Elevator Trouble.

Today two people got locked in the elevator. They were both doctors. One of them was highly claustrophobic. "HEELLLP!!! I CAN'T HANDLE THIS ANY LONGER- GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!" 

All of the heads at the nurses station turned toward the elevators, which are located right in front of the nurses station. And for a brief, yes a fleeting moment, everyone stopped talking. Superman Steve calmly walked over to the elevator, and with great force, pulled open the elevator door. To our amazement, a doctor stormed out- quite embarrassed. 

The second doctor it happened to handled it a bit better. "Ah! It wasn't that bad..." he said with a smile. 

Today, I took the stairs.

A Day of Learning

Today was a day of learning. 

Not that learning is bad or anything, but I must admit- it is sometimes painful and difficult to learn. I learn by experience. Here is a list of things that I probably (hopefully) will never have to learn again:

1. Think, verbalize, and pay attention when you are drawing medications out of the pyxis. (So. here is what happened: I was doing insulin. simple. Apparently, the pyxis drawer was not opening up for insulin, but a different medication. I thought it was opening up for insulin. I think I grab insulin, but it was really heparin. Uh oh. I draw of 1 unit. uh oh. Then my preceptor notices. Praise the Lord!)
2. Don't forget other patient's medications in a room, much less the wrong patient's room. (I know this one. But... I poked my head in to watch my preceptor give this other patient meds before we both go to my patient to give meds. Right before we begin, there is announcement about a rapid response being called and for nurses to go help. We ran down our hall and onto the next. I forgot my medications in the room we were just in. Thankfully, the patient didn't even realize it.)
3. Don't make the doctor mad. (It wasn't me, but could have been. I feel bad for doctors. They hear complaints, they are expected to know everything, and they work long hard hours.) 
4. Chart. Keep up with it. (If not, you will regret it when the time is around 1855. 
5. Don't follow your nurse around all the time.  (Maybe it is because my nurse goes through hot flashes, but I like to give her her space.)

A Song in My Heart

A few weeks ago, I was caring for a patient. He was a funny man, a big biker. With his condition, should be dead. But there he was, sitting up in bed, cracking jokes, talking with his wife, and giving the student nurse a hard time. 

In the afternoon, I poked my head in the door to see how he was doing. "How are you doing? Do you need anything?" His only reply was, "All I need is for you to sing a song." 

"How random", I thought. I tried to wiggle my way out of the request. "Well.... What if I can't sing? What if I am a horrible singer?"

The patient and his wife insisted: they wanted me to sing.

 (It then occurred to me that the reason they had the idea to sing was because my preceptor nurse likes to sing silly songs and little diddies. If preceptor likes to sing: so does her student:) 

What in the world could I sing to this boisterous, tattooed biker? As hard as I tried to think of a different song, the one and only song that I had stuck in my head that day was "Sweet Jesus". 

So I finally gave into their promptings and cleared my throat and began singing the sweet lullaby that I grew up hearing my mom sing. "Sweet Jesus, sweet Jesus, what a wonder You are. You are brighter than the morning star...." 

By the end of the song, the wife was crying and the man could hardly even thank me. I didn't know what to say. I didn't expect the song to move them to tears. 

Now I always try keep a song in my heart when I go on God's errands. You should too, you never know when someone will ask you to sing a tune. 

 

I Want A Catheter!

"You have to give me a catheter. I really want my catheter back!" 

I tried hard to collect my thoughts. I knew I had heard right, but it just didn't seem right. Never in my very short nursing career have I had any one ask, plead, or yell for a catheter. 

Maybe I will use some clarification communication skills on her: "You want a catheter?" I nearly yelled this because she was so hard of hearing. Her response was, "Yes! I have had one for eight years, and now they took out my catheter and I want it back, I need it back."

Whoa. Eight years? Does she have some dementia or has she really had one for eight years? This was all very strange and seemed like there was a missing piece to the puzzle. Because I am a student nurse, the best answer for everything is, "Let me talk to the nurse, and ask her about the catheter." Trying hard to hit the perfect volume- loud enough that the patient could hear me, but not so the entire hall could hear me. 

She hated diapers, and I don't blame her. And I too, would probably want a catheter back if I had forgotten how to pee and if my sphincter had no more control. Poor lady. 

We gave her a catheter. And she was happy. Very happy. 

Whirlwind

It feels as if I am in a whirlwind.

A whirlwind called life. 

I work everyday, either 12 hour shifts in the hospital or 8 hours in the office. I try to have a life outside of work, but it is a different life than what the school year presents. There is a house to clean, laundry to do, food to cook, hours to sleep, a bike to ride, people to email, phone calls to return, books to read (umm.. yeah), mangoes to eat, and friends to see. 

ahh.. I love life. 

Even if it is a busy whirlwind life.

I will try to keep you updated on my life, before the events in my life become outdated.