For Al, at the end

I never knew, Al, you liked this song, until M. e-mailed me from work and I read a story about you singing it in the condolence list.

We'll miss that crazy light-up wheelchair of yours rolling around the Hotel. Godspeed, friend. Your battles are over and the demons gone.

And we will indeed never go this way again.

MacArthur Park

Spring was never waiting for us, girl
It ran one step ahead
As we followed in the dance


Between the parted pages
And were pressed in love's hot, fevered iron
Like a striped pair of pants


MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain


I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again, oh no


I recall the yellow cotton dress
Foaming like a wave
On the ground around your knees
The birds like tender babies in your hands
And the old men playing checkers, by the trees


MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain


I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again, oh no


There will be another song for me
For I will sing it
There will be another dream for me
Someone will bring it


I will drink the wine while it is warm
And never let you catch me looking at the sun
And after all the loves of my life
After all the loves of my life, you'll still be the one


I will take my life into my hands and I will use it
I will win the worship in their eyes and I will lose it
I will have the things that I desire
And my passion flow like rivers through the sky


And after all the loves of my life
Oh, after all the loves of my life
I'll be thinking of you and wondering why


MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain


I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh no, oh no, no, no, oh no

Let's hope for a whimper...

Severe storms are rolling through RehabLand, so I hope this year doesn't go out with a bang.

More to come...

Are you really off today?

Yes, Bubba, this is what Mom calls a vacation. And I couldn't have asked for better weather, when the temps today are scheduled to soar into the 50 degree range. Yes, 50, after all that snow and ice the past couple of weeks.

Lots of random stuff to do today before certain places close until next year. Should be fun.

Damp and wet

Susie, my nurse friend in California, told me it was coming our way, but it's really damp, wet and dreary here in RehabLand today. I could complain, but at least, it's not snow, or ice...at the moment, anyway.

I'm just waiting in here with WildDog at my feet while my freshly pedicured toes dry.

In the news today:
Bring robots to the ER (from nurse.com) Forget just ER...can we have one for the little stuff for our patients at the Hotel? That would be nice!

Stay tuned...

A dad and lad kind of day

I'm so happy that I didn't have to do much. Dahey took Bubba to the dentist (two baby teeth are finally ready to come out...very close) and both of us went this afternoon to our regular dentist Mitch, who I've seen since 1980-something. It's been so long, I've forgotten how long.

Bubba shrieked and ran into the room a minute ago, when he saw the football game (the last game on Tuesday night was in 1946 BTW). What might do that? A crazed mascot? A crazed Philly fan flinging frozen TastyKakes on the field? Nope...it was Santa.

And here you thought the blizzard of 2010 only delayed flights. Apparently, Santa was delayed, too. Dad and lad are all snuggled on the couch, watching the game.

Stay tuned...momma gets a day all to herself tomorrow.

Some light reading

How to protect your credit cards from electronic pick pockets. If that doesn't work, get a wallet like this, or you can make your own.

Does higher education lure nurses away from the bedside?

And last but not least, it's not at your airport, but you can check the Body Browser.

If they asked me...

I'd tell them what I thought about renovating our end of the Hotel. Alas, Manglement always thinks they know better.

If they really do renovate, it will be more of the same, with newer stuff, and hopefully, more private rooms. I'd love to get out of the moving business.

If you think you've seen everything...

Has Amazon got a proposition for you! I needed a good laugh.

Too bad my Aunt Mildred doesn't use a computer.

Anywho...more to come.

Day with the boys...

Should be interesting to see what we do and where we end up...nothing is scheduled.

Anyway, if you really want to see something interesting and very non-nursing related, check out the 2010 worst Photoshopped photos. I'm so glad I don't have the distorted elbow, or I'd feel a bit like an octopus.

Back later...stay tuned and enjoy your day wherever you are!

Happy Boxing Day!

Hope all of my Canadian friends (especially Maha and Community RN) and the rest of you all who celebrate have a great day!

It's Simply the Best, here with Bubba and Dahey. Cold, snowy, but doing whatever you want is really the best present ever.

Merry Christmas

It really is a picture postcard kind of Christmas Day here. There's a blanket of snow that is just perfect to make into a snowman or snowballs. The local Govahmint has even plowed the road near us and the temps are hanging around the 30F range.

Bubba, Dahey and WildDog loved what Santa brought them. Dahey and Bubba are having a wild and wooly UNO tournament in the living room. I'm hearing lots of interesting comments:
"Boy, you are mean!", "Succotash!", "Four, Five...", "Reverse," "UNO!".

I am happy this year is nearing an end, though. One of my childhood friends who has been through health care hell in the past two years revealed that just after her birthday last weekend, she had a stroke. It's affected reading and speech.She's got quit a few things she's loved for a while, while she rehabs. She was however happy, because she can still walk and take care of herself.  Another friend's husband passed away suddenly.

The noises have finally quieted. Bubba is the King of UNO. WildDog is lying at my feet and Dahey is at his usual place, surfing the 'net and looking for interesting sales coming up. A little later today, we'll meet with relatives for a nice dinner. I am so happy to be healthy this year. It's a gift I wish I could give everyone.

Merry Christmas to you and yours from RehabLand.

Back by popular demand...

A Nurse's Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas.., and all thru the floor
Lasix was given, filling the foleys galore.
Stockings were worn to prevent emboli,
they came in two sizes, knee and thigh high.
The patients were nestled half-assed in their beds,
while visions of stool softeners danced in their heads.
We in our scrubs, and they in their gowns,
Fashions created to hide extra pounds.
When down in the ER it became such a zoo,
they called with admissions for me and for you.
They're coming, they're going, and they're all looking the same.
My patience for patients is starting to wane.
Now call lights are ringing, the patient 400 pounds, says-"
Didn't get my pericare, now send my nurse down."
And now delegation seems the best plan,
We try to send others, to the needs of this man.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But Santa himself and 8 tiny reindeer.
He says he comes from Central Supply.
To bring us LR,NS, & D5.
The doctors then scribbled what no one could read,
Orders on patients, to measure their pee.
We try to decipher illegible words,
orders for patients, to guaiac their turds.
The new shift arriving, our day is now through,
How did stool & emesis get in my shoe?
We give them report and pass on the facts,
and tell them of duoderm lining the cracks.
And the nurses exclaim as they limp out of sight,
"Ativan to them all, and to all good night!!!"

Just in case...

It's snowing again here in RehabLand, and just in case, you want to add some ambiance to your holidays, don't forget the Yule Log.

Even better...it's now available in 3-D.

Enjoy!

Escaped

What better Christmas present to have...

1) You defrost the office refrigerator to kudos from your coworkers.
2) All of your scheduled patients show up early.
3) You get all of your notes done early.
4) You wish farewell to one of your coworkers who's now off to retirement.

I got all these and a partridge in a pear tree...true, all except the partridge.

Even if one of your friends you haven't seen in a long time can't make it home, you go to the restaurant you all go to every time he/she's in, and have your favorite lunch.

You begin the holiday season with family who loves you, who are healthy, and you are blessed with so many good things, including a toilet that is no longer stopped up (love that enzyme stuff!).

Happy holidays, everyone. No matter what you celebrate, enjoy life this weekend.

More later...

Home for the holidays

That's what I told K, the charge nurse today, when Mr. B. came back to us. As usual, he was a thin, straggly mess, and on top of it, sick. It was so sad; a flashback to Christmases past. I've been at the Hotel for a few years now and I can only remember one Christmas without him. Scary.

Since we take in patients from other hospitals to our lovely Hotel, one of the feeder hospitals and their bright medical staff decided a patient we sent home on hospice needs to come back. For what, pray tell? Why their doc seems to think Mr. I. needs more surgery to address his wounds. Do you remember us mentioning that metastatic cancer thing? Or that Mr. I has a very greater than normal chance of dying far away from home, without the support of his family no matter what we do?

No, Dr. X et al think we are Mr. I's (and Mr. B's) family. It's a shame that a) we actually are closer to some of these people than their families and b) we do our job so well.

The only good thing about all of this: at least Mr. B. will get a hot meal tonight. I worry about him every single time I see him.

Stay tuned...more to come.

Yes, I am gonna...

Take 5, a favorite for Professor G., the man who gave me fits, but eventually gave me the A.

Reading, 'rithing, rejoicing

Right now, I'm reading a book called Heroic Leadership by Chris Lowney. I don't expect to find a lot of it at the Hotel, but what the heck?! Gotta learn about how the other half lives somehow.

We had a few people writhing around. Don't you just hate it when people jump and make putting IVs in a bear, since you tend to blow veins (or go through them) when they're squirming. For some figurative squirming, Marissa (not her real name) finally left the Hotel for a job as a wound RN at World Renown. It's about time. How many years has she b*t&ed about her job? Alas, that writhing IS over, too.

Finally, I am still rejoicing that I managed to get an A for the semester in my grad class. It was, by far, the hardest one I've had so far. Hope the next ones aren't terrible! One class like that is enough.

Back to relaxing the night away...more to come.

It really will be merry tonight

'Cause this RN just got an A on the final paper due this semester of grad school. So much relief that I called my class partner...and e-mailed the rest of the group.

Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas!

Forgot to mention...

It's not a happiness log, but I've been keeping track of the odd disorders and ICD diagnoses since I've been on the SU and my list is getting lengthy.
  
Since I'm now a nurse of leisure, baking cookies and getting spirited, I figure I might as well do something else productive. Sure beats housework any day!

Stay tuned...

The holiday season

The holidays can be both happy and sad at the Hotel.

I was a good person today. After a marathon cookie-baking session with Bubba, I delivered some plates to my coworkers at work, just in time before they got ready for their own holiday lunch. Everyone seemed happy to see them.

I also got to talk to a few folks and I found out one of our regular characters died suddenly. Mr. F. and I got along really well, even if I wasn't always assigned to take care of him. He was a very smart guy, with an actual job, and he died with his proverbial boots on at work as he was getting ready to leave for the day. I'll miss those times when he'd ask me about the clues in the New York Times crossword puzzle in the newspaper. He got most of them, but he was always amazed that I could usually find the one he was missing (thanks to the internet). Overall, he was a decent person and never wanted to be a bother to anyone. While I'm sad, I'm not surprised he'd made a quick exit. He went the way he always said he wanted to go.

The holidays will be upon us soon and I'm very excited to see what happens. Stay tuned.

It's a miracle

The semester is finally over. The parties are in full swing, so now I can really enjoy them.

My only research question now: what cookies to make this weekend?

More to come...so many things coming.

Part of the plan?

"One day, we'll all understand."

And hopefully, I can say the same of this wild roller coaster ride that has been 2010.



More to come...

Oh, the irony...

I'm not sure why, but things keep coming out of the woodwork...

Did you know some medical devices require a certain number of parts? Without those essential parts, which may cost thousands of dollars, they are essentially useless? I found this out today when I was talking to the salesman who sold the SU a device. The administrator was distinctly not happy when I told him what may be occurring. Just imagine explaining this to the big boss.... "that machine I told you was $5k, well, it needs "brains" and they're another 10k."

The unit secretary just "forgets" to do things you ask her to do. Things that just happen to be her job. Oh, I needed so much more than coffee this morning. I needed a drink!

Happily, most of the work got done that I needed today. I'm just crossing my fingers that the rest gets done tomorrow.

We'll see....more to come.

Too cool

Yes, lots of things fit that category today.

First, I woke up to the famous "mantel of white". Usually when it's predicted, we hear the snow plows go by on our road in the early morning. Not today. In an effort to save money, the local Govahmint authority in charge of our road will be plowing a) when the wind abates, and 2) later in the day, since after all, it is a Sunday, and not everyone works anyway. Nice.

And Grumpy, one of my favorite neuros (yes, I have a couple...) posted this dream job recently on his blog. With the way my back's been acting lately, I think my dream job will be massage chiropractic therapy test patient for interning chiropractors or my father's favorite, mattress tester.

Off I go. Time to take Bubba and WildDog out to play in the snow, since we're not going anywhere. Stay tuned....

Maybe I am getting to be a night person...

Or I'm just liking getting these exams over with whenever the house is still.

Mere days left...on to the final paper.

Stay tuned.

Oh, this song was rolling in my head around 10AM...

I don't care where we go/I don't care what we do
Just take me with you.

Sure thought that very thing this morning when I saw A. in the hall getting ready to leave.

Especially when I got back and I had to get five patients' urine specimens and escort one potentially unstable patient to our psych service.

TGIF everyone...whew!

Sick car, sick day

And it's really supposed to be a vacation day, not a sick day...not fun. Going to hide in bed as soon as I can.

More to come...

The end of the specialist

Our specialist and his crew left recently. I hadn't seen them much since I went to the SU, but the specialist, being the old surgeon he is, was as surly as ever. Maybe just a chance to posture before I got out the door. So to be silly, I went and whispered to his senior assistant NP, and got a chuckle or two. I was nice, though, I thanked him for the things I learned while he was around via e-mail. His assistant may come back, so who knows when we'll meet again.

The SU has been hopping recently with the hustle and bustle. As usual, we have our cancellations, but on a recent day, we needed them. The doc can get overwhelmed. I'm just trying to keep him afloat. If  we don't have him, we don't have an SU. He has been a joy to work with.

On another note, the Big Cheese told me first (can you believe it?) that he may have a new job for me, that is right in line with my grad school work. I'm so excited. I'm hoping I get it, and the sooner, the better. Even if it  is a new position, with new responsibilities, I'm ready. Going to the SU has been a good thing for me, and getting out of the floor environment is refreshing. Yes, every department has something going on, but hope abounds up here. Maybe it's the atmosphere or maybe it's the fact that I feel like I'm wanted.

Nevertheless, even when it's hard, it's making my holidays happy. They'll be even happier when my grad school project is done.

Not long now...back to work! Stay tuned!

Snow?

Brr! It's so cold now, does it really have to snow in RehabLand for people to get in the holiday spirit? I'm just crossing my fingers that Dahey and Bubba don't get frostbite goofing off, since they never do that.

The end of semester and holidays are not coming soon enough.

I know why now...

There's a lock on the staff restroom. While stopping by the office, I went to use the unlocked restroom down the hall.

Someone left one large BM on a piece of paper towel in the trash can. This in a functioning bathroom, gross! You'd think I was back in a Third World country.

I'm hoping housekeeping comes by to clean that up...more later.

The next two weeks...

Will either kill me or make me stronger. I'm hoping for the latter. Can't wait to actually ENJOY the holiday season once grad school is over for the semester.

May pop in and out from time to time, but will have to set aside the stories for a bit later. So, so many here in the SU.

Now, I'm writing papers and flying a desk and chilling to these sounds...ahh!



Stay tuned...

I had to do it...

I broke down and bought a clipboard, so I could keep my paperwork arranged when seeing patients.
Guess you can call my a clipboard nurse now.

At least, I'll never lose my pens and paper again!

A beautiful mind

I'm using my knowledge of neuroanatomy and learning more every day I'm on the Sister Unit. Consequently, I thought the photos in this latest book were absolutely fascinating.

Off to work I go...more to come.

RIP Leslie Nielsen

Lt. Frank Drebin (from the Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear)
Go ahead, threaten me like you have the American people for so long! You're part of a dying breed, Hapsburg, like people who can name all fifty states! The truth hurts, doesn't it, Hapsburg? Oh sure, maybe not as much as landing on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts!

Oh, it was a crazy sort of day today. Frank Drebin, we could have used your logic to figure out why our unit had no electric all day when our neighboring unit across the way had lights for all those meetings I could see from the window.

And finally...
Lt. Frank Drebin:  Looks like the cows have come home to roost. 

More to come...stay tuned.

A sweet tribute

I love Cake Wrecks. As an amateur cook/baker/decorator, this is one of my favorite sites out there.

So I really enjoyed the latest version of Sunday Sweets, where they feature really cool cakes. Check out this week's version dedicated to police, fire, ambulance AND medical personnel, including nurses.

Hope you do too! More later...

Burnin' down the house

I wasn't just thinking of this song...I had a rack of spare ribs browning in the oven, when a little too much grease met a little extra broil power. Kitchen fires are just not my thing.



Thankfully, everything survived intact. The smoke alarm didn't even go off. Boy, it sure made my safety director Dahey jump, though.

Santa Claus is comin' to town...

And Bubba will be seeing him at a local charity Breakfast with Santa. Hopefully, he has a good time, and all of Santa's beard stays on this year.

Stay tuned...

The kindness of strangers

Yes, I was enjoying my day off shopping on this Black Friday. We shopped early, but enjoyed the lull between the early shopping crazies and the lunchtime shoppers. Bubba had a blast.

When we rested for a short time, I set down my purse. I didn't even notice it until later in the day when I went to look for my cell phone, which also happened to be the most valuable thing in there. (I keep my wallet and keys on me at all times). I started calling around to the stores I was in, to no avail.

Later, I went back to the stores tracing my path. Lo and behold, I found the purse at the bookstore. The lady told me someone found it in the back. I had been trying to call the phone four or five times before I got it back.

"Honey, it's been so loud in here, we never noticed."

Profuse thanks to the bookstore staff. We frequent the store often and will continue. You are all the best.

Happy Thanksgiving

Greetings!

I am so thankful to be off today. Please do not forget the coworkers, friends, and neighbors who may also be working today, especially your favorite nursing staff.

I will be raising my glass at high noon to all of you and hoping you all get out early or on time. Cheers!

I'm not coming back!

That is, until Monday. Oh, the joy I will have, until, of course, I have to submit the class paper that's due on Monday, very early since I have to work.

I was busy, busy  all day and the special lunch we were going to have was canceled, so I just started the Christmas spirit by dressing one of the department skeletons in holiday attire. It's all been approved by the director, and since one skeleton is in his office, thereby sanctioned, and can be easily hidden in a large closet should the PC police come around.

Our patients showed up for the most part and I got to do my first random drug screen. It was interesting to say the least. I was happy that I was not required to accompany the patient, nor was I required to find someone to accompany the patient.

Finally, I got to see a lot of patients rolling around on the sister unit going to therapy and getting lost. It was a lot of fun. More than one of them told me they miss me there.

Happy Thanksgiving all! Off I go to cook and prep!

Stop, drop and roll

Stop

I did not want to jump down the unit secretary's throat today; although I thought about it. I calmly took breaths every time I felt the urge to strangle her. It helped. We made some headway. I am so happy.

Drop

You know the doc you're working with loves the new sterile gloves so much that he's dropping things, just so he can change them.


Roll

Out with one piece of equipment, in with another, and so it goes all day long. At least, I get my workout moving furniture! Patients in and patients out and we did really well today. What a team.

More to come...stay tuned.

Yes, it is Monday

Yes, it is a short week. How  is it that people who just had a short week last week don't want to work this week?

I just don't get it.  I'm going to go soak...Calgon take me away!

Truly lucky me

 Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds.  ~Theodore Roosevelt

One of my friends pointed out that nearby big city made it to this list: Worst Cities for Finding a Job.It's just one big reason I am thankful this Thanksgiving.  Another is that I am actually going to meet one of my classmates this semester and potentially another when both are nearby for the holidays and business. Taking online classes is fun, but I do miss meeting your classmates in person. Hope all of you out there have plenty of blessings and things to be thankful for this year.

I'm also reminded of the sign one of my supervisors used to have on her desk: Be thankful for the things you didn't want, and didn't get.

Stay tuned....

Countdown to T-day

Since I'm not working this year, I'm getting the battle plans set for Thursday. This means an assault on the home and checking all the cabinets, etc. to purge old items and get ready for the new onslaught of foodmania.

Wish me luck...at least the refrigerator's clean!

Stay tuned.

Very much joy

The Evil Accrediting Agency is gone, and to tell the truth, they weren't really evil. They were actually nice. Our surveyor actually gave us a stellar report, and I got to hear it all in the exit meeting. It was just too cool!

Our surveyor liked us so much he/she actually mentioned us by individual name from his/her notes, which really made the big boss puff up like a proud papa. Thankfully, as a result, he is giving us a get out one hour early card anytime before the end of the year, which is really nice. I was hoping for a raise for getting in the cross-hairs again of  the surveyors (i.e. being the chosen person for both JC and EAA), but alas, I'll take an hour here or there, especially to do some holiday shopping.

Black Friday is coming...so I can get out there in the mix and shop away for an extra hour. I'm still on cloud 9 after all the prep to get here, and my celebratory champagne is going to my head. More later...

EAA part one

Yes, the Evil Accrediting Agency came today, and thankfully, they send a relatively congenial inspector. He/she was observant and noticed only one detail out of place (relatively minor).Despite this, he/she kept telling us things looked good and the area has a bright future at Madison.

Yours truly got to escort the inspector and the intern with him/her to a special lunch on the unit the volunteers have on a regular basis. Inspector was impressed. We were, too. Lots of Thanksgiving food was out and everyone was having a good time.

Happily, the afternoon meetings passed quickly. I'm hoping things go well tomorrow on the final day 
of assessment.

Stay tuned...

A shout out to the A-team

No, not that one, but I have been noticing lots of visitors from A-named places: Austria, Australia, Aruba, Alexandria, Arizona and even occasionally Austin.

At this point in time, I wouldn't mind visiting any one of you...especially Aruba and Australia, since you all will be warm and toasty there compared to RehabLand.

As always, thank you for visiting. Off I go for a day of accreditation excitement. Me, my boss, and the chief nurse. Can't wait to get it over with...stay tuned!

Just say hello, goodbye

One patient, Mr. Smack, leaves, and boy, does he treat the nurses. A humongous box of fancy schmancy pastries and absolutely divine chocolate dipped brownies appear in the nurses' lounge. Can you tell his sister, who brought all this stuff knows how to butter up the nurses? It surely helps that she IS one.

Darlin' you and Mr. Smack have a good ol' time driving to Margaritaville, just keep him away from drunk drivers!

And Mr. X., who I checked in last week with my trainee came back. Nothing like a little crashing to send you out to the ICU. Thankfully, they cleared that all up. What's a little sepsis among friends?

Now, I wait for judgment, er, my trip before the accreditation people tomorrow. I'm going to celebrate by doing homework with P. and my group.

More later...

I pinch myself

Every day, when I realize the caliber of  my classmates, and even more so when one, with many years of experience, asks me for advice.

Thank you  S., for your confidence in me, even though, I feel like these guys...

Tired and still kicking....

How many IVs did I start today for the clinic? How many times did I say, "Hold still while I put on these EKG pads."?

Things really slowed down, though, when we had both the neurology resident AND the med student with us. Thank heavens our patients realize we're a teaching hospital!

So glad we got out on time...now I just  have to wait for Evil Accrediting Agency to show up this week. At least, the doc and I will have fun with it...if our boss doesn't intervene.

More to come...

Flying solo

So far, the sky has not fallen. My first day was pleasant, even if some of our administrative staff were not. Most of our patients arrived on time, and one was even early.

We will see how the rest of the week goes...more later.

Out and about

And listening to this album on my laptop on this windy, cool fall day.

Hope your day is equally exciting...stay tuned. My maiden voyage is coming!

Joy in the Hotel...

Yes, I know, we're not supposed to have Christmas music before Thanksgiving, but today was marked by lots of joy, and not just the "Joy to the World" medley I heard at Borders.

First, Bubba got a new cast and all his classmates signed it. When he came for an impromptu visit at lunch time today with Dahey, he also got a couple of nurses' signatures, too.

Next, one of our coworkers had her baby.  Her kids are thrilled with their newest family member, and so is the dog.

Finally, one of our patients ended a long period with a major piece of metal. Mr. Smack got his halo removed today. The neurosurgeon told him he could not shower his head, but our doc let me put a shower cap on him and hose him off, so the dirt that was stuck on him could be removed. Talk about joy! I thought he was going to dance around the Hotel, he was so happy.

No other day in November

"A celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good." History of Veterans Day, from www.va.gov

Say thank you to a veteran today, and remember those who fought and died for our freedom.

Learning is so much fun

When you're out with the journal club, with good food and good companions. And I so loved the chocolate hazelnut bars for dessert....yum!

Gotta keep the tummy happy to keep learning!

So happy I got to escape after a day of moving furniture and soothing uneasy souls at the Hotel. I love admissions and getting psych consults. At least, I had a trainee on the admission to help out. I think she's got it and will make a fine admissions nurse.

Stay tuned...

Nothing like a little rehab...

I love being a rehab nurse, but I'm starting to think people think I'm a drug rehab nurse, not a rehabilitation nursing professional. I leave the heavy-duty counseling to the professional counselors, and licensed therapists.

It is interesting, though, in the rehab clinic, since we deal with lots of issues, especially pain management. One of Madison's finest pharmacists, Mike, came over today to talk to some of the patients in afternoon therapy groups.

Not sure if anything will change, but you have to start somewhere...stay tuned!

In mere days

I will be flying solo in the SU, since my training period will officially be over. I've documented, documented, documented and I've run the systems and managed the patients on the last few days I've worked.

Telephone triage is still interesting, but I'm getting the hang of it. Thankfully, everyone seems to be helpful.

Crossing fingers as I get ready to fly solo.

More to come....stay tuned.

I'm so glad

They've made us get new high-tech ID cards. The photo on it makes my driver's license photo look like a glamour shot.

You'd think the old ones would be blurry and boring. Alas, no, but the new one sure is.

My favorite veterans

Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul.  ~Michel de Montaigne

Working in the VA has its advantages in finding your very own favorite veteran, since you gotta be one to get in here.

In the short time I've been here at the Hotel Rehab, I've started adding to my list of favorite veterans. First, let me tell you about the war heroes and the major battle veterans. Mr. Z. was injured in a famous battle in Korea. He was a kind soul who brought an old-timer's perspective to his injury. Our newest veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan particularly appreciated his view point. He wasn't preachy, he was just a "give 'em the facts" kind of character, who always used himself as an example.

Mr. A., a large hulk of a man must have surely frightened our foes in the South Pacific theatre during "the big one" as he called World War II. Before he lost limbs to a land mine while on a reconaissance mission, he was a giant of a man, well over six foot four inches tall. He always made us laugh because he always said, "You girls are the best," all the time, much to the chagrin of some of the male staff.

My favorite Marine, I'll call Skippy. Skippy was a grunt in the Corps in Vietnam. Skippy is the party man, even though he's been injured a long time. Skippy's company always finds out when he's in the hospital, via phone, mail and internet, and they show up to see what he's doing. Skippy is a character  and has been a regular around our place for a while, and completed an extended stay when I first started. Skippy bonded with one of his roommates, Bob, and they now call each other at least weekly, if not daily. Skippy keeps telling Bob he's going to get a kangaroo and start a private zoo on a few acres he has.

My favorite sailor, was just like my veteran at home--a submariner. Mr. Tom taught me a lot of things and was thrilled to meet another silent service character (Dahey) while he was on the unit. Like Skippy, Mr. Tom's sub crew found him and kept him busy with phone calls, letters, and the occasional visit.

And finally, I'll never forget a couple of characters who are no longer with us. Pitt Phil (a major Steelers fan) was another WWII guy who didn't talk the first week he was with us, due to some trach issues. I remember getting him enthused about getting out of bed when he found out we had a big screen in the patient lounge. He got up every day after that. Mr. Ron yodeled our names whenever we were in the room. If I close my eyes, I can still hear his yodel. We got him all fixed up after a long stay. He went home for a short time, then got sick and died suddenly.

So as my career goes on, my list gets longer. I am honored to be a nurse who gets to call every day a Veteran's day in my job at the Hotel. If you don't have your own special Veteran and want one, go talk to your nearest VA and volunteer your time, talents or treasure. They'll appreciate it.

Juxtapositions

A wild night on the floor recently at the Hotel:

One of my patients (aka RR for Ring-Ring) rings the light constantly. He "acts" upset that I'm his nurse (not really--just for show). He gets his heart set on delivery food that was turned away once, and finally, when he's totally dejected and swears it'll never show up...in walks the delivery guy. DG gets a huge tip and RR gets the meal he's been dreaming about.

Even with RR, I'm able to work on homework, in between rounds, look up an article, write a review and study for my exam.

And on the way home, while throwing my book bag in the front seat, I pull a muscle in my back (yes, that book really is heavy, even if it's small!). Despite hot shower, massage and an Aleve, it's still sore.

So yours truly takes out the goodies for the open book test which ends on Sunday at midnight. And despite the pain, I get an A. Thank you P., my class partner, for encouraging me to take my time.

It was easy...the back still hurts. I'd be awake anyway tending it. Why not take a test at the same time?

More later....

Comings and goings

Sit still long enough on our unit and talk to a few people and you'll find out a lot of things in a short amount of time.

One of our long-time nurses is heading to one of Washington's outpatient clinics. He/she finally decided to go back to work full-time, after a long time part-time. The economy sure changes things, as well as our big boss.

Another nurse and his family will be packing up the homestead this summer to head on out to a new location out of state. The unit is sad he's going, but he and family are excited.

And suddenly, one of the newer nurses will have a position on our unit, since we have comings and goings.

It all falls into place sooner or later.

The boss told me yesterday to enjoy the holidays this year, so since I'm in the SU, I'll be able to take vacation days whenever the staff there is off. I have my Christmas present already and the vacation requests are in the system.

'Cause next year, if I'm still in the Hotel, I'll be working the entire holiday season. Gonna enjoy what I have now!

Stay tuned...more later.

Fridays on the floor follies

Ah, I'll be playing the Hotel lounge (and a couple of rooms) this weekend for a limited engagement, before I'm sent off to toil the holiday season in the sister unit.

Today's entertainment...two skinny (thank you!) characters who have bowel issues. One's constipated, one's runny. Oh, the joy of bowel mania! Nothing a little chugged Miralax can't fix, unless of course you chug it in front of the med nurse so fast with that cold juice that you promptly vomit most of it up five minutes later. Next, same patient coughs so hard that it's coming out both ends. Happily, (if there is such a thing) this was not a bowel prep, and the volume was low.

Most of the characters are happy to see me back. Some of the floor staff, not so much. No vacation yet, but am planning to enjoy some of the holidays at home this year. It warms my heart just thinking of it.

More later, so stay tuned. The day has just begun.

EKG...

Check. Titers, check. All I need now is an assignment for the volunteer corps.

Back to studying for this week's test. After all the excitement of dealing with Dahey's car and running around town with a rental, I barely touched a book.

This is going to be interesting....stay tuned.

Now I know why...

Nurse K on the night shift posts signs all over a patient's room, intercepts the breakfast tray, and yells if she has to in order to keep people NPO.

If I'd have followed her lead, I would have remembered today was the day for all those tests...that required me to be NPO....arrrgh!

Better luck tomorrow...

Too ironic

Scenario 1 - Pills, pins and needles.

Today was an interesting day. The specialists are busy at the Hotel and you would have thought it was a full moon.

One patient called into the SU stating, "I need more pain meds and to fix my record. I am not a drug seeker." Also, the patient mentioned that he/she had a numb leg for the entire weekend ("all pins and needles"), telling me how many falls, etc., and how terrible it was, so couldn't we just fill the script.

I mentioned to said patient that it might be prudent to go straight to the ER. "Naw, I can't do that, my leg is numb."

"So how will you get to the drug store to get your script?" I ask.

"Aw," says patient, "I'll just get a ride. Or I'll wait until my appointment tomorrow up at Washington (our main hospital)"

Well, HELLOOO in there! If you can get a ride, you surely can get to the ER, can't you? What made you  wait three whole days to call?


Scenario 2 - My nurse is with me today

We had a couple of patients lately in the sister unit who came in with family members. We don't allow them in the room for procedures, but we allow them to talk to the doc and consent and ask as many questions as they desire.

One patient came in with his healthcare professional sibling (supposedly a nurse--no idea what kind). Patient stated in his/her last consult that they had issues and needed x,y,z intervention, all of which we do not do here. Patient still wanted to come. This seemed odd, but we do lots of odd stuff here.

Patient arrives at appointment happy and with sibling and all looks good, except patient has some doubts. This is where Dr. X shines. Dr. X was an internist in another life and he loves talking to people. If he wouldn't have been a doc he probably could have been a wonderful minister. He's folksy and honest and people just genuinely like to talk to him.

Doc excuses me and the trainer from the room and he and his resident talk to this patient and sibling. While we were away, sibling argued with Dr. X and made it sound like Dr. X was the world's biggest jerk. Dr. X. was very exasperated. Patient and sibling actually stormed off out of the room.

Weird thing...same patient called back breathlessly and wanted to talk to us while we were restocking. When I called him/her back, I got voice mail.

To be continued....more to come.

If you build it...

They will come. Thanks Shawn and Online Schools for featuring my blog.

Muchos gracias! Go have a look-see folks!

Jo, I feel for you

Yes, I am feeling the effects of all the assorted pollens hanging out in the air this year. After seeing my niece demonstrate nasal irrigation and how it's helping her allergies, I thought I ought to get one of those sinus irrigators. And I read Jo's post on the necessity of using this in her situation.

Let me tell you, this is not for the faint of heart. There are a million instructions with my particular model irrigator, and of course, I read them first, but missed an important part.

"Contact your physician if you have ever had ear surgery."

I have always had problems with one particular ear, despite surgery (mostly stuffiness). Now I get to nag the ENT to find out if I can continue to use this cool tool, which sure flushed the pollen out yesterday.

Ears feel fine, but I'd like to keep them that way...the joys of fine print.

More to come...only mere days before my move to the SU for a lengthy holiday stay...yes!

Yes, there's relief.

This week's assignments done. Laundry done, dishes in the dishwasher, little kid scrubbed and tucked in bed after a motherlode of goodies in a plastic pumpkin full of at least 5 lbs. of candy, and early to boot! Vegetating listening to this album.

WildDog at my feet after an Indian summer afternoon lounging in the yard, barking at passersby.

Dahey's celebrating his OT today by soaking in the tub.

Wish these hours of stillness could last a little longer!

Be happy, eat chocolate

Bubba and I are bonding as we make pumpkin pies and I just baked a really good brownie with items you wouldn't expect.

It is Halloween, after all. Even if you're on a diet (like me), you need chocolate.

More later...

Blame it on me...

The title of an album with one of my very first iTunes purchases...and a little studying on the brain lately, along with work and the rest of school.

Yes, Kim has another rousing edition of Change of Shift up at emergiblog. Head on over, people, and enjoy!

Off the clock tour of duty

Yes, I got to see the other side of the fence when Bubba broke bones during his soccer game. Dahey and I were less than five minutes from the nearest peds ER, and so we whisked him off the field and down the road, with cardboard splint and ice in tow. Our nurse Kim kept him quiet and happy. Gotta love a little morphine!

The whole crew was amazing. All you peds ER folks--nurses, techs and the man with the hands,  aka the ortho doc who guided those bones back into place--you rock!

Wrapping up the week...

Where there is no imagination there is no horror.  ~Arthur Conan Doyle, Sr.

The week is winding down and I am enjoying my training and my time on the floor.

As always, it can be a soap opera kind of world at the Hotel. Love and lust figures into the installment this week. Lovelorn housekeeper falls for the charms of one of our artistic characters and wins a transfer to another unit. No fraternization allowed, just like the military, remember?

Another one of our patients decides he may go home immediately if one person comes back. Former roommate made a pass at his significant other and he's not too darned happy.  The guilty party is in another unit, but as always, misses the Hotel and will do whatever to come back to our place. Don't think it's gonna fly this time...I hope anyway.

It could be a November to remember, though. Boss decided to come in and actually talk to me, and let me know I could apply for the part-time position working in one of our clinics. This is, of course, because no one else has yet applied. Another older nurse is applying, so out of respect for him, I'm declining that "opportunity", because he'd really like it. He has a lot going for him, too--over 10 years experience and an affable manner. The Slug may apply, but ON still has a chance at one of the positions available, and I hope he gets it over the Slug, who doesn't deserve it.

Sometimes you just have to say no to one thing to enjoy another.

Back to studying and have a great weekend all.

A little light discussion...

Travelling partner and I went out to a focus group tonight. It was interesting, fun, and we had food. I had so many leftovers on my plate, since I'm counting calories that I got a large to-go bag. My clinical nutrition professor would have been so proud of me!

Dahey was a happy camper...so much so that he devoured the dessert before bed. Mega Steak House had huge, delicious portions of everything.

So glad I don't do this every night...I'd weigh a ton!

Back to the Hotel and homework tomorrow.

Things sure look different up here...

That could have been the story of my day hanging in the Sister Unit.

In order to protect the guilty and the innocent, I'll present these out of order.

1. When you get a warning (as we do via our system) that a patient can be violent, you get a little worried. So glad I didn't know about that until AFTER I walked this guy here and there (because I had no place to go for him) and I got him to the doctor in the office with the panic buttons.

It became more ironic when the Doc managed to get him to agree to a treatment that can be quite painful. Thankfully, he was lying prone and I was out of reach. The doc was not, but all went well and the patient was happy with us.

2. No, the housekeepers aren't just happy people strolling around. They are strolling that way in violation of policy with their earbuds in jamming to whatever tune strikes them. And no, just shaking your head and smiling is not going to get me to tell you what you want while you bop your head to the tunes, buddy.

3. Yes, no really means no when the treatment team asks you if you've smoked with Mary Jane in the last month, even if it did help your spasms. Saying no and your pee says yes gets you thrown out of that rehab program. Better luck next time!

4. Finally, I got to redirect a lost patient to the elevator, then to his room. At first when the trainer and I came upon him in the hallway, I didn't recognize him. Then I realized he was one of the patients from my unit at the Hotel. Some people really do look different when they're up in their wheelchairs rolling around!

Stay tuned...tomorrow it's run, run, run as the procedures and exams rule the schedule. It'll be a fun day.

What happens when I'm off a weekend I should be working

1. Cooking. Steaks, tater, and I even tried a new Italian recipe. Oh, my! Sure I steered clear of the carbs, but with the heavenly scent of sage sauteed in brown butter, I could not resist the final product.

2. I worked on a project I've neglected for a long time for work. It has to be done by the end of the year. And now it will be. Much joy!

3. Finally, I've studied and studied some more. We don't have a test for another week, but I figure it can't hurt to prep a little earlier than usual. All-nighters were never my style, because I enjoy sleeping so much.

Which I also did and even took some naps...heaven!

Tomorrow, it's back to work, to the sister unit, to finish orientation. Before you know it, I'll be on my own.

Stay tuned...

I'm not there...

But I'm inclined to go back again after this flew up on iTunes. Sometimes, you just need a study break wherever you can get it!

Training down...now more

Yes, it's the end of my first week of training in the sister unit, and surprisingly, things are going well. The day was not jam-packed today, so I was able to get some extra work done.

First, I came in and worked with a trainer for the position I'll be doing. She's really good and I think I got notes on just about everything. I'm going to transcribe everything, so I get it done and so she can review it prior to my start.

Next, I got an hour of orientation from one of the main staffers. My job is to support him/her and several programs the SU runs. I understand the materials, but the actual process of getting people in and out is a bit different. It's rehab, but mainly similar to something you'd see in a mental health setting.

I'm really happy I'm a rehab nurse, or this would have all blown me out of the water by now. I also got the call today that I'm being featured in a nursing newsletter soon, and I've been appointed to a committee due to my  "leadership skills." I had a chuckle about that....I never feel like I'm leading anything but the poop cleanup parade. It's nice to feel wanted.

After that, it was a slow afternoon, so we did follow-up calls and paperwork. All in all, not a bad week at all. I will get to learn new skills, and hopefully, wow all the inspectors who'll be coming around in my first month. My boss will let me continue training on a regular basis until my start date. The grumblers on the floor are finally quieting down. I shouldn't take their grumblings personally, but I get really irritated when they direct their angry comments at me.

As Dahey says, expressing displeasure at the treatment I get is not a bad thing and needs to be done right away. Guess I've been used to being the whipping-boy, er, girl for too long.

And off I go into the weekend. There's plenty to do here at the ranch. Stay tuned!

A little scorched earth...

Oh, it'll be mighty exciting the next time I'm working with Senior Charge. She acted friendly the other day just before delivering her scorching response when she asked me if I had seen any of our patients at the sister unit (SU)clinic. "So, seen any of our people there? Well, that's not a very good use of a rehab nurse for that department." Most of this venom had to do with Big Boss who mandated that SU and their clinic be supported while certain staff members are out on medical leave. I told her, "Well, ask them to send our people to me. I'm ready!" She didn't find that humorous.

Since that incident, she's steered clear of me. I'm not sure if it's the fact that I'll not be available to hear (mostly via others) that Senior will get the pick of the holidays off, or if Senior now wishes he/she would have picked my gig. Who knows....I've given up trying to resolve that logic.

Meanwhile, I'm building my reputation as a quick learner. Got to do a few things by myself and got checked off for my orientation. Thanks to SU's boss, I'll also end up with more orientation. There's a lot at stake getting things online and thoroughly inspected, so after my success with the craziness of JC earlier this year, I think they realize I can deal with whatever comes my way...if I get prepped and have some time to study. Big Boss and nurse manager seem to have confidence in me, so I'm going with it.

I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. This is the most visible position I've held as a nurse. I'm not a supervisor, but I am important to the team. The floor will still be there when I get done, and so will the attitudes and characters out there. I have to forgive...but I never forget.

On we go...stay tuned.

Day 2...Up and at 'em

Yes, it was a full day of work in the clinic at the sister unit. Lots of assists and learning new procedures and how machines work. Even had the big boss trailing me for a while asking me how it was.

I felt slightly behind, but felt pretty good about actually getting into things and doing some tasks today.

Hope to learn even more tomorrow. Hopefully the rest of the week is so productive.

More to come...

Day 1 in the Land of Oz

Spent the day hanging with the crew from the SU (sister unit) where I'll be spending my time answering calls, writing notes and assisting the MDs with whatever procedures come in during my stay.

Lots of admin stuff today and not too many procedures. A note here, a note there, vitals here and there and a whole lot of note taking for me. I figure I'll just alter my colors in the notes to keep things interesting.

I have a checkoff to complete before my week is over. One item's been removed, since it's no longer appropriate, and another's been added for the accreditation and compliance folks.

Tomorrow should be busy with lots of docs, patients and procedures. We'll see how it goes. Stay tuned...

Monday - Day 1.5

Back to the sister unit for training...and cramming for our inspection.

Should be an interesting day, so stay tuned.

Hey, mambo!

On a study break here...makes me want to find Cinema Paradiso and watch it again!

Bedraggled

I often write when I am feeling like the classic definition of bedraggled. It may not be raining, but after working all these days straight, I do feel limp. It did not help matters when the neighbor's car alarm went off at 0300 this morning, either.

Alas, I survived to fight another day...today. Work was challenging, but the pace was slow. I welcomed it by sitting on the occasions when I could. It was a delight to have uninterrupted reading time to finish some of my reading for my class in a quiet lunch room. Most of the loud folks weren't working today.

My patients were very good. I even got a new one who came back to us following surgery. He's a reasonably happy fellow and he was happy to see me. Mr. Z looks like he should have a sombrero on his head, but he prefers baseball caps. The other folks got up, dressed, to therapy, and then on an outing in the afternoon sunshine on a glorious fall day.

I had a nice conversation with one of our senior nurses today. She made me feel much better about myself and my temporary assignment to our sister unit (SU). Many think I'm a turncoat; yet a few others are envious. I may not be off during the holidays, but there are opportunities and there will be more freedom in this position.

There are challenges, though. We are set for yet another series of inspections by accrediting agencies. Senior nurse was prepping me and the sister clinic on what one particular agency actually looks for. Since I'll be the newest member of the SU team, she thinks they'll pick on me first, to make sure I'm being trained right.

Hopefully, in my next month of training and meetings, I'll be able to keep my head above water and not goof up on anything.

Cross your fingers...more to come. Have a great weekend!

Drills and test demonstrations

Oh, today we just had to have one of these. It never fails that the Slug would volunteer to be a patient getting taken out of a building on a stretcher, since he/she probably thought they'd get less to do today by doing that.

I'm getting ready for another bit of fun in my class: starting our research proposal. Yes, like true NINR researchers, our group is refining our plan, which will end in a research project. I read and read more last night and when I went to read tonight, I realized I left my paperwork at work.

At least, I didn't forget the textbook. Now, I'll stop here so I can start reading a few chapters. There certainly will be no need for sleeping pills for me!

Stay tuned...the weekend is coming!

A little early Halloween antics

Yes, it's been going on lately, but I just have to wonder with the pre-Halloween antics going on at the Hotel. What do you get? A dash of irony in it all...

1. Convince one of your patients not to distribute his candy to everyone. He's really proud of it.

2. We get a "prank call" at the nurses' station that one of our people has fallen in the lobby. We investigate and find no person in the lobby. Turns out it wasn't a prank. The other rehab unit's lobby (on the other side of the building) was the place and yes, one of their people did go down...for you guessed it, trying to pick up candy he/she dropped to the floor. Moral of the story: new amputee + wheelchair + stuff out of reach often equals a tumble.

3. And the best one yet to close....Dr. Z., one of our internists kept telling Mr. C. he should not eat the Halloween candy he got recently. So what does Dr. Z. order on today's round of tests...a HgbA1c and gives him a bag of his favorite mini candy bars.

Oh, I foresee a boo-tiful time in the Hotel until Halloween! More to come...

Is this week over yet?

Not quite...I'm happy it's Monday, but with the week to come, it will be no stroll in the park here. No sirree.

Things could be worse though...I could end up on a years long ocean voyage and miss my intended target like this guy.

Better regroup with another cup of coffee... more to come.

Happening in threes, fours?

First,  in September, Michael Douglas reveals he has a head/neck cancer.

Next, Head Nurse jo tells us about her own cancer diagnosis.

Then, she tells us about another blogger who also has a rule out oral cancer test coming up.

And lo and behold, today, a story on Yahoo! says Tony Gwynn has a salivary gland cancer.

Folks, please pay attention. What can you do? Don't miss your next dentist appointment and screening. If something feels funny, check it out with your favorite health care provider.

Weekend...still?

It surely seemed like Sunday yesterday, even if it was a hopping day. I ran with people, ran with call lights, ran, ran, ran, all shift.

I did squeeze in time to get my preceptee's goodies out and we had a small impromptu party before some of the staff left for the day. She enjoyed it.

So needless to say, I was glad I was nearly out the door when WannaBeHippeeSlacker RN complained about how she was busy all night. I was not about to spend one second of my own time to berate her, when I had run all night myself.

A little work (and all finished by the end of the night with no OT) never killed anyone.

More to come...stay tuned.

Understaffed

What does a local Starbucks have in common with my world at the Hotel? Our local Starbucks had call-ins, and with that, the manager took the audacious step to close the store for one hour so they could honor labor laws by allowing the employees to get a break.

We don't have to admit any people today, but boy, I sure wish we could close the unit for one hour of uninterrupted quiet for a break since I'm subtracting more than I'm adding to staffing today.

Dear Preceptee

It's hard to believe the time you've spent with me on the unit is now drawing to a close, and you're a brand new RN going to work on your very first unit full-time. I'm so glad our neighbors in the building next door gave you the job.

Just remember a few things, as my parting gift to you:

1. Breathe. Yes, we count the respirations on our patients and sometimes we need to count our own. When things get tough, inhale AND exhale. Your brain needs that oxygen to think.

2. Keep learning. Even if they call you a geek, even if it's time-consuming, soak up new material like a sponge. You never know when the things you've learned before will come up again.

3. Know your own burnout level. Think of fun things to do away from work and family. You need to recharge the batteries once in a while to get optimum performance. If you can't get your own ideas to work, seek out other ones (people and ideas). Help is a very handy four letter word.

4. Believe in the mission. Our mission isn't the marketing one: it's real. You have a warm smile and great way of conveying it. Our patients can really relate to you. Carry that song in your heart, when the cynics want to turn up the din of distraction. (Trust me...you'll start hearing it much too soon!)

And if you're ever wandering across the parking lot in search of stuff for your folks, come by and say hi. The door is always open.

Your preceptor, 
RehabRN

Into the weekend

We're getting into a holiday weekend at the Hotel. Things usually calm down. Right now, we're so booked up, that the Hotel Rehab is not taking any new patients. This could possibly change at any time, but it's the first time in a long time that we have no admissions scheduled on our board.

My time with my preceptee is winding down. She has demonstrated so many skills that she will be an excellent nurse. I just hope she can stay focused and not get distracted by internet, etc., like so many of her peers of the same age range. My patience is wearing thin with a few of my coworkers because they are spending way too much time on internet items, and not on work. IV pumps and call lights ring and ring because they will not get up promptly to take care of them. It makes me very agitated.

Since it's a holiday in our neck of the woods (nothing big--just one of those bank holidays observed), there won't be too many folks around Monday, either. Hence, my boss just felt the need for me to be in charge. I'm not too happy about it, but I'm sure he's getting ready for the day when I'll go to our sister unit temporarily while some of their folks are out. It's really not a bad place to be. The unit is very nice and several people coveted the spot I managed to get. It's kind of scary, because I've never done anything like it as a nurse. I will get to use skills I've only read about in books and seen during NCLEX preparation.

Bring it on...I'm ready. Stay tuned for updates.

Packing

So much to talk about, so little time...so a bit of my day in a nutshell.

I literally was packing a patient's belongings today, and it made my heart ache thinking about it. I packed up stuff for a patient who is on the express train to the hereafter. You know it's heartbreaking when the boss says, "Can you look for his cell phone? They need some numbers only he (Dad) had to make calls for the funeral." Happily, I found it amid all the stuff, but packing and sorting all the toiletries, t-shirts, therapy items and treats was hard. I liked him. He was one of my best patients ever.

We moved people around again. If only the transportation fairy comes to our unit and takes us to the sister unit for a remodel. Maybe Santa Claus will visit next year...

Finally, before I left I was packing supplies to distribute to my rooms down the hall on the way out. A couple of my more macabre coworkers thought I was smuggling out a urinal for a novel "beverage container".

No recycled beverages for me, thanks.

Off to bed...one more day to study...stay tuned.

Water, please!

What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.  ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

My day seemed like a desert at the Hotel. It was hot, and I was thirsty. If I move another bed from room to room because we keep having odd isolation situations coming up, I think Mike the housekeeper can, and will take his mop bucket and dump it over my head.


My orientee and I ran from patient to patient and got everyone taken care of, including getting one another bed, since he needed a new one for a couple of reasons.


Besides moving everyone around, we got to take one of our patients outside to our garden and patio area. A few patients congregated out there and had a good old time. We checked on him from time to time to bring coffee and check his water pitcher. It had been a very long time since he was allowed up and he relished every moment of it.


I finally slaked the never-ending thirst for moment by getting a diet soda at lunch. I hate diet soda, but this one was actually pretty good. Gradually, I'm getting used to more fruits, and especially vegetables in my diet. I love bread, but I cannot eat much of it anymore. I have to save it for special occasions.

Now, it's back to studying...more later...