Short Week

 

It has been a strange week at work.  First off - we are full.  Usually the summer months are our slow months, but we are full...the entire hospital.  ICU was the busy unit this week - lots of unstable patients.  One came in walking & talking and within a couple of hours - coded & died.  She was only 53 years old.  Another one recently had open heart surgery at another hospital.  Came to our hospital with symptoms of a stroke - sure enough it was & within hours she was non-responsive & on the verge of death.  It's scary to see how quickly things can change - so unpredictable. 

I only worked on Monday & Tuesday nights - that was enough.  We get patients from this certain skilled nursing facility where they are spoiled beyond belief.  I had one a few weeks ago that wanted me to scratch his butt...ummm, never will I be doing that for a patient - especially one that has 2 hands that work just fine!!!!!  Another nurse got a patient from that place & this patient was in a room near where I was sitting.  Literally every 5 minutes it was "Nurseeeeee, I need this.  Nurseeeee, I need that."  Non-stop the entire day & night. She would doze off & wake up demanding more things.  I went in to help the nurse move her up in bed & sure enough - I heard her asking for a butt massage.  Ummmm....neverrrrrrrrr.  This is health care...not a massage therapy center.  She wanted some wave/water bed type bed because she wasn't comfortable.  I don't even know what she was talking about.  All she did was complain non-stop too - even after you bend over backwards to meet her needs.  I stopped responding to her calling out.  It was all just needy stuff - not necessary stuff.  She woke up about 1 am demanding apple sauce.  I felt like asking - what would you do if you were at home?  No one would be getting up & getting you apple sauce at 1 am.  It's time for bed!  This wasn't even my patient & she was on my nerves...lol. 

Of course my patients were on my nerves too.  Just silly little demands...repeatedly.  I had one patient that kept lifting up his gown & showing all he had.  Do I really need to see that every time I go in the room?  He was totally alert & oriented too.  I think he just enjoyed flashing whoever was around.  I finally told him that he had to stay covered up, that people walk by his door & don't need to see that.  His reply "They can look the other way." Ummm, no buddy, that's not how it works.  Finally I just shut his door.  What is wrong with some people??? 

I had another one that was obsessed with constipation.  I gave him dulcolax and lactulose.  He complained the entire night that they wouldn't work and how he takes 9023840 things at home to make him go.  Well, that's why - his body got used to needing those medciations in order to have a bowel movement.  He was mad that we weren't giving him all of those things.  Some people get too obsessed with this.  Within a few hours, he went plenty...but the next night I had to hear it all again.  Sigh!!!

I got a new admit on Tuesday night.  A 38 yr old with chest pain.  I actually felt bad for him because he had no insurance and a newborn baby at home.  I kept thinking about how high his hospital bills must be.  I do like the younger patients though - they are much more self-sufficient and grateful. 

My puppy is growing.  Her ears are trying to stand up...it's cute.  My class is over with - I had a 96 average...yay...an A.  It's nice to be free again without any papers to write. 

I think I'm going to go watch a movie!  Bye all!