Well it was a long night last night, every time I turned around I was doing more IV antibiotics or more obs. I had 10 patients with an EN. I had three guys on hourly obs because they had PCA's, one of those on hourly urine measures and NG aspirations. I had antibiotics coming out my ears... at 8pm I had 6 lots of iv additives due all for different patients of which each needs to be checked by another RN, then I need to make sure that the fluids are compatible with the additives I am putting in, then I need to flush after the half hour it takes for each antibiotic or additive to go through... BLEH!!! But I got everything done and I left on time.
Tonight was a different story, I was in charge again... ARGH! in charge with 2 new grads and one pool RN, plus two EN's and an AIN. We had one patient who needed to go to ICU and we didn't manage to get him transferred until around 9pm... WOo.. not. So the AIN had looked after him for most of the shift but she couldn't do medications or anything so she did basically nothing except prevent him from pulling things out due to his confusion. I gave myself a workload, I was working with an EN who was working a double shift and was tired out, I had 8 patients, but one was quite sick and took up a lot of time and two of the others had multiple IV additives again. I felt like I got nothing done and I have no idea what drugs I have missed if I missed any! We had people transferring to other wards all over the place and going home. Confused ladies that pulled their IV cannula's out and packed up as if they were going home, another who wanted to go home and we had to watch because she had been found wandering in the maternity ward 2 nights ago. I HATE being in charge! All the bed moves and that sort of stuff seems to always happen when I am in charge. We had two people move out of my rooms but I got two more people in their places. I had one irate husband abuse me about his wife's care because she didn't know what was going on. I explained what wqas going on to both of them but he then proceeded to keep on at me, telling me that he was frustrated that things weren't being done and that his kids were ratty etc etc...
Here is what I felt like saying, "Honestly buddy, I am in charge of a whole freaking ward full of sick patients, at least half of which are sicker than your wife, so get out of my fucking face or I will call security and have you removed from the freakin ward cause you are pissing me off."
What I did say, "I understand how frustrating it must be to not know what is going on, so let me have a look at the notes and get some anti nausea drugs for your wife and we will see what the plan is for her." So I went and looked at her notes and explained things to her and her hubby, and then got her reviewed, let her eat, and she felt quite well by the time I left. Wooopidy fucking doo!
I do not need this shit, when people can see that you are run off your fucking feet, why the hell do they choose that time to come to you complaining, if they caught your attention by buzzing and then approached you calmly and just asked questions I would feel civilised and I would most likely go out of my way to let them know what was going on and help them out. Hassling people just fucking gets them mad... so if this patients husband ever reads this... I know you have had a bad day and I am doing my fucking best to try and provide the best care for your wife/partner/son/daughter etc. in extremely difficult circumstances. I am sorry if I can't give you an answer right this second because I have a patient who is dying/unwell/ in need of pain relief/ in need of some other drug/ in need of having their hand held. I will get to you as soon as I possibly can, and if your attitude is right I will go out of my way to help you!
This is not saying that I don't go out of my way to help difficult patients as well, but if someone asks nicely, gives you a bit of time and other basic courtesy you are way more likely to go out of your way to help that person. Heck I have had grumpy patients ask me for stuff, and you know the underlying cause of their grumpyness usually, if they ask nicely or politely even, it is way more likely I will get them what they want sooner or I will go out of my way to get what they need. Its sad but true, I am not talking about really sick patients here, I am talking about common courtesy from the ones who know what they are asking for.
I am tired and sick of thinking about shitty work, going to bed.
Gnite!

posted by BJ @   0 Comments