Crying Clinical Leader

I finally get a few days off after working 8 out of 9 days in a row.  It wasn't bad, but I'm glad to be at home for a few nights. 

Tuesday morning we found out that one of our usual clinical leaders/charge nurses was assigned to be a floor nurse that day.  It's not unusual to see clinical leaders take nursing assignments - especially with all the constant changes that seem to take place at work.  However, this clinical leader was beyond shocked...to the point of crying about it.  CRYING!  What kind of message does that send to the rest of us that are on the floor day after day or night after night?  Does she think she's somehow above bedside nursing?  This is suppose to be someone in a leadership position - yet she's crying that she has to do our job for ONE day.  Just for that fact alone, I think they should be assigned to the floor more often.  It shows them the reality of being a bedside nurse.  This one in particular is so very quick to point out what we are doing wrong & not in a nice way either.  I lost any respect I had left for her after seeing the way she behaved on Tuesday.  I'm glad she doesn't work nights.

I had the 23-yr old kid again on Monday night.  He was downgraded to med-surg & I worked to transfer him as quickly as possible.  His personality...or lack of personality was starting to show by then.  I think he was starting to go thru detox.  Anything I asked him was either replied with a "yes", "no" or no response at all...just staring off as though I never asked him anything.  I could tell then that he needs a lot of help...beyond anything our hospital could offer him.  The rehab place didn't want him either.  They prefer people that willingly come in as opposed to being forced.  I agree I guess, not much is going to change unless the person decides they need to change their life.  Hopefully he won't go on to harm anyone else.

I had a transfer from ICU on Monday night.  He asked for a sleeping pill & I saw that he had one already ordered...Restoril.  So I gave it to him.  The next day it appeared that he had a stroke.  His left side was very weak, could barely move his leg or arm.  The admitting doctor blamed it on the Restoril.  Huh???  Sleeping pills don't cause left-sided weakness.  The cardiologist says it's a stroke.  The CT scan of his brain showed no stroke.  He was alert, so I can't say it was the sleeping pill either.  Very odd!  Hopefully it will resolve.

One patient I had for 4 nights in a row.  She used to be a housekeeper at the hospital.  She was a pleasure to talk to.  It was interesting to hear her stories and how she once repeatedly told a doctor to be quiet because she thought the doctor's continuous yelling was unnecessary.  Good for her!  I have to agree, some of these doctors are like 2-yr olds having tantrums.  They speak/yell first instead of thinking it through first. 

Only two weeks until my vacation.  I had planned on packing this week, but time off is going by so quickly.  I am going to my mom's house tomorrow because I'll be working on Mother's day.  The baseball team I like has advanced to the state semi-finals.  I'm debating about whether to drive 3 hours to Sarasota to watch them play or not.  That's a long drive! 

Time for me to catch up on some tv.  Have a good weekend everyone!