You'd think Tuesdays wouldn't be so bad...nurse brings in lots of pens from the conference, people are happy and we are slated for no admissions. I could dream about it, but it wasn't easy at all today. I told our specialist that I am one of the most highly paid janitors/support staff as I filled every single cart on the main hall with isolation gowns. Why? We have support staff, who don't really feel it's their job to do it. No, sitting in front of the boob tube (reserved for patients) and playing pool (also reserved for patients) is really a more productive effort. If my male boss only had some balls. Removing the pool table ones to his office might help the situation.
I had three patients today, and our clinic nurse actually got one ready, since she needed him for a procedure early. I was very grateful. The other two were their usual eccentric selves, and yes, for them it's all about bowels. One goes too much, one goes too little. One gets out of bed without issue and the other leaves a trail on the sliding board as he's transferring. What does the nurse win, Pat? Another heave ho back to the bed for the patient, with the nurse leading the charge.
Just remember all you nursing students out there, if a patient is stuck in transfer halfway on the bed, you can get them all the way there by employing a maneuver I like to call "the dump". Basically, you get their legs and heave them onto the bed. They may be on their side and a little off kilter, but once you get them to the safety of the bed, put up whatever rails you can on any side they could slide out on, and maneuver them around from the other. I love low air loss mattresses, especially if they're made up right, because, by nature, the sheets are slick and you can slide most people wherever you need them to go in bed with little effort.
Said sliding mess patient eventually did get cleaned up, got lunch and got to the wheelchair for afternoon therapy. It was a workout though, for him and for me. I read this article tonight very carefully, so I can keep my back out of trouble!
After all that excitement, I got to move another patient because his roommate was isolated for a new bug. Yes, I'm an expensive mover, too.
More later...stay tuned.
1 comment:
I always wondered what the best ways to move patients and how some women can lift heavier patients. As a lower back sufferer myself, I find the types of articles that you provided to be the most helpful. There is another that helps on this nursing site that also shine light on it.
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