Gargoyle Lady and Home Economics as a Penn State Major

Gargoyle Lady has finally reached legend status within my hospital.

After my exceptionally mean post about her, she was admitted back to my hospital on 5 additional, separate occasions. She's only in her 60s and now has used up her LIFETIME allotment of Medicare money.

She assaulted a nurse for following hospital policy by documenting her home meds (which included narcotics) and trying to send them to the pharmacy to be locked up. (per protocol)

Then things went downhill.

She was discharged to a LTC and she assaulted a caregiver THERE then claimed she was having chest pain.  She asked to be sent to our hospital but her family member told he it's pretty clear that hospital doesn't want you there (basically because we had to get the police involved when she harmed one of our staff).  She was heard on numerous occasions berating said family member and calling them.. um depracating names because of sexual preference and yet this family member turned around and made negative comments on a social networking site about my hospital.

Now, this patient is known to possess the power of "Beetlejuice" in that no one dares even whisper her name.  She's basically referred to as "she who shall not be named".  Thanks to recent events, word is, she will NOT be back.  Although I find that too good to be true.  Anyway I thought I would mention it because I know how mean my Gargoyle post sounded, so I thought I would present further evidence that would prove that it is not just me who is tired of dealing with her.

On a more positive note, I had a quite lovely elderly female patient over the weekend.  In conversation she mentioned she went to Penn State. I asked her what she majored in and she said "Home Economics".  I was very interested in this because I had never heard of  Home Economics as a major course of study before.  Quite honestly, I think the world might be a little better place if it were something that at least a small amount of class time is dedicated to.  (especially for MALE students ;) )  Then I asked her if she taught high school home ec. with that degree.. shockingly, she said no.  Turns out, she was hired by the local power company to teach women how to cook using electric...?? (that got me wondering exactly how old this lady is! haha!) She went on to explain back then houses primarily used gas for cooking. (I had no idea about this).  According to her, in the 1930s electricity wasn't widely available to the general population (really?) so they used coal, wood or gas in the cities for cooking. In the 1940s and 1950s she taught home makers how to cook a 5 course meal using only electric.  She said she and another woman traveled to various houses of women who purchased electric stoves as a routine service provided by the electric company.  This also explains a HUGE bias against the use of gas cooking that my Dad had when he came to visit me in my first apartment. (my grandparents were in their 30s when they had him in 1945, so that would put them right in that age bracket of people who used gas or coal "back in the day" for cooking.. and electricity was considered the "rich folk" option.)  Which then reminded me of the bias among the old against breastfeeding.  I recall my husband's Grandmother's look of disgust when she learned I was nursing my first born (then later my second)  and her saying "that's what poor people do". Very interesting how society can color your perceptions; at times doing you a disservice.

Then I had an old guy pt. who kept yelling and yelling and yelling because he didn't want to be alone.  He was driving me frickin CRAZY. I had a ton of stuff to do and he kept yelling , "HHHEEEELLLP MEEEE!! Then would go in and he's all "hi." and winking and smiling and trying to touch me.  Did I also mention he was extremely hard of hearing? So while I was in with him,  I was talking to him loudly.  He kept saying "WHAT?" and then answering questions I wasn't even asking him.  Then he says, "STOP HOLLERING WHEN YOU TALK TO ME!" So I say (still loudly, but not screaming), "Okay." and he said, "WHAAAAAATTT?! I CAN'T HEAR A DAMN WORD YOU ARE SAYING!"   Seriously dude?? LOL

It's a wonder I don't do shots of the hand sanitizer on tap outside every room.

I almost killed someone yesterday.

I have a paper to write for my class but I can't concentrate because I need to process yesterday's events.

30 something woman whose only medical history is asthma was admitted with a migraine that hasn't resolved for several days. She has an adorable special needs son and a husband visiting with her in her room.  Neuro doc orders an IV med for her, and asks me to administer IV zofran about a half hour before administering the med.  For those of you curious what med it was, its initials are  D     H    E  (I don't want this entry popping up  on any search engines so I added spaces).  Pharmacy at my hospital was closed for the day, had to call main campus to get med couriered over.  Med finally arrives.  I pre dose her with zofran. 30 minutes later, I came back to administer the med.  Her family was still in the room. I hold the syringe by the IV line and push it in so the IV fluids carry it into her bloodstream. She said, "Are there any side effects to this med?" I said "the Dr. said most common is nausea so that's why I pre dosed you with zofran." she said "Okay".  5 minutes later, call light goes on from her room, I walk in.  She said "I am having chest pain.. it's so bad.." she starts crying harder than I have ever seen a person cry.. it must have been excruciating. I disconnected the IV from the hub. Because she said chest pain, I immediately grabbed a nasal cannula from the supply cabinet and put her on 4L of oxygen (usually I would do 2 but because of her asthma I opted for 4). Then I heard her breathing get louder and louder and a light bulb went off like a red neon sign: ANAPHYLAXIS GET HELP NOW"   I hit the emergency number and called a rapid response.  I didn't hear an announcement over the system.. when the charge nurse came in, I asked her to stay with the patient. I shouted down the hall to the other RN "Please, get me 50mg IV benadryl for room XXX!!!"  I RAN to the ICU and yelled is there a PA here?  A doc? Anyone? I just gave a med and the pt is in anaphylaxis. An ICU nurse came over with me and she looked at me and said "It's okay.. I will help you." my hands were shaking uncontrollably.  The patient's special needs son sat quietly in the corner watching Toy Story 3; seemingly oblivious to the fact that his mother was on the brink of death.. Husband white as a sheet stood in the corner by the son. ICU nurse pushed benadryl which was drawn up and ready and waiting to be given.  PA said to get 20 mg solumedrol.  I ran and got that, drew it up, handed it to the ICU nurse. Respiratory Shows up, puts a mask on her. Patient starts retching, vomits.  I take the wash basin out of her bathroom and put it by her. She starts to cry again, vomiting subsides. PA sits right by her, watching her, and put her hands on her head and talks quietly to her. I can't hear what she is saying, but it is helping.  I feel so lost, I don't know what to say.  I feel like I should be the one comforting her but I can't.. I feel too guilty. The ICU opens up a bed for my patient. While the ICU personnel assemble the paperwork and the room, I stay behind.  I stay in the room.  I look at the husband and I say, "I am SO sorry.  I had no idea that would happen.." my voice trails off..i fight back tears. He said, "I know you didn't know, it's okay and she is okay.."

I know clinically I handled everything correctly,  but for some reason, that doesn't make me feel any better. I am really rattled by this and quite honestly, I feel afraid to go back to work.