Shake it up

I shook up the assignments when I worked last. I'm sure I'll hear about it again for ages. Why, you ask? I needed to get things done quickly once I arrived, so I did the assignment at home. I did not account for the people who worked the weekend, just as the boss regularly does.

Everyone did get  a reasonable assignment, though. I balanced every one's patients so no one had anything impossible. As the leader, I had the lightest assignment, because  I got the assignment to be the troubleshooter for everyone. Thankfully, the day was steady and not crazy. Our on-call doc kept me busy, when patients weren't thinking of some things for me to do.

Here's a list of some of the oddball items for the day:

1. One patient was doubled over in his chair and discovered by our chief when he was going to the elevator. Said patient was helped up, then got an order that he needed a strap to get up. He begged me to find something. I looked and looked all over the unit and I finally found one...in my car (I use it with a couple of elderly relatives I occasionally transport.)

He thanked me with a large piece of chocolate cake his wife brought him from one of the local premium bakeries. Yum!

2. Since our doc saw him doubled over, he figured he might need some labs. I drew those, then put in an IV after our super nurse, Mike, the old ICU nurse couldn't get him. Turns out this patient has a secret. His hand veins are the best...and hurt the least. I got one in his hand on the first stick (because couldn't get one in the one of the several monsters on his upper arms).

3. And finally, one patient had an urgent request: he wanted a backgammon board. I scoured the games section of the rec room and didn't find one. I did find him some dominoes, and left a message for the  rec therapy people so they can fulfill his "urgent" request  when they come back.

Only time will tell how the rest of the week goes, so stay tuned!