I can't sleep

The toads are croaking really loud tonight...need the earplugs! So thankful Dahey gets them at work.

I took care of some interesting characters lately. First one, is in rehab due to thoracic spinal fusion. Once his vertebral problems were solved, Mr. X. couldn't walk, and docs realized he suffered a high thoracic spinal cord injury.

Just to add to the fun, Mr. X. was a raging alcoholic and has Korsakoff's psychosis. One night, he was particularly mad, so he called security and told them we were holding him against his will and restraining him. Security asked that we disconnect his phone, so we did. Thankfully, his call light is not nearly as fun to play with for him. He's been a handful, but keeps quiet for me because I give him cups of coffee. This also helps when getting him up, since coffee is the real reason I get him to go to therapy.

Me: "Okay, we're going to get you ready to go."
Mr. X: "Where?"
Me: "To therapy. They're waiting for you."
Mr. X: "I don't want to go there."
Me: "Here's the deal. You go there, and after, I'll get you another cup of coffee."
Mr. X.: "Okay, when do we leave?"

Mr. X has had a lot of other typical issues that alcoholics have in addition to the psychosis. Keeping his skin healthy has been one of the main challenges. I got a handle on things this week, but it will be interesting to see how long that lasts.

I love it when it's easy to find motivators to get people to do things. One of my developmentally disabled patients at Saintarama loved Diet Pepsi, so I always made sure I had one (and a cup of ice on the side) whenever she completed therapy. Too bad I don't have motivators like that at the Hotel. No sodas here, unless they come from me or the volunteers.

Another patient is one motivated character. All Hoss wants to do is to go on a Harley ride this summer with his brother. He'll do anything to get there, so he's another quick sell on going to therapy.

They are challenging characters, but I was very happy with their behaviors this week. I'm hoping I'm on a roll!
Back to writing the last paper of the semester.

More to come...

Read, read, read

That was my day today...after I took a nap to recover from my last evening shift of the week. I'm so glad Dahey works at an industrial site because I really needed those earplugs to silence the crazy barking Beagle next door (it always barks during the day just as I'm trying to sleep!)

The great countdown to the CRRN exam is on! I have until April 15 to apply and I have to take the test sometime in June according to the ARN web site. Hopefully, I can get a day off when(and if) I need it!

Here are a couple of the books I was reading today, some of which came from this list.

1. Rehabilitation Nursing by Shirley Hoeman. It's the classic, it's big, and it's got a lot of information in it. The fourth edition was revised in 2008, which also makes this book the newest one I have.

2. Gerontologic Nursing by Meiner and Lueckenotte. It's not the one on the ARN list, but I figured it looked pretty good.

3. Nursing TimeSavers: Neurological Disorders. It's 20th century, but has some really good sections with diagrams in a small package on neuroanatomy and signs and symptoms of various diseases.

4. Rehabilitation Nursing Procedures Manual, Second Edition. This book comes from the folks at the nation's premier rehab hospital, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC). It's 20th century, too, but just leafing through it today, I picked up a few new tricks about taking care of patients with TLSOs, halos and helping with donning and doffing clothes.

I also ran through a few units in the Rehab Nursing Series for the CRRN. It has a workbook which you must print from PDF (it's about 200 pages). I've been working with just the book and it was really helpful to sit down with both today.

Now it's time to get ready for work tomorrow. More to come.