborns can cause hypoglycemia and can further cause breathing issues if gone on long enough.

I start Monday as a new grad L and D nurse and I am so excited!

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Congrats!

This week that I learned that cold stress in newborns can cause hypoglycemia and can further cause breathing issues if gone on long enough.

I start Monday as a new grad L and D nurse and I am so excited!

Thank you! I know you will be a great nurse. [emoji5]️

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

On topic, I learned about Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome! It is a very rare disease that is without a cure currently, and involves capillary malformation/lymph system issues. I watched a video about a woman who was quite affected with it and what her life was like, since the disease primarily affected her face and one arm. Great reminder of compassionate care, and just treating people like humans in general.

I had a patient with KTS last month. This person was also a dialysis patient, and the fistula was in a thigh because of one arm being so severely affected by KTS.

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Specializes in ICU.

I learned that we are going to be relatively staffed soon as we hired 14 people in the past month - but 12 of them are new grads, so the apocalypse of being one of only two or three people on a shift who know what I'm doing is coming. This is no bueno. Major no bueno. We already have something like 10 travelers working with us and while some of them are great, I can't wait for some of their contracts to be over.

My unit has blatant favoritism. I already knew this, but I extra know it now - when I was charge one day last week, and that was their excuse for training someone with only one year of ICU experience to do rapid response when I have three and my CCRN. If you had to train one of us, I would have thought I would be the logical choice, but I was wrong. He also does charge, so he could have easily done charge that shift instead of me. Then, I attempted to squish down my righteous indignation and called my CUL in a pleasant tone and mentioned I was also interested in being trained - and she proceeded to ask me when I'd hit my two year mark on the unit. Oh please. I was lucky I could keep myself from responding, "Why the heck do you care? You didn't care that XXX only has one year of ICU experience." I hate favoritism and I hate not being a favorite if favoritism has to exist.

It would be too difficult changing jobs right now, as I'm about to be in school full time in a month, and I'd have no guarantee of receiving the PTO days I have requested if I changed positions right now, so I guess I am stuck somewhere with no advancement opportunities. At least we have good benefits and actually got a good raise this year.

I am really over nursing. Just over it. It's bad enough dealing with the obnoxious families and needy people without being blatantly passed over by unit management for opportunities that I am more qualified for than the people they're giving them to. I know no jobs are perfect, but this one really sucks.

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