There are some moments where I think to myself, "self? Why are you a nurse? Why didn't you decide to be a doctor instead?"
Last night was one of those moments where I wished I was doing anything but what I was actually doing. I wished I was a doctor. Mostly because I was, quite literally, elbow deep in shit. Full barrier gown, extra long gloves (doubled up. safety first.), and TB mask. And shit. Up to my elbow.
That's my patient right there...the one covered from head to toe in liquid diarrhea with bits'o'corn for added flair. I'm partway through cleaning up the nuclear disaster, and the doc sticks her head in the room and goes, "oh by the way...can you send a stool culture? KTHANXBYE!"
First of all bitches, I sent that culture like ages ago. And started a line, and drew labs, and cleaned up poo, and started a liter of saline, and gave some zofran because the patient was vomiting too, and cleaned up more poo, and put twelve thousand absorby pads under her, and I did it all before you walked in the room because it's hella busy tonight and this lady is going to poop her brains out by the time someone gets around to seeing her. So it's done already.
I really, really, really wished at that point in time to be the doctor instead of me...how nice it would have been to just poke my head in the door and spew off some orders to the nurse. But no. I was elbow deep. In shit.
Sigh. I need this vacation of mine to hurry up.
***
And speaking of poo...
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One day I woke up and realized I'm not a baby nurse anymore. I'm not even a young nurse. I'm a real adult who has now been doing this for years, and I'm definitely expected to know what I'm doing at all times. And that's fucking terrifying.
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DISCLAIMER
HIPAA. Trust and believe, these stories are halfway made-up and halfway made up of lots of other stories. I will protect patient privacy like it's my job. Because it is.
Many of the photos showing mundane things are ones I took. As for memes and other google picture search images, I've been horribly bad at photo crediting - I will be attempting to go back through and properly credit things or remove them if I can't. But rest assured, ain't no real patient pictures up here, folks.
While I appreciate those reading the blog, I don't advertise for any website. I can only be responsible for my own opinion, and thus politely decline any offer to "host a post" or otherwise advertise something not written by me...But thanks anyway!
Many of the photos showing mundane things are ones I took. As for memes and other google picture search images, I've been horribly bad at photo crediting - I will be attempting to go back through and properly credit things or remove them if I can't. But rest assured, ain't no real patient pictures up here, folks.
While I appreciate those reading the blog, I don't advertise for any website. I can only be responsible for my own opinion, and thus politely decline any offer to "host a post" or otherwise advertise something not written by me...But thanks anyway!
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7 comments:
I'm pretty sure I would be wishing the exact same thing. So sorry you had to go through that! I may have to take your experience into consideration as I will be starting nursing school in the next couple years. LOL I already have role of Mom under my belt and have to do it, but can I do it for a stranger? Hmmmm
Know the feeling....like the night I gave 7, SEVEN soap suds enemas. Whoever doc came up with the order "soaps suds enemas until clear" is just effed! What we do is not always so glam! Love your blog!
The envy works in both directions, and I have moments of wishing I was a nurse instead of a doctor. Buuut....your story is not one of those moments.
Love your blog! I have days like that also when you work 15 hrs and everyone of your patients is vomiting or has diarrhea and I ask myself "why do I want to come back tomorrow?" Keep plugging along and know you are doing the best for the patients!!
Wow, this was a great post, because I've felt that way, too. We had a PA walk in and ask why one of her ESI level 4 patients hadn't gotten their PO antibiotics. We'd just intubated a patient, which was mentioned to the PA, who said, yeah, but after that, I got MY work done; why didn't you? Well, because after the intubation, we placed a G tube, foley, got urine samples, cultures, got another line, and monitored a now-intubated patient who was on propofol. So THAT'S why your ESI level 4 patient didn't get their PO antibiotics. But sorry about that. My bad. And the thing is, this PA is a really nice person- she just didn't know what was involved beyond the actual intubation. Sigh. The good thing is, I'm not bitter. :P
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