These heroes are dead. They died for liberty - they died for us. They are at rest. They sleep in the land they made free, under the flag they rendered stainless, under the solemn pines, the sad hemlocks, the tearful willows, and the embracing vines. They sleep beneath the shadows of the clouds, careless alike of sunshine or of storm, each in the windowless Place of Rest. Earth may run red with other wars - they are at peace. In the midst of battle, in the roar of conflict, they found the serenity of death. I have one sentiment for soldiers living and dead: cheers for the living; tears for the dead. ~ Robert G. Ingersoll
Thank you Uncle Max. You gave your life in World War II far from home crossing a river I lived to see in peacetime even though I never met you.
Thank you Skippy, injured in the jungles of Vietnam. You wore your scars every single day I knew you.
Thank you, all veterans, who gave your lives for the cause of freedom or died later as a result of it, on this Memorial Day.
We remember you and we remember freedom isn't free. You paid the ultimate price.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
You know you're a nurse when...
1. You get excited about dressing really horrible wounds. I like to consider myself the Queen of the WoundVAC since K. retired.
2. Input and output doesn't faze you.
3. Vomit? How much and what color, you ask.
4. And if the doc recommends this (as a transferring physician did recently), you know exactly what it is.
2. Input and output doesn't faze you.
3. Vomit? How much and what color, you ask.
4. And if the doc recommends this (as a transferring physician did recently), you know exactly what it is.
In honor of our disabled vets
The NY Times has a story this weekend about the Joe Bonham Project at Walter Reed.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
And some thing I forgot....
If you're due to get your annual or infrequent cancer screenings, whether they are mammograms, colonoscopies, or your visit to your favorite dermatologist, please go!
I don't care who you are, what your name is, you need to GO, as recommended, based on your own personal history.
Too many people I know have had those big CA diagnoses this year, and some of them are not pretty.
That is all...stay tuned!
I don't care who you are, what your name is, you need to GO, as recommended, based on your own personal history.
Too many people I know have had those big CA diagnoses this year, and some of them are not pretty.
That is all...stay tuned!
The week that was
So happy the Memorial Day weekend is here, because I'm free from the idiocy of the Hotel.
What a week!
1. Bubba decided to goof off at day camp and injure himself. Hello Next Door Neighbor Peds ER. I think he'll be careful about goofing off in the pool next time if he wants to stay in it.
2. The new nurses started in the SU satellite clinic and have lots of good ideas, some of which may actually work with some of the primadonnas on our medical staff. One nurse was promptly pulled back to the floor because well-meaning manager never thought anyone would call in sick on payday before a holiday. Sounds like a writeup is coming!
3. I got to educate more people. Computer education, health education, you name it. I hope those educators don't get wigged out. There's way more education needed than what we're allotted to do.
One of my coworkers is working on a leadership project in my area...which happens to be the NBT (Next Best Thing) in healthcare. The Manglement puts articles on the employee intranet, on Facebook and Twitter, yet the non-clinical people have no clue what it is. D. is gonna have to do some education herself.
4. I get to work on a memorial project for our deceased patients at the Hotel (this started last year). The support staff working on it are just too damned cheery for me. We'll see how it goes.
More to come...the big project starts next week in advance of the big trek.
What a week!
1. Bubba decided to goof off at day camp and injure himself. Hello Next Door Neighbor Peds ER. I think he'll be careful about goofing off in the pool next time if he wants to stay in it.
2. The new nurses started in the SU satellite clinic and have lots of good ideas, some of which may actually work with some of the primadonnas on our medical staff. One nurse was promptly pulled back to the floor because well-meaning manager never thought anyone would call in sick on payday before a holiday. Sounds like a writeup is coming!
3. I got to educate more people. Computer education, health education, you name it. I hope those educators don't get wigged out. There's way more education needed than what we're allotted to do.
One of my coworkers is working on a leadership project in my area...which happens to be the NBT (Next Best Thing) in healthcare. The Manglement puts articles on the employee intranet, on Facebook and Twitter, yet the non-clinical people have no clue what it is. D. is gonna have to do some education herself.
4. I get to work on a memorial project for our deceased patients at the Hotel (this started last year). The support staff working on it are just too damned cheery for me. We'll see how it goes.
More to come...the big project starts next week in advance of the big trek.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
A lifetime later
A killer confesses to a crime that changed childhood in much of urban and suburban America.
I cannot even imagine...
I cannot even imagine...
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
It's shouldn't be limited to physicians
I ran into this article about physicians and Facebook via e-mail recently.
From the things I see at the Hotel, they should extend this to everyone on the Hotel staff who has regular contact with patients.
I like my license and I plan to keep it. Consequently, if you're one of our patients, I won't be your friend on Facebook.
More to come...
From the things I see at the Hotel, they should extend this to everyone on the Hotel staff who has regular contact with patients.
I like my license and I plan to keep it. Consequently, if you're one of our patients, I won't be your friend on Facebook.
More to come...
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
You think you have it bad
Here are some items I saw recently in the news, thanks to the folks over the pond at the BBC.
Can't pay your hospital bill and you just had a baby? Be glad you're not in Greece.
The man who invented the remote control died this week. Should we blame him for selfish husbands who hog the remote and monopolize the TV?
Cherry wood and crystal in a car? What? Apparently this guy has that in his car.
I thought I had some obnoxious relatives until I read about hers.
I don't feel so bad anymore...
Can't pay your hospital bill and you just had a baby? Be glad you're not in Greece.
The man who invented the remote control died this week. Should we blame him for selfish husbands who hog the remote and monopolize the TV?
Cherry wood and crystal in a car? What? Apparently this guy has that in his car.
I thought I had some obnoxious relatives until I read about hers.
I don't feel so bad anymore...
Sunday, May 20, 2012
I'm going back...
Not to Massachusetts, but back in time. I was eight going on nine years old when Saturday Night Fever came out. The group behind the music was the Bee Gees. I saved my allowance to get the soundtrack and I even found the Greatest Hits (marked by mistake, but they honored it) on sale.
RIP Robin Gibb.
RIP Robin Gibb.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
A little recon
Dear Referring Officials in Said Happy City:
Despite patient comments stating that you all are saying we're an "Army barracks" and "no one wants to go there," you keep sending us patients. Yes, we had a patient family member tell us this yet again that you've said things that are not true.
Yes, we're not the newest Hotel du Jour Rehab, but you're forgetting a few things. Here's the truth:
1. We do our work AND it works. Yes, we have a fine reputation for healing people and we do it over, and over and over again. It's true our specialist physician only calls on certain days, but we are so fortunate to have staff physicians who really get it and know when to say when about calling him/her back for backup if needed.
2. We have a beautiful neighborhood. It's scenic, with bluffs, river, sky and all sorts of wild critters that make it perfectly picturesque. Many patients tell me they try to get by the windows at dusk, or go outside, just to see the deer and other critters mulling around. For many folks from rural areas, it reminds them of home, even though we're not far from the bustle of the city down the road.
3. We have a wonderful place for visiting families to stay. In fact, if it were open to the general public, it would be overrun with those Civil War (and other war) reenactors due to the fact we're so close to historic sites where they go visit. Many of our patients are loathe to leave after staying there (it's that nice).
4. Besides, we are closer to one of the BEST (yes it was rated that way) cultural institutions and it did beat the c$%p out of your nationally rated one because we care...and ours is free to all.
So, please be sure to do your research first from reliable sources, 'cause your recon ain't so good.
Sincerely not,
RehabRN
Despite patient comments stating that you all are saying we're an "Army barracks" and "no one wants to go there," you keep sending us patients. Yes, we had a patient family member tell us this yet again that you've said things that are not true.
Yes, we're not the newest Hotel du Jour Rehab, but you're forgetting a few things. Here's the truth:
1. We do our work AND it works. Yes, we have a fine reputation for healing people and we do it over, and over and over again. It's true our specialist physician only calls on certain days, but we are so fortunate to have staff physicians who really get it and know when to say when about calling him/her back for backup if needed.
2. We have a beautiful neighborhood. It's scenic, with bluffs, river, sky and all sorts of wild critters that make it perfectly picturesque. Many patients tell me they try to get by the windows at dusk, or go outside, just to see the deer and other critters mulling around. For many folks from rural areas, it reminds them of home, even though we're not far from the bustle of the city down the road.
3. We have a wonderful place for visiting families to stay. In fact, if it were open to the general public, it would be overrun with those Civil War (and other war) reenactors due to the fact we're so close to historic sites where they go visit. Many of our patients are loathe to leave after staying there (it's that nice).
4. Besides, we are closer to one of the BEST (yes it was rated that way) cultural institutions and it did beat the c$%p out of your nationally rated one because we care...and ours is free to all.
So, please be sure to do your research first from reliable sources, 'cause your recon ain't so good.
Sincerely not,
RehabRN
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
A day in the life...
Here was my day:
1. Show up and get report from the NPs. This is my favorite part of the day. One of them (we call her mom) is getting ready for her child's wedding. We get an update every day on child, the dogs and the new house.
2. Check e-mail and respond. Realize I'd better get going to my assignment on the other side of campus.
3. As a member of a quality team, I am responsible for visits to certain departments quarterly, thanks to former big boss volunteering my services. It was a stupid move, but since no one will take my place, I'm making the best of it. It gets me out of the office for a morning each quarter.
4. I finished the quality visit, then walked back (outside) to the office slowly to enjoy the glorious weather.
5. When I got back, the therapy staff had lunch for all the nurses (they don't want to intrude on nurses' week, so they always wait one week). It was nice.
6. The rest of my day was playing fix-it. Fix this, fix that, find this, find that.
7. At the end. I set up a meeting with the boss, including a conference call for the nurses on nights to attend. We actually got some callers. I told them how to mute the lines, but somehow, we still heard Stacy getting her hair done (water, etc.)
The boss finally asked, "Are you in a bar or in the bathroom? If it's a bar, tell me which one?"
Happily, the meeting was brief and to the point. People left happy...reasonably speaking. We need more of that on the floor.
Stay tuned...
1. Show up and get report from the NPs. This is my favorite part of the day. One of them (we call her mom) is getting ready for her child's wedding. We get an update every day on child, the dogs and the new house.
2. Check e-mail and respond. Realize I'd better get going to my assignment on the other side of campus.
3. As a member of a quality team, I am responsible for visits to certain departments quarterly, thanks to former big boss volunteering my services. It was a stupid move, but since no one will take my place, I'm making the best of it. It gets me out of the office for a morning each quarter.
4. I finished the quality visit, then walked back (outside) to the office slowly to enjoy the glorious weather.
5. When I got back, the therapy staff had lunch for all the nurses (they don't want to intrude on nurses' week, so they always wait one week). It was nice.
6. The rest of my day was playing fix-it. Fix this, fix that, find this, find that.
7. At the end. I set up a meeting with the boss, including a conference call for the nurses on nights to attend. We actually got some callers. I told them how to mute the lines, but somehow, we still heard Stacy getting her hair done (water, etc.)
The boss finally asked, "Are you in a bar or in the bathroom? If it's a bar, tell me which one?"
Happily, the meeting was brief and to the point. People left happy...reasonably speaking. We need more of that on the floor.
Stay tuned...
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Summertime's a comin'!
Signs of summer at the Hotel Rehab: certain characters call up with life-threatening "illnesses".
Here's what my travelling partner, the NP, told me today.
"You'll never guess who called me today?" she says.
"Who?", I ask
"It's the month of May. Who always calls in the month of May?" NP asks.
"I have no idea." I say
"Hint" she says, (squirrely voice) "I think I have sinus drainage that's green".
"OMG! Not again. Where's the hole now?" I say. (patient has a history of doing nearly ANYTHING to get admitted, including puncturing him/herself.)
"No hole. He/she just called and got a Z-pack." she says.
"Nice. I should have known" I said "It's air conditioning season again. Just wait. He/she will be back."
More to come...summer's on it's way!
Here's what my travelling partner, the NP, told me today.
"You'll never guess who called me today?" she says.
"Who?", I ask
"It's the month of May. Who always calls in the month of May?" NP asks.
"I have no idea." I say
"Hint" she says, (squirrely voice) "I think I have sinus drainage that's green".
"OMG! Not again. Where's the hole now?" I say. (patient has a history of doing nearly ANYTHING to get admitted, including puncturing him/herself.)
"No hole. He/she just called and got a Z-pack." she says.
"Nice. I should have known" I said "It's air conditioning season again. Just wait. He/she will be back."
More to come...summer's on it's way!
Monday, May 14, 2012
In the notes
Since I don't always see everyone in the Hotel in the SU, but I'm still on the team, I have to read the notes to stay current on all the patients we take care of. To do so, I skim the notes.
This was my favorite from one of our consults to audiology (who never tells their patients that they're really in the basement next door and half of them end up in my office...).
"Patient's bilateral ears full of cerumen. Please irrigate and re-consult this service, as testing cannot occur at this time."
Hello?! WT...? Nice. I know the NP who's in charge of ear wax removal, is going to love this one. I'll bet we're not going to send anyone to Ms. Audiology without those Debrox drops first!
Another favorite: we had a patient who needs a urology service consult while he/she is an in-patient. Patient is leaving for the great Rocky Mountain state next week.
RN in charge of this clinic writes in the consult (for the secretary to schedule):
"Please schedule xx urology procedure at earliest date, as patient to discharge by 5/21."
When does the stellar secretary schedule? Consult read: "Patient scheduled at 0930 on 7/30/12 per request". (head plants firmly in desk)
Urology's idea of urgent, surely isn't mine or this patients, either.
I only made it halfway through the patients before I had to get away....stay tuned.
This was my favorite from one of our consults to audiology (who never tells their patients that they're really in the basement next door and half of them end up in my office...).
"Patient's bilateral ears full of cerumen. Please irrigate and re-consult this service, as testing cannot occur at this time."
Hello?! WT...? Nice. I know the NP who's in charge of ear wax removal, is going to love this one. I'll bet we're not going to send anyone to Ms. Audiology without those Debrox drops first!
Another favorite: we had a patient who needs a urology service consult while he/she is an in-patient. Patient is leaving for the great Rocky Mountain state next week.
RN in charge of this clinic writes in the consult (for the secretary to schedule):
"Please schedule xx urology procedure at earliest date, as patient to discharge by 5/21."
When does the stellar secretary schedule? Consult read: "Patient scheduled at 0930 on 7/30/12 per request". (head plants firmly in desk)
Urology's idea of urgent, surely isn't mine or this patients, either.
I only made it halfway through the patients before I had to get away....stay tuned.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Happy Mother's Day
A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. ~Washington Irving
Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there wherever you are, especially those of you working on the floors today.
Mom, I love you and miss you always.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
A fun oddity
Here's a guy with priorities: he needs something to eat while playing those late night card games.
Happy 250th birthday of the sandwich.
Happy 250th birthday of the sandwich.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Nurse as patient? Not!
Sometimes, I really don't like being the patient.
But now, (or earlier today) I was. I had to go see my favorite specialist. Dr. RG has known me since I was this (motion hand to waist) high. He's an international expert on all sorts of weird things in his spare time (usually the not so nice things you might find in a house figure into his work) He became my primary specialist once I aged out of the Children's Medical Center next door to PrivateU. All during college, work, PrivateU again, he'd seen me, at least once or twice a year.
I even sent my husband to him, once he was on my insurance and lo and behold, I find out that Dr. RG has known my husband's family for years because of a relative. We had much joking after that, but from that moment years ago, Dr. RG (who's always attentive) became even more attentive.
When Dr. RG's wife died a few years ago, he surprised me. One, he gave me a hug, because he said he realized that some of his patients (who had been seeing him forever like me) needed one and life was too short. Two, he was, and has always been the doctor to whom I could ask all those weird questions about research and other stuff. He is a font of knowledge. I knew when he gave me advice recently, it was the advice my relative would have given me if he were here. He wasn't, but Dr. RG was.
So now, after the usual checkup, I got a referral to two specialists. One was a second opinion (no bother to me) and another to a neurologist. Dr. RG thinks my problems could be something else, and I need to get them investigated.
Dr. RG told me something else. He's finally retiring. Not to worry, he said, there are plenty of good specialists at PrivateU to take his place. His replacement is nice, but I've decided to see Bubba's specialist. After all, I know he's been trained by the best, because I saw him when he interned with Dr. RG a few years ago.
Dr. RG is going to fulfill his life's ambition and work in a health clinic affiliated with PrivateU part time. He's thrilled and while I'm sad he won't be my doctor, I'm happy he'll still be around taking care of people who need him.
Stay tuned...
But now, (or earlier today) I was. I had to go see my favorite specialist. Dr. RG has known me since I was this (motion hand to waist) high. He's an international expert on all sorts of weird things in his spare time (usually the not so nice things you might find in a house figure into his work) He became my primary specialist once I aged out of the Children's Medical Center next door to PrivateU. All during college, work, PrivateU again, he'd seen me, at least once or twice a year.
I even sent my husband to him, once he was on my insurance and lo and behold, I find out that Dr. RG has known my husband's family for years because of a relative. We had much joking after that, but from that moment years ago, Dr. RG (who's always attentive) became even more attentive.
When Dr. RG's wife died a few years ago, he surprised me. One, he gave me a hug, because he said he realized that some of his patients (who had been seeing him forever like me) needed one and life was too short. Two, he was, and has always been the doctor to whom I could ask all those weird questions about research and other stuff. He is a font of knowledge. I knew when he gave me advice recently, it was the advice my relative would have given me if he were here. He wasn't, but Dr. RG was.
So now, after the usual checkup, I got a referral to two specialists. One was a second opinion (no bother to me) and another to a neurologist. Dr. RG thinks my problems could be something else, and I need to get them investigated.
Dr. RG told me something else. He's finally retiring. Not to worry, he said, there are plenty of good specialists at PrivateU to take his place. His replacement is nice, but I've decided to see Bubba's specialist. After all, I know he's been trained by the best, because I saw him when he interned with Dr. RG a few years ago.
Dr. RG is going to fulfill his life's ambition and work in a health clinic affiliated with PrivateU part time. He's thrilled and while I'm sad he won't be my doctor, I'm happy he'll still be around taking care of people who need him.
Stay tuned...
Sunday, May 6, 2012
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!
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!
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Shut out
I almost went 3 for 3 today.
1. The patient portal I was supposed to get patients registered in for the SU was down...yet again today. I get to try tomorrow for the complete shutout for the week.
2. I got the dreaded Professional Development e-mail, "Sorry, you (a nurse) don't deserve time off on duty to speak at xx International Conference."
It just doesn't matter that you have your boss, your boss's boss and the boss's boss's boss sending letters on your behalf. No, but "you can do this on your vacation time."
But, your colleagues in the department (not nurses) get an all-expense paid trip to their conference.
Idiots. Will be happy to consult my HR/lawyer friend. I smell a rat.
3. My computer keeps acting up. If it dies, I doubt the cheapskates at Madison will let me have another before the end of the fiscal year.
I will be so happy when this week is finally over!
1. The patient portal I was supposed to get patients registered in for the SU was down...yet again today. I get to try tomorrow for the complete shutout for the week.
2. I got the dreaded Professional Development e-mail, "Sorry, you (a nurse) don't deserve time off on duty to speak at xx International Conference."
It just doesn't matter that you have your boss, your boss's boss and the boss's boss's boss sending letters on your behalf. No, but "you can do this on your vacation time."
But, your colleagues in the department (not nurses) get an all-expense paid trip to their conference.
Idiots. Will be happy to consult my HR/lawyer friend. I smell a rat.
3. My computer keeps acting up. If it dies, I doubt the cheapskates at Madison will let me have another before the end of the fiscal year.
I will be so happy when this week is finally over!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
In the news
A few different stories out there recently on my internet meanderings.
Nurse chooses palliative care over aggressive treatment (Washington Post)
I read this article today in one of my newsletters and I agree with the saying that good doctors treat the disease and the best doctors treat the person.
Death of a Charger (from espn.com)
Could the death of Junior Seau be related to concussion syndrome?
World's fastest toilet (from bbc.com)
Who knew? I would have never guessed.
Nurse chooses palliative care over aggressive treatment (Washington Post)
I read this article today in one of my newsletters and I agree with the saying that good doctors treat the disease and the best doctors treat the person.
Death of a Charger (from espn.com)
Could the death of Junior Seau be related to concussion syndrome?
World's fastest toilet (from bbc.com)
Who knew? I would have never guessed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)