3...2..

Almost 1. It's finally the last week of the semester and I'm ready. (Been ready!)

Just have to get my computer to cooperate and get through this last week, complete my assignments and enjoy the weekend.

More to come...stay tuned!

Homework

In the house, in the office, in the laundry room.You name it, I've got all sorts of homework: the housework kind as well as the school kind.

Assignment #1 due next week. I think the weekend will be busy...

More to come...if I survive the onslaught.

I get the last laugh

Nitwit, the co-team lead for the last part of the semester with Silent Bob (he was too often quiet) drove me crazy during most of the semester. He/she thinks him/herself to be the world's greatest writer, which would be like saying Tattoo from Fantasy Island was the world's tallest man.

Nevertheless, Nitwit, who had always been looking for ways to thwart everything (and I mean everything) I put into our projects, decided he/she didn't want me to mention a particular industry tool in my section of the paper.

Much comment ensued, Nitwit went all ghetto (which is hard when you look like you just came from the Swiss Alps)and took out the information and substituted another generic info bit.

Needless to say, I was pretty perturbed last night. Since we have to write evaluations for the team leaders after each section, I was prepared to skewer him/her in them.

I decided not to today, as I was reading our classmates submissions and then re-reviewing ours.

Nitwit might have thought he/she removed all references to this item, but he/she missed one.And I chuckled to myself, "One day he/she will learn the proper ways to use find and replace in Word."

Karma's a bitch, baby, and she's got puppies...just sayin'!

Just do it!

The Nike slogan was my mantra the last night I worked, and thankfully, most people got it.

Everyone got an equal assignment (myself included.) I don't mind taking an extra load, but tonight I needed an equitable assignment!

The nurse who decided his/her feet were swelling and he/she needed a different assignment so he/she could sit down, talked to another nurse and they traded (he/she got more people until relief came, he/she got a lesser assignment for part of the night).

I got to do multiple suctionings on one of my antsy trach patients, clean his/her wheelchair from seat down in the shower due to an accident, scrub him/her up,  wash his/her clothes, and change a catheter, in addition to the dressings this patient has.

Next, I got to do an emergency scramble when one family member breezes by the nurses station and says, "Oh, I tried to wake up, Bob, my brother, and he's not waking up." Run down hall with blood pressure machine and oxygen sat. Brother is sleeping, but easily roused. Nice. People just don't get saying something like that will get a nurse's dander up. Sheesh!


Needless to say, I was absolutely thrilled that my other patients were not so needy. My only exception: Mr. Bottled Water. Since he's run out, we can only get him water from the ice machine, since it's filtered, "and tastes so much better."

Too bad the honchos won't just buy filtered pitchers for all of them. Maybe I'll suggest that to his family for their next visit.

More to come...

Not routine anything

You know you're going to have an off-the-wall night when...

First thing after dinner, one of your veteran nursing assistants wants a new assignment. Her patient with visitors is being an a$&, and it's his birthday. Thankfully, family member is an RN, made him apologize after a long heart-to-heart talk, and all is well. Except NA still got reassigned to another patient at his/her  request. Who got birthday boy? Me.

Next, right as your finishing your charge nurse paperwork and after dinner, the powers that be call a storm warning. Everyone out into the halls...if they'll go. Only about 50% of our people did despite much cajoling. The fun part was dragging in the people who went outside to watch before security brought them inside. One guy came from next door looking for the poker tournament in the rain (none was in progress).  Patients are getting really tired of going into the hall for weather warnings. Had to batten down the rest of them and cross my fingers. Thankfully, it all blew over, slowly.

Another NA wants to go home early. I'm really getting tired of the "I should get to go home early" spiel I'm noticing on my shift. He/she checks with night super, super says OK and he/she leaves, all work done at 2230. Turns out it wasn't so bad after all...he/she had storm damage at home and needed to help family get a generator and a chain saw. Didn't feel so unhappy after all that. However he/she  had  fun getting home. All but one road was blocked by debris from the storm.

Just hoping the Easter bunny doesn't get too wet and I survive my next trip to the Hotel. May need a boat to come home next time.

Stay tuned. It's all good at the Hotel Rehab...most of the time!