Showing posts with label stroke. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stroke. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Top 10 things that contribute to a Work Day from Hell

  1. Computer system being down.
  2. 2 fresh strokes needing NIH scales and q1 hour neuro checks and frequent vitals the first 8 hours of a 12 hour shift.  One of which was a significant CVA with an NIH of 16 and getting worse with right sided paralysis yet able to SIT UP and launch himself off the side of the bed and give me a left hook to the jaw when trying to help him back into bed. Then calling security to come and put him into 4 point locked restraints and putting him on a 1:1 watch.
  3. A 5'4" resident trying to tell me that he doesn't think restraints are appropriate and to try a BABY DOSE of ativan instead. Then watching the patient get his foot stuck in the bottom of the bed then turn and bang his head on the upper side rail. Then telling Security to put the restraints on the patient because he IS A DANGER TO HIMSELF AND OTHERS and if the resident doesn't think those restraints are appropriate that he can come and personally remove them because they are GOING ON NOW.
  4. a patient signing himself out AMA because a Dr. told him he could go home but the nurse I got report from didn't have time to do the paperwork with him or discharge him... nor time to take out his IV- so he was found bleeding in the lobby after ripping out his own IV and bleeding everywhere because he's on Coumadin
  5. While I wrestling with the CVA pt., my confused lady in Posey restraints pulled out her brand new PICC line which was placed hours before.. also on Coumadin.. it's a miracle she didn't bleed out.
  6. Other lady trying to get her last dose of IV iron with an unusable opposite arm (post mastectomy).. both the charge nurse and myself were unable to get an IV site in her after her only usable vein/IV site infiltrated.
  7. Confused little Jewish lady crying about how her daughter is going to put her in a home and take all her money therefore trying to escape and setting off her bed alarm.  Every. 15. minutes.
  8. Clocking in at 230pm and clocking out at 430am without taking a break or eating anything the entire time.
  9. Whiny nurse's aides about how BUSY they are.
  10. Having a killer headache and cramps the entire time.
 And in keeping with the irony that is my life, my favorite thing about the day was talking to and massaging legs, chest and back of the violent stroke patient in restraints and getting a giant half smile from him.(couldn't even smile with the right side of his face.)  That picture of him is frozen in my mind and actually brings me to tears when I think of it.