RehabRN's tips for new rehab nurses: stuff you have to ask.
1. Did you bring your medication list?
We want to know. It's all part of our service, and it keeps you safe. It keeps all those accreditation people happy, too.
2. Do you have any guns, knives or weapons?
We cannot have them on our unit. We can get them taken care of for you, if you don't want to send home your prized Bowie knife (actually found one under a cushion once--in a scabbard) with your mom/wife/sister/random relative or friend.
Those accreditation people like us to do that, too.
3. Do you use marijuana or other drugs not prescribed by your doctor?
Your safety is involved here, too. We are not the police, but they will inform you that your "unofficial meds" (as one patient told me) cannot be kept or be available for "sharing" or sale here in our lovely Hotel.
Unofficial pharmacists are not allowed to practice here, either.
And my personal favorite:
4. Do you have any concerns about your sexual health?
No, at the Hotel, we don't ask directly (our psychologists and MDs generally ask), but I will ask if I get some smart alecky comment about some nurse's butt or how someone is "interested" in x, y, or z (pick your favorite salacious comment).
It is a big deal in rehab. Many folks have been through horrible experiences before they got there. You always know they're starting to feel better when they start getting frisky and/or asking directly (or indirectly).
Just remember, a lot of times, it really is about them, and not you. Be aware and learn how to get other members of your interdisciplinary team involved. If it is about you, bump it up the chain with your nurse manager, and if needed, human resources.
It does takes a village to take good care of rehab patients.
More later...
Showing posts with label weapons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weapons. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Friday, March 2, 2012
The best and worst of the week
What a week it was and I can say I am happy, happy, happy it's over. TGIF!
It wasn't just the weather in RehabLand that got exciting. The mood on the unit was the same tempestuous mix of turbulence that was the weather pattern in our neck of the woods.
One minute, a patient is telling a student that he/she was physically assaulted by a staff member. No signs, symptoms, or witnesses, but some of our staff members got long weekends, courtesy of administrative leave. I am sure our charge nurse is glad this week was over after that reason alone.
On the subject of psychotic patients...one word: ugh! Thank goodness for security support and the folks who mark patient records for illness and non-compliance with little things like psychotic episodes of verbal abuse of staff and then they get them out of the neighborhood when they clearly don't see the sign going into the parking garage that says "No weapons of any kind allowed on this property. (including a nice drawing of a handgun and a big knife)"
Yes, go directly to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200 if you violate this rule.
It's not really psychosis, but technical difficulties occasionally bring out the weirdos on our staff. I'm so glad our support person got ours sorted out or I would have had my face planted in the wall permanently after trying to keep people from wigging out over really relatively minor items that did have workarounds.
But, despite many of these things that were downright horrible, there were good moments.
One of my favorites was the look of excitement of one of the patients who just got up for the first time after flap surgery. When I showed him the new big screen TV in our lounge in the lobby, you'd would have thought I told him he won the lottery. It was a lot of fun for him to sit in front of a big TV after being sick so long and trapped in a room with a little TV.
Another one of our patients wandered by and was worried that he was getting sick. We got him in a clinic to see our docs, but now he has to have tests. He was worried, but we talked about them, and his strategies for coping with things at home. I even called one of our team to get him a consult for when he comes back for his next visit. He was delighted, and said, "I can't believe you'd do that for me." I just said, "That's my job...keeping us all employed helping you." and smiled. He just laughed. I also got to make sure the transport people picked him up to go home, so I was busy!
And some of my projects I've been working on got rolling this week after, literally months in process. Oh, joy, joy, joy! I may actually get something done this year.
Indeed, it was the best and worst of times, but happily, the best outnumbered the worst today.
More to come...
It wasn't just the weather in RehabLand that got exciting. The mood on the unit was the same tempestuous mix of turbulence that was the weather pattern in our neck of the woods.
One minute, a patient is telling a student that he/she was physically assaulted by a staff member. No signs, symptoms, or witnesses, but some of our staff members got long weekends, courtesy of administrative leave. I am sure our charge nurse is glad this week was over after that reason alone.
On the subject of psychotic patients...one word: ugh! Thank goodness for security support and the folks who mark patient records for illness and non-compliance with little things like psychotic episodes of verbal abuse of staff and then they get them out of the neighborhood when they clearly don't see the sign going into the parking garage that says "No weapons of any kind allowed on this property. (including a nice drawing of a handgun and a big knife)"
Yes, go directly to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200 if you violate this rule.
It's not really psychosis, but technical difficulties occasionally bring out the weirdos on our staff. I'm so glad our support person got ours sorted out or I would have had my face planted in the wall permanently after trying to keep people from wigging out over really relatively minor items that did have workarounds.
But, despite many of these things that were downright horrible, there were good moments.
One of my favorites was the look of excitement of one of the patients who just got up for the first time after flap surgery. When I showed him the new big screen TV in our lounge in the lobby, you'd would have thought I told him he won the lottery. It was a lot of fun for him to sit in front of a big TV after being sick so long and trapped in a room with a little TV.
Another one of our patients wandered by and was worried that he was getting sick. We got him in a clinic to see our docs, but now he has to have tests. He was worried, but we talked about them, and his strategies for coping with things at home. I even called one of our team to get him a consult for when he comes back for his next visit. He was delighted, and said, "I can't believe you'd do that for me." I just said, "That's my job...keeping us all employed helping you." and smiled. He just laughed. I also got to make sure the transport people picked him up to go home, so I was busy!
And some of my projects I've been working on got rolling this week after, literally months in process. Oh, joy, joy, joy! I may actually get something done this year.
Indeed, it was the best and worst of times, but happily, the best outnumbered the worst today.
More to come...
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