We are getting there

Slowly, but surely our HAPU rate is going down. Why would we worry about it, anyway?

In rehab, HAPU is something that will derail the most eager patient. It can even kill you. 

As I tell the patients, your skin is a force field.If you damage it, your bones and everything else can suffer when dirt and microbes from the environment decide to invade and make you sick.

Simple but effective...for most people. All we can do is repeat and maybe by the hundredth time, it will stick.

So, we'll keep on going. TGIF to all wherever you are.

Lather, rinse, repeat part 37

(head bang into wall) Please tell me how many more days of Purgatory this grad school "teamwork" class is again?

Only 57 more days, my classmate, R. reminds me. It's just not soon enough.(another head bang)

Lather, rinse, repeat

It's not just on a shampoo bottle. It's the story of my life in taking care of Mr. J., one of our usual suspects. My shift went as follows.

1. Suction him (very frothy trach) on first rounds.
2. Do AM bowel routine.
3. Return in 30 minutes to clean up, then suction again.
4. Finish bowel routine.
5. Suction. Leave.
6. Move bed from across unit storage so admission has a bed in his room (and all other assorted furniture). Do dressings on other patient. Thank goodness she can survive without me!
7. Come back, do AM care, dressings, PICC dressing (since he has one that's falling off), turn.
8. Suction 'cause you rolled him a little too much changing the linens.
9. Reposition and all is good for about 30 minutes.
10 Admit new person down the hall.
11. Feed Mr. J. lunch.
12. Suction after lunch. Fluff, buff, make all comfy.
13. Turn, clean up, drop full suction canister on table and floor.
14. Clean up mess, call for Housekeeping. (Thanks Bob! I couldn't live without you.)
15. Get Mr. J. ready to get up. Mr. J. decides to stay in bed today.
16. Suction.
17. Reposition. Fluff, buff.
18. Take care of other patients.
19. Finally, eat lunch during department meeting: elapsed time 10 minutes (I ate slow with a salad).
20. Send labs on new patients. Let new patient take a nap.
21. Finish admission and assorted paperwork.
22. Get ready to leave and hear a tornado warning called on intercom: Code Gray. Everyone out of the pool!
23. Wake up napping patient (already awake) and help him transfer to wheelchair to get into hallway.
24. Quitting time comes.
25. Run out the door, do not pass go, do not collect $200.

Getting Bubba home safely after making it through a hailstorm and watching the tornadic clouds on the horizon just two miles away: priceless.

I celebrated the end of the tornado warning with a drink , a soak in the tub and a good scrubbing, and lather, rinse, repeat.

More to come...