Sunday: This week started by me working the holiday- something I'm well accustomed to as a PICU nurse. In all fairness, I think I enjoyed working and getting paid time and a half, seeing as we didn't necessarily have big plans anyways!! Plus, driving home in the storm validated those thoughts (sorry for all you who's barbeques and fireworks got rained out!). AND- what's more, we didn't have the SLEW of accidents we normally do!! One kid did come in after drinking a cup of lighter fluid (really, what adult puts lighter fluid in a cup on a table!?!?)....but compared to years past, we didn't have the trauma's that we could have.
Monday: DAY OFF WITH JON!! Did absolutely NO school work....Did absolutely NOT think of PICU work : )
Tuesday: 8 hours of meetings...yes, 8 hours! And then I cried for the last 4 hours of my shift! Well, I restrained....but I felt like it!
My patient was a five month old that weighed less than some newborns. She was extremely malnourished...dehydrated...but OH SO CUTE!!! Her mom is young and has six other kids at home. I guess this is her explanation as to why this baby has not been fed for the past 5 months.
Because of something called "Refeeding Syndrome" you can't just let her eat all she wants- it could literally kill her at this point! Instead, you have to introduce nutrition via IV...then add formula VERY VERY slowly.
How about holding a six pound peanut in your arms and feeding her ONE OUNCE of formula...then taking it away!! She gulped that one ounce down in about 10 seconds flat, and then looked at me with big eyes like "Why are you not giving me more!?" Oh, break my heart!! She screamed and screamed for the next hour until she was too tired, and fell asleep. Then an hour after that, the whole process started all over again : (
Wednesday: Time to get down to work: study, study, study. BUT- it paid off b/c I got an A on my test Wed. night!! Yeah me : )
Thursday: Back to work with my trach guy...and his neighbor who has been hard for me to take care of the past two weeks (as if Tuesday wasn't hard enough!). Trach guy is doing well with his trach...so now all the teaching begins with his family...that will be INTERESTING!!
Trach guy's neighbor was a 16 year old with a very large, very advanced brain tumor. She no longer is able to move, no longer able to communicate, no longer able to focus her eyes on anything. She now has kidney problems, breathing problems, and severe neurological deficits. And yet, despite being at home on hospice, to die as peacefully as she can, her mom brought her into the ED. And then we admitted her.
I have a very hard time looking at this poor girl, suffering, and thinking if her heart stops, I will be the one to push that code button and begin compressions. I will be the one to inflict pain, possibly breaking ribs, and "save" this girl....but for how long??
Now, I am not a mother. I cannot imagine having to go through this with a daughter. But I also know I could not imagine going through it myself. I hope that when I am at the end of life, those around me will be able to let the suffering end, and let me go.
Thankfully, we had 3 care-conferences with this mom over the course of the past 10 days. While I would say I have complaints that docs I work with are a little "too nice" sometimes and not able to deliver the bad news well, these doctors were very explicit and honest with this mom. At the end of my shift, I had discharge orders ready to send this poor girl home.
Friday: I did one phone triage today, although admittedly I just made a referral rather than a helpful recommendation. I don't deal with skin issues/rashes very much....at least the non-life threatening kind : ) But my referral managed to be a success, so that counts!
And finally, I went to the store to buy gifts for not one, but 2 PICU nurse friends!! Apparently, this is the time for PICU nurses to be having babies!! I wrapped one big blue gift and one big pink gift...and it got me excited for the boy/girl twins that I'm determined to have : )
So that was this PICU nurse's week! Some ups, some downs...but isn't that what this adventure is all about!?
Friday, July 9, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Busy, Busy, Busy!!
This week has been super busy! Tuesday was my first day back at work after almost a week off....those aren't always the easiest shifts! BUT- my guy got his trach (no GT...what would the PICU be without a little bit of drama!?). That morning his dad and several other nurses said he had been very depressed, wanting to sit in the dark, not talking with people etc. since he got his trach last Wed.
Well let me tell you, I took care of a very different patient! I woke him up to do his first assessment and he opened his eyes and SMILED!! Hey-O...go me!! The entire day he was in a great mood....super smiley....laughing....wanting lights on! What a joy it is to be able to make such a difference for kids!!
We played Bingo on TV and though we didn't win he still had a great time...for those of you that don't know, every Mon and Tues there is Bingo on one of the floors. BUT, for the patients that can't leave their room (most PICU pts), you can tune in on the TV and play. When you win, you call the number, and there are tons of great prizes to choose from each week!! Such a great idea!!
That being said, he smelled FUNKY....and was slightly crusty under his arms! I asked him if he'd been refusing his baths, and again, he got a HUGE smile and shook his head yes!!! Nurses- you can't ask teenaged boys if they WANT a bath!! OF COURSE they will say no every time....as he did! So he got a good scrub down, several applications of his Old Spice deodorant, and his teeth brushed twice that day!!
As for Wed and today...TONS and TONS of schoolwork, reading, assignments, and video watching for Physical Assessment!!! Jon is going to LOVE being my model patient for the upcoming video on head to toe assessments with complete history/physicals! BUT- I did sit out in the sun (with SPF on of course!) both days which was amazing...I am such a sun/hot weather kinda nurse : )
I think all this busyness is just a preview of what's to come over the next year. BUT- as long as it's stepping forward towards graduation, I'll deal with it one day at a time. Lesson learned this week: sometimes adventures are not always exciting or even fun...sometimes they manifest themselves as busy busy days...or weeks. But that's ok, b/c they are still a part of the journey...and adventure...of this PICU nurse!
Well let me tell you, I took care of a very different patient! I woke him up to do his first assessment and he opened his eyes and SMILED!! Hey-O...go me!! The entire day he was in a great mood....super smiley....laughing....wanting lights on! What a joy it is to be able to make such a difference for kids!!
We played Bingo on TV and though we didn't win he still had a great time...for those of you that don't know, every Mon and Tues there is Bingo on one of the floors. BUT, for the patients that can't leave their room (most PICU pts), you can tune in on the TV and play. When you win, you call the number, and there are tons of great prizes to choose from each week!! Such a great idea!!
That being said, he smelled FUNKY....and was slightly crusty under his arms! I asked him if he'd been refusing his baths, and again, he got a HUGE smile and shook his head yes!!! Nurses- you can't ask teenaged boys if they WANT a bath!! OF COURSE they will say no every time....as he did! So he got a good scrub down, several applications of his Old Spice deodorant, and his teeth brushed twice that day!!
As for Wed and today...TONS and TONS of schoolwork, reading, assignments, and video watching for Physical Assessment!!! Jon is going to LOVE being my model patient for the upcoming video on head to toe assessments with complete history/physicals! BUT- I did sit out in the sun (with SPF on of course!) both days which was amazing...I am such a sun/hot weather kinda nurse : )
I think all this busyness is just a preview of what's to come over the next year. BUT- as long as it's stepping forward towards graduation, I'll deal with it one day at a time. Lesson learned this week: sometimes adventures are not always exciting or even fun...sometimes they manifest themselves as busy busy days...or weeks. But that's ok, b/c they are still a part of the journey...and adventure...of this PICU nurse!
Monday, June 28, 2010
School Update
So despite it being week 2 of the summer quarter, and despite the fact that I have not received feedback or full grades for assignments/papers from last quarters class, I got an A in that class!!! It's on the official transcript and I guess that's the one that really counts huh!?
So 7 quarters down, 5 more to go!! Let me just say I definitely did not go into grad school with the mindset of graduating with a 4.0, but now that I'm on a roll, I can't be stopped!! I'm working hard to keep that "perfect score" until I graduate (August 2011...and counting!!)
But we're down to crunch time...clinicals start this summer with health fairs which I'm actually excited about. Not so excited for the two 45 minute DVDs I have to make of myself giving full head to toe assessments and taking full patient histories (Jamie, get ready to put a gown on during vacation b/c the second DVD is due the next week!!), but I'm excited to actually start doing (some of) the work of an APN!!
I'm sure that with the health fares, back to school physicals, and other interesting clinical experiences this summer, I'll have more fun stories to share!! Stay tuned for many upcoming adventures of this PICU nurse.... : )
So 7 quarters down, 5 more to go!! Let me just say I definitely did not go into grad school with the mindset of graduating with a 4.0, but now that I'm on a roll, I can't be stopped!! I'm working hard to keep that "perfect score" until I graduate (August 2011...and counting!!)
But we're down to crunch time...clinicals start this summer with health fairs which I'm actually excited about. Not so excited for the two 45 minute DVDs I have to make of myself giving full head to toe assessments and taking full patient histories (Jamie, get ready to put a gown on during vacation b/c the second DVD is due the next week!!), but I'm excited to actually start doing (some of) the work of an APN!!
I'm sure that with the health fares, back to school physicals, and other interesting clinical experiences this summer, I'll have more fun stories to share!! Stay tuned for many upcoming adventures of this PICU nurse.... : )
Sunday, June 27, 2010
PICU nurse goes camping
This weekend Jon and I, along with 14 other friends, went down south for a camping trip! We definitely had a blast...great weather (jon would argue ridiculously hot, but that's my style!), amazing and private camp site, and great food!
But what I was laughing at (and sometimes kicking myself!) was how prepared (or should I say, NOT prepared!?) this PICU nurse was for camping!! Generally when I go places I am more prepared than the average person for a small disaster to happen around me. In my purse is a CPR mouth cover, some band-aids, some alcohol prep pads, and a few other odds and ends that could lend a hand in some first aid maneuvers.
So on the drive down I start getting a pretty bad headache...I reach in my medicine bag (that Jon and I take on ALL trips!) and what do you know, NO ibuprofin (or any of its equivalents!). Now typically this medicine bag is like a small pharmacy. Give me a medical complaint and I'll have a med on hand. But, nope, not this time!! Bummer!!
Over the course of the weekend I was asked numerous times for various "medical" things...NONE of which I actually brought along!! Most people just laughed and said, "Hey we counted on the nurse to bring that!"
What I should have packed in my camping bag: -ibuprofin
-benedryl (yes, someone had an allergic
reaction to watermelon!)
-band-aids (several scrapes and scratches)
-ginger (one guy puking, one guy having it
come out other way!)
*To give myself some credit, I did have a few
pepto pills
Now on any other trip, my bag would have contained these items and SO many more that would never have been needed. Oh well, I guess this nurse was taking a vacation from nursing all together this weekend!!! Let me just say it was so much fun....and so worth it!! Everyone made it through the weekend happy and healthy! But, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. With that, this nurse goes back on duty tomorrow.
But what I was laughing at (and sometimes kicking myself!) was how prepared (or should I say, NOT prepared!?) this PICU nurse was for camping!! Generally when I go places I am more prepared than the average person for a small disaster to happen around me. In my purse is a CPR mouth cover, some band-aids, some alcohol prep pads, and a few other odds and ends that could lend a hand in some first aid maneuvers.
So on the drive down I start getting a pretty bad headache...I reach in my medicine bag (that Jon and I take on ALL trips!) and what do you know, NO ibuprofin (or any of its equivalents!). Now typically this medicine bag is like a small pharmacy. Give me a medical complaint and I'll have a med on hand. But, nope, not this time!! Bummer!!
Over the course of the weekend I was asked numerous times for various "medical" things...NONE of which I actually brought along!! Most people just laughed and said, "Hey we counted on the nurse to bring that!"
What I should have packed in my camping bag: -ibuprofin
-benedryl (yes, someone had an allergic
reaction to watermelon!)
-band-aids (several scrapes and scratches)
-ginger (one guy puking, one guy having it
come out other way!)
*To give myself some credit, I did have a few
pepto pills
Now on any other trip, my bag would have contained these items and SO many more that would never have been needed. Oh well, I guess this nurse was taking a vacation from nursing all together this weekend!!! Let me just say it was so much fun....and so worth it!! Everyone made it through the weekend happy and healthy! But, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. With that, this nurse goes back on duty tomorrow.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
"In his way, that's a compliment"
Work on Monday and Tuesday was slightly disappointing. Partly because my guy's trach and g-tube was put off....for the 3rd time!! I was really excited that I'd be the one to take him to surgery Monday, and be there for him and his family for his first two days....but that didn't work out. If all goes as planned, he'll get it today (on my day off)....and I won't be at work until next Tuesday. YEAH for days off....boo for not being able to be there for the big OR day.
But the main reason it was disappointing was because a 9 year old got under my skin!! I took care of the same liver transplant boy as crazy Saturday shift mentioned before....although on Monday and Tuesday he was not so paralyzed/sedated/intubated as he once was. Translation: he was a 9 year old with ADD who was getting incredibly bored with being in the hospital!
So, despite my constant attempts at trying to keep his pulse-ox on (a simple band-aid like contraption that wraps around your finger or toe) he continued to pull it off. Several times through the day he tried to kick me as I tried putting it on his toe. And several times I was swatted away when trying to empty his drains. My patience was running really thin with this kid!!
And then he decides to start the name calling. While putting his pulse ox back on (for the 100th time!) I was called "Fart Face"....when putting his EKG lead on I was called "Potato head"....while re-snapping the buttons on his gown so he wasn't totally naked I was called "stinky face"....while (almost) yelling at him to stop pulling on his drains (which only by the Grace of Liver Transplant God remained in place because this kid ripped off the occlusive dressing and was PULLING on the tubes crazy style! I thought he was gonna pull his liver right out with the tubes!!) I was called "mean head." I had to step away because this 9 year old was starting to get on my last nerve!!
But what topped it off was when, once again, I was putting the pulse ox back on and he called me "Fart Face," his mom laughed and said "Funny, in his way, that's a compliment!"
OK- I don't care whose way you are referring to....name calling is NEVER a compliment!! How should I interpret FartFace as a compliment?? My face is as nice as a fart?? My farts are as nice as my face??
I wanted to say "You bratty, nasty, mean, naughty kid!!...Funny, in my way, that's a compliment!".....but I didn't!!
Instead, I looked at him and said "Name calling is never a joke. It can hurt other people's feelings." There were so many other things I would have rather said, but I didn't. I kept it to the level of an ADD 9 year old....and appropriate enough so I would keep my job!
So I left that evening slightly disappointed. Walking out, I told my carpool buddy "work today was draining....work was hard...and parts of it sucked....but in my way, that's a compliment!"
But the main reason it was disappointing was because a 9 year old got under my skin!! I took care of the same liver transplant boy as crazy Saturday shift mentioned before....although on Monday and Tuesday he was not so paralyzed/sedated/intubated as he once was. Translation: he was a 9 year old with ADD who was getting incredibly bored with being in the hospital!
So, despite my constant attempts at trying to keep his pulse-ox on (a simple band-aid like contraption that wraps around your finger or toe) he continued to pull it off. Several times through the day he tried to kick me as I tried putting it on his toe. And several times I was swatted away when trying to empty his drains. My patience was running really thin with this kid!!
And then he decides to start the name calling. While putting his pulse ox back on (for the 100th time!) I was called "Fart Face"....when putting his EKG lead on I was called "Potato head"....while re-snapping the buttons on his gown so he wasn't totally naked I was called "stinky face"....while (almost) yelling at him to stop pulling on his drains (which only by the Grace of Liver Transplant God remained in place because this kid ripped off the occlusive dressing and was PULLING on the tubes crazy style! I thought he was gonna pull his liver right out with the tubes!!) I was called "mean head." I had to step away because this 9 year old was starting to get on my last nerve!!
But what topped it off was when, once again, I was putting the pulse ox back on and he called me "Fart Face," his mom laughed and said "Funny, in his way, that's a compliment!"
OK- I don't care whose way you are referring to....name calling is NEVER a compliment!! How should I interpret FartFace as a compliment?? My face is as nice as a fart?? My farts are as nice as my face??
I wanted to say "You bratty, nasty, mean, naughty kid!!...Funny, in my way, that's a compliment!".....but I didn't!!
Instead, I looked at him and said "Name calling is never a joke. It can hurt other people's feelings." There were so many other things I would have rather said, but I didn't. I kept it to the level of an ADD 9 year old....and appropriate enough so I would keep my job!
So I left that evening slightly disappointed. Walking out, I told my carpool buddy "work today was draining....work was hard...and parts of it sucked....but in my way, that's a compliment!"
Friday, June 18, 2010
It's been awhile....
Wow- time does surely go fast! I can't believe that it's been 3 weeks since my last post! Certainly work has been interesting and extremely busy. I mean ridiculous busy! Our census has been super high...if not completely full causing us to have to open up our overflow unit. Oh, and to add to it, we've also been short staffed. So that's a winning combination!!
School is done for the week. I finished up a super easy class....well, I'm assuming that it was super easy. Of the five things we did throughout the entire quarter, I have one grade. We were supposed to get grades by Monday. Ok, it's Friday and still, nothing! I'm just saying, if I get anything less than an A I'll be ticked!! Not just because it was an easy class, but on principle! How can you not give feedback an entire quarter and then give a student less than an A. If we could only give our professors a grade too....
Updates on work: still taking care of my teenage guy. Right before I went on vacation (oh yeah, forgot to mention we went away for our 5 year anniversary...CANNOT believe I've been a Mrs. for 5 years!!!) he wanted to keep me on my toes. Long story short, he basically decided to not breath well, causing his CO2 levels to sky rocket, causing him to be completely unarousable. So, he bought himself and breathing tube that day! As I left that night, I told him I was off work for 10 days but would be back and he better not be intubated (breathing tube still in) when I got back.
I held my end of the deal....I came back to work. He did not hold his! He was still intubated! BUT- apparently, he was just saving extubation (taking the breathing tube out) for me! So we extubated last Friday. Saturday morning I came back and he definitely was not looking so hot.
But this is where it gets interesting! Staffing is super bad....census is super high! I get to draw up intubation meds for my little guy b/c his breathing is not so great again. Oh, AND I also get to take back a liver transplant. At the same time! Yeah there's some fun for ya!
For those of you who know (ok, who am I kidding...there are no medical providers following my blog!) liver transplants come out bleeding, needing lots of blood, typically have blood pressure issues, needing dressing changes, intubated and needing sedation/pain medications, lots and lots of labs to be drawn...etc etc etc. = Liver transplant patients are EXTREMELY busy!!
Never ever is this assignment paired (one nurse, two patients). BUT for me it was!! And with a patient that needed intubated at that! Let me just tell you, if ever there were a day that I was "drowning" this was it! The only thing that could have made it worse was to have mean or rude parents. Sad that I'm so accustomed to this that it was kinda just an assumption. But, I totally lucked out and liver transplant mom and dad were the nicest people ever!
I made it out of there Saturday night at around 9 and got home a little after 10pm. LONG DAY!! As I was leaving the charge nurse said "Well, at least tomorrow will be better!" to which I responded "Um, yeah, it definitely will because I'm not here tomorrow!"
Sunday was a great day off....not relaxing but just so great not to have to be PICU nurse for the day.
Monday and Tuesday I was back at it. Because my little guy has "failed extubation" twice now recently, we decided that it would be best for him to get a trach (more permanent breathing tube in your neck) and a gastrostomy tube (tube in your stomach that you can be fed through). It's been sad for me to see how see how sad the little guy is because he knows he needs the trach, but he definitely does not want it. And, just when he was starting to talk to me, it's sad that he no longer has a voice....but that will come with time again, after the trach.
That being said, despite no voice...he still has his fiesty personality which keeps me laughing! Monday he was quite angry that he was intubated again and knew he needed the trach. We were playing Bingo and we were not winning....so not a good day for this guy! The nutritionist came in the room and he hand motioned her to "zip your lips" and then shoo'ed her out of the room with his arm! We had a brief talk about how even when we're mad we shouldn't be rude to other people, but then I just had to walk away and laugh! This delayed teen just told the nutritionist to Zip Your Lips! So funny!
He gets his trach and g-tube on Monday (I'm working which is good b/c I'll be able to send him to the OR and take him back). There will be tons and tons of family teaching involved with both of these new things, so I'm sure it will provide some interesting stories along the way (especially because all this teaching will have to be done with a Spanish interpreter for dad!).
So- it has been an exciting, busy past few weeks! School starts again on Monday....physical assessment class which I'm sure will be oh so interesting. I have to do history and physicals on video for assignments so that will be interesting! Keep a lookout, I might post a video so you can see me in action : )
Long enough blog post for now! That's why 3 weeks should not go by without posting, because so much craziness can happen in the PICU in that amount of time! I guess it's why I love my job so much! Always changing, always keeping you on your toes, occasionally maddening....but definitely rewarding!
School is done for the week. I finished up a super easy class....well, I'm assuming that it was super easy. Of the five things we did throughout the entire quarter, I have one grade. We were supposed to get grades by Monday. Ok, it's Friday and still, nothing! I'm just saying, if I get anything less than an A I'll be ticked!! Not just because it was an easy class, but on principle! How can you not give feedback an entire quarter and then give a student less than an A. If we could only give our professors a grade too....
Updates on work: still taking care of my teenage guy. Right before I went on vacation (oh yeah, forgot to mention we went away for our 5 year anniversary...CANNOT believe I've been a Mrs. for 5 years!!!) he wanted to keep me on my toes. Long story short, he basically decided to not breath well, causing his CO2 levels to sky rocket, causing him to be completely unarousable. So, he bought himself and breathing tube that day! As I left that night, I told him I was off work for 10 days but would be back and he better not be intubated (breathing tube still in) when I got back.
I held my end of the deal....I came back to work. He did not hold his! He was still intubated! BUT- apparently, he was just saving extubation (taking the breathing tube out) for me! So we extubated last Friday. Saturday morning I came back and he definitely was not looking so hot.
But this is where it gets interesting! Staffing is super bad....census is super high! I get to draw up intubation meds for my little guy b/c his breathing is not so great again. Oh, AND I also get to take back a liver transplant. At the same time! Yeah there's some fun for ya!
For those of you who know (ok, who am I kidding...there are no medical providers following my blog!) liver transplants come out bleeding, needing lots of blood, typically have blood pressure issues, needing dressing changes, intubated and needing sedation/pain medications, lots and lots of labs to be drawn...etc etc etc. = Liver transplant patients are EXTREMELY busy!!
Never ever is this assignment paired (one nurse, two patients). BUT for me it was!! And with a patient that needed intubated at that! Let me just tell you, if ever there were a day that I was "drowning" this was it! The only thing that could have made it worse was to have mean or rude parents. Sad that I'm so accustomed to this that it was kinda just an assumption. But, I totally lucked out and liver transplant mom and dad were the nicest people ever!
I made it out of there Saturday night at around 9 and got home a little after 10pm. LONG DAY!! As I was leaving the charge nurse said "Well, at least tomorrow will be better!" to which I responded "Um, yeah, it definitely will because I'm not here tomorrow!"
Sunday was a great day off....not relaxing but just so great not to have to be PICU nurse for the day.
Monday and Tuesday I was back at it. Because my little guy has "failed extubation" twice now recently, we decided that it would be best for him to get a trach (more permanent breathing tube in your neck) and a gastrostomy tube (tube in your stomach that you can be fed through). It's been sad for me to see how see how sad the little guy is because he knows he needs the trach, but he definitely does not want it. And, just when he was starting to talk to me, it's sad that he no longer has a voice....but that will come with time again, after the trach.
That being said, despite no voice...he still has his fiesty personality which keeps me laughing! Monday he was quite angry that he was intubated again and knew he needed the trach. We were playing Bingo and we were not winning....so not a good day for this guy! The nutritionist came in the room and he hand motioned her to "zip your lips" and then shoo'ed her out of the room with his arm! We had a brief talk about how even when we're mad we shouldn't be rude to other people, but then I just had to walk away and laugh! This delayed teen just told the nutritionist to Zip Your Lips! So funny!
He gets his trach and g-tube on Monday (I'm working which is good b/c I'll be able to send him to the OR and take him back). There will be tons and tons of family teaching involved with both of these new things, so I'm sure it will provide some interesting stories along the way (especially because all this teaching will have to be done with a Spanish interpreter for dad!).
So- it has been an exciting, busy past few weeks! School starts again on Monday....physical assessment class which I'm sure will be oh so interesting. I have to do history and physicals on video for assignments so that will be interesting! Keep a lookout, I might post a video so you can see me in action : )
Long enough blog post for now! That's why 3 weeks should not go by without posting, because so much craziness can happen in the PICU in that amount of time! I guess it's why I love my job so much! Always changing, always keeping you on your toes, occasionally maddening....but definitely rewarding!
Friday, May 28, 2010
Why I do what I do
There are some days that I leave work and think, "What a great day! This is why I love my job!!" That was exactly what I thought yesterday as my carpool buddy and I walked out of the hospital into the gorgeous weather...and I love days like that! Because they are not always that way! Some days I walk into the gorgeous weather and think, "Ugh, why was I cooped up in there all day!?"
I have been "following" (AKA consistently taking care of) this patient for the past several weeks now...he's the one I talked about walking around the unit in his wheelchair....he's the one I talked about pooping in my hand. So you see, after someone poops in your hand, you kinda have a bond with them. BUT- he doesn't talk!! At least to ANY of the nurses or doctors. He'll get on the phone all the time and talk away in his delayed Spanglish that I can barely understand....but he WILL NOT use words with any of us!!
Until yesterday! Apparently he was in a good mood. And apparently he now feels comfortable enough with me! Both are good things! But let me tell you when I joked around with him and he laughed at me and then proceeded to say "No, mine! Me game" I about fainted!! He had the biggest grin on his face as he was telling me he wanted to play the XBox and I was joking around with him that he broke it! The rest of the day when I asked questions, instead of pointing or using his made up sign language (which I've gotten REALLY good at deciphering now!) he actually used some words!
What a joy it is to see the patients that you spend so much time and energy on to get better actually getting better in more ways than just their physicality! And when phsyically their progress is really slow....REALLY slow sometimes....it's nice to see that I am making an impact in other ways! This little man will be with us....with me as his nurse....until at least August. And who knows how long after that! So I'm sure you'll be hearing much more about him.
Oh, and the other reason I loved my job yesterday was as I was leaving and saying goodbye to both my patients, the other patient's mom said "I just want to thank you so much for everything you have done for us this week. You really care a lot about my son. And in a time when I am too stressed and overwhelmed to do the little things for him, you did it without me having to even ask. So I appreciate that a lot!"
This is something that I don't hear often....weeks could go by without a thank you from patients or parents! But it's nice to know that some people do notice the little things that I do....that nurses do! Because even on the days that we walk out into the sunshine and think, "Ugh, why was I cooped up in there?" we had moments of nursing greatness, and ultimately these are the things to reflect on. These are the things that lead us to think "This is why I love my job!"
I have been "following" (AKA consistently taking care of) this patient for the past several weeks now...he's the one I talked about walking around the unit in his wheelchair....he's the one I talked about pooping in my hand. So you see, after someone poops in your hand, you kinda have a bond with them. BUT- he doesn't talk!! At least to ANY of the nurses or doctors. He'll get on the phone all the time and talk away in his delayed Spanglish that I can barely understand....but he WILL NOT use words with any of us!!
Until yesterday! Apparently he was in a good mood. And apparently he now feels comfortable enough with me! Both are good things! But let me tell you when I joked around with him and he laughed at me and then proceeded to say "No, mine! Me game" I about fainted!! He had the biggest grin on his face as he was telling me he wanted to play the XBox and I was joking around with him that he broke it! The rest of the day when I asked questions, instead of pointing or using his made up sign language (which I've gotten REALLY good at deciphering now!) he actually used some words!
What a joy it is to see the patients that you spend so much time and energy on to get better actually getting better in more ways than just their physicality! And when phsyically their progress is really slow....REALLY slow sometimes....it's nice to see that I am making an impact in other ways! This little man will be with us....with me as his nurse....until at least August. And who knows how long after that! So I'm sure you'll be hearing much more about him.
Oh, and the other reason I loved my job yesterday was as I was leaving and saying goodbye to both my patients, the other patient's mom said "I just want to thank you so much for everything you have done for us this week. You really care a lot about my son. And in a time when I am too stressed and overwhelmed to do the little things for him, you did it without me having to even ask. So I appreciate that a lot!"
This is something that I don't hear often....weeks could go by without a thank you from patients or parents! But it's nice to know that some people do notice the little things that I do....that nurses do! Because even on the days that we walk out into the sunshine and think, "Ugh, why was I cooped up in there?" we had moments of nursing greatness, and ultimately these are the things to reflect on. These are the things that lead us to think "This is why I love my job!"
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