Cold Blooded Murder

Never did I think something like this would happen. Not that it couldn't happen, because it can & has...at other places, but not here...not so close to home. I'm in shock.

Yesterday I got to work & was told there was just a shooting at our sister hospital...someone got shot in the parking garage. I didn't know what to think. Like why of all places...a hospital parking garage? I was able to get in touch with someone that was working there that night & she informed me that it was a surgeon that had been shot. The news was reporting that both the shooter and the victim were in critical condition.

It wasn't long before I found out the shooter died. Silently I thought...GOOD. What kind of person murders a surgeon in cold blood? Not just any type of surgeon, but a transplant surgeon. Those type of surgeons perform nothing short of miracles. Their glory isn't in the money they make, but in the lives they save.

Our hospital is well known for having a dream team of a transplant team. It's a small team, but a great one. Last year...the 4 surgeons & the rest of their team transplanted 3 livers and 5 kidneys. They also harvested 2 hearts, 4 livers, 4 sets of kidneys & a pancreas in ONE weekend. They are awesome people. Yeah, it's not much compared to the big hospitals in this country, but for Florida...it was recordsetting & it shows their commitment to doing what they love...helping people get a new chance at life.

Back to Thursday night...a disgruntled patient...hunted down one of the surgeons & shot him in the hospital parking lot. It happened with other people around. We know for certain the surgeon was the target, because thankfully, the shooter didn't shoot anyone else....besides himself a few minutes later.

They both died.

Things aren't supposed to happen like this. Anyone involved in health care knows we are in a vulnerable profession. We try our best to help people who are feeling their worst. Sometimes we end up having to care for people that are not mentally stable. We all know the risks...mostly in the form of abuse...physically &/or emotionally. It's a given. Not everyone is going to like you. We don't expect to be murdered because of our job.

We were talking about it last night at work....at any given time, anyone can walk into our hospital & just start shooting. I guess that can happen anywhere (and does). I can only hope that this does not become more common. I'm not going to say we should have better security because of what happened. I doubt any amount of security could have changed what happened Thursday evening. If someone really wants to hurt you, chances are more on their side of it happening than ours.

Still though, it's not right.

RIP Dr. N.

Yeee Hawww

The time has come that I give in to being a "country" girl. I was born just outside of Chicago, but raised here in Florida (most of my life). I never listened to country...like ever. For me, Florida, was in the south...but not a redneck, southern accent, beer drinking type place like all the other southern states...lol. No one has a "Florida" accent. Probably cause 95% of us are from somewhere else. Unlike Georgia, where you can barely understand anything they say or North Carolina or Tennessee...the ones who have the real southern accents.

Sure I like (ok, loveeeeeee) Tim McGraw & Garth Brooks. I enjoy Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney & Martina McBride. But it was not until May 1st of this year when I heard Luke Bryan sing for the first time, that I decided I am partly country.....if that's possible. Now I'm not gonna start wearing jeans & boots or start drinking whiskey...but I am going to enjoy listening to his music. I'll be honest...I'm not sure if it's the music or his looks....ok, yeah, right...it's his looks...who am I kidding. He's adorable. His music/accent takes a little getting used to...because to a degree he does have that Georgia Gomer Pyle type accent. More than his looks though, the man can work a crowd!!!!!!!!! Like from 0 to 60 in no time flat.

What I'm talking about (if you're still reading this)...is the Emotional Traffic/Tim McGraw concert. The Band Perry opened for him....ehhh, they have a long way to go. They have one really good hit song, but they are amateurs compared to the other opening act.....Luke Bryan. I had heard his name, but never his music or him in person. He livened that crowd right up. I don't even know why he's opening for people...he could definitely sell out concerts on his own. I guess it takes time, because last year it was Lady Antebellum who I saw opening for Tim & now look at them. :)

Dare I say it.......Luke was better than Tim. GASP! And you know how much I loveeeeeeee Tim McGraw. Don't get me wrong, the concert was great...something was lacking though. Seemed like Tim didn't have a lot of energy. He needs to do whatever Luke does, cause that guy has tons of energy.

Ok, enough of the concert review...back to work type stuff. Hmmm...this part-time status is great! My bank account isn't too happy, but mentally I like it. I feel like I hardly ever work. On top of that....my niece & nephew finally got to go home. So I have my house back...my privacy....my freedom! Oh, how I have missed it. I worked last Wed & Thurs...have been off since Friday morning & I have not left the house once....except to get the mail & newspapers. My sleep schedule is all messed up...I'm not sure I'll ever figure out how to successfully go from a night schedule to a day schedule. Regardless, it doesn't matter.......I can sleep when I want. I can be awake all night long & it doesn't matterrrrrr....cause I don't have anywhere to be & nothing to do but rest & relax. It's heaven on earth, I'm telling you!

Work is still crazy. I have never seen a hospital so full all the time. I don't know where these people come from. It's not like we're the only hospital in the vicinity. There has to be at least 7 or 8 hospitals within 30 miles of one another. Yet we are filled to the capacity night after night, day after day. I don't know if it's that we truly are busy or that they are just admitting people that normally wouldn't be admitted. If they are, they aren't on my floor...cause on my floor, the patients seem really sick.

I had a pretty good group of patients this past week. One man is a sad story though.....in his 60's, broke his hip, had surgery, discharged to rehab only to end up with a septic infection. Now he's been in the hospital for over a month I think...just laying there. Can't pass the swallow eval, family is hesitant to agree to a feeding tube. Sad. One minute everything is fine, the next you fall & your life changes forever.

Speaking of falls...lately we've had a bunch of them. They keep asking us what we can do to decrease it. I have no idea. We do now more than ever....round every hour, bed alarms, clearly communicating to every patient to call us for assistance. Short of sitting next to their bed all night or restraining them to the bed...I don't know what else we can do.

I had another patient who came in with a hemoglobin in the low 6's. That is really bad. We gave him 4 units of blood, but have yet to determine where he is bleeding. His stool was negative. He had no signs or symptoms. What the heck? Where does the blood go? The lovely doctor on his case wanted us...the nurses...to do a digital disimpaction. Ummmmm...yes, it's as gross as it sounds. United, the nursing staff refused & put it back on the doctor that if he wants that done, he can do it himself. My fingers are not going there. There are some lines I must draw. Luckily, the patient was able to go on his own.

I had a few other patients, but nothing really stands out. It's nice to be working on weekdays & seeing some of my other nursing friends who I hadn't worked with in awhile. Hope everyone has a great week!!!