Babysitting

I worked this past Monday night...it felt more like babysitting than actual nursing.  I started out with 4 patients...all males, all walkie talkies.  Other than meds & snacks...they really didn't need anything.  I like nights like that...calm & cool.  I got a new admit around 1 a.m.  She had fallen the previous day & come to find out...fractured her left tibia.  On top of that, while doing the bilateral ultrasound, they discovered she had a DVT (blood clot) in her right leg.  Needless to say, she wasn't gonna be getting out of bed anytime soon.  She was in a lot of pain & the only meds ordered were Demerol & Phenergan IM.  I don't particularly enjoy giving IM injections to people that are in pain.  I feel like I'm adding to their pain as opposed to giving them an IV med.  She brought out my maternal instinct even though she was more than twice my age.  I made sure she was comfortable so she could get some much needed rest. 

That was it...a very uneventful night.  I've had quite a few of those the past couple of months.  I did get to see Narcan administered for the first time.  I don't know what I was really expecting.  The patient had received 1 mg of Dilaudid IV.  His respirations dropped to about 7.  So the nurse got the order for Narcan.  I didn't see much of a difference after the patient received it.  He'd wake up, fall asleep, wake up, fall asleep.  That got old quick & since he wasn't my patient, back to the repetitive paperwork that I needed to finish. 

I went to my nephew's baseball game last night...it's the quarterfinals of Regionals.  The team they were playing looked like they belonged in little league rather than high school.  Anyways, after watching my nephew hit a homerun (go Eric go)...before we knew it, the score was 12-2 by the 5th inning & they called the game due to the "mercy" rule.  When you're ahead by 10 in the 5th inning...they will end the game.  No need to make the losing team suffer anymore.  The next game is on Friday in some small town about 90 min or so away.  Ugh!  I don't like long drives & 90 min is a long drive to me...but I will be there!  Did I mention they are ranked #3 in the nation according to Sports Illustrated?  Oh yeahhhh, they are really, really good & it's not just "me" saying that...lol.

Time for lunch!