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Tuesday, April 24, 2007

always listen to your inner voice

So I was sitting at home yesterday, about 5:15, and the phone rang. It was a nursing supervisor at Podunk Memorial. "Wanna stay home on call?" she sez. Thinking about it, and considering my upcoming trip to NY and DC, I sigh regretfully, tamping down the wee voice in my head thats yelling "YES! YES! Just say YES!. I have to work sometime, and I do enjoy my job. So, off to work I go. Only to see, when I get there, that the census of the unit is so low, that its me, and Amaretto Nurse. No one else. No buffer to keep her away from me. No Lap Dog to do all her work. Just me. And Her. Oh shite.
Quickly, I run to my car, and get some knitting, and my CD's. I can zone her out with the lovely red yarn, and play some music (quietly). Maybe she'll get the hint.
She didn't even show up to work on time. When she came in, she offers this lame excuse about meandering through the grocery store, and losing track of time. If I was a day shift nurse, I would have been pissed. They don't get to go home until they give report, and nothing is worse than a nurse showing up late after you've worked your twelve hours. So, day shift abandon's me to my fate,and I am not keen. I duck into my patients room, and spend as much time with the hallucintating, dying old man that I can. When I come out, she is shoving chocolate/raspberry almonds down her pie hole and telling me that she and her boyfriend broke up and that she thinks she needs therapy. The little voice is taunting me, now, in my head, SEE! You could be at home, you twit!. Shite.
Less than an hour later, a Code Blue was called. This means that someone is actively trying to die in Podunk Memorial, and as an ICU nurse, it is my job to go and try to prevent it with the many drugs and shocky things in my arsenal. So up a flight of stairs I go, into a room with a blue, seizing patient, thinking "Well at least this gets me away from Amaretto Nurse. Flash forward at least three hours. Another nurse that was on call has been called in,(so I would have been called in, anyhow) and is dealing with other things whilst I take care of the very sick patient. I have been to the CT scanner, through her intubation, and, am in the middle of assisting one of the grumpier doc's with a lumbar puncture. And I couldn't be happier. Big grin on my face. Grumpy Doc, who I get along with well has been quietly bashing Amaretto nurse here and there. "Send her back to where she came from" was Grumpy Doc's advice. I couldn't agree more.
This morning, my patient is still alive, and doing better. Amaretto Nurse was so carefully watching her patients (not) that one of them climbed out of bed and fell. The sun is shining, and I am finally home, my work done. But I have to go back tonight. And so does Amaretto Nurse.
Shite.

8 comments:

Rachel said...

Sounds like you had an eventful night. Were you able to get any knitting done?

Celtic Rose said...

Always, always, listen to your On-Call Fairy. Sorry about the lousy noc/shift. Sigh, at least you have only one more night . . . gulp, then it is my turn, oh joy!

CamiKaos said...

You need to work on the "go away" face.

Sorry bout the night, yeah for your patient..

growl at A.N.

mielikki said...

Rachel: No, No knitting done. I usually never do get any done there, its just wishful thinking. Howver, grumpy doc picked it up and knit a few stitches. It was funny

CR. It was actually right up my ally to get the really sick one. I was busy, could concentrate on my patient, and the time went by quick

CK. I have a great 'go away' face. AN is obtuse. She cannot fathom that the whole world does not want to revolve around her. At times I think I would have to physically assault her to get her out of my zone!

mielikki said...

AN is in her 50's, believe it or not. She has had a lifetime to practice her evil ways

kaliulka said...

you folks are too funny---I now find myself visiting the blog daily. Not only a bunch of cat people, but nurses as well-great! M, it sucked to be you last noc, for sure---Celtic Rose is right---always, always listen to OnCallFairy. I figured on paper last night that if my fairy were with me 100% of the time, I would still pull in $260.00 per week---enough to live in a tent and eat beans and rice!!!! Shite--ICU at the Podunk House of Healing is the only friggin place I can get a decent cup of java and listen to some decent Celtic music at 3:00 am. I gain hope for the future of nursing again, until I have to go out onto the floor and deal with the anklebiters who probably poop in perfectly wrapped little cubes with pink bows on them they're so blankin anal. Honey, AN needed major psychotherapeutics long before she broke up with boyfriend. Agree c Sybil: "screw the face," and work on direct verbal non-violent yet firm communication, ie: "..like get outa my face"...dense people don't understand irony or understatement. Yea, Cami---growl

Bubblewench said...

I'd would just flat out say to her "you don't need to speak to me unless it's an emergency." I've had to do that to people I work with NOW.

COOLIE on the patient. Awesome work.

DC & NY? Can you stop by Philly? Let's get together. I'll by you a drink. Or two.

mielikki said...

BW I would love to stop by Philly. Sadly, I'd have to bring my mother, a sister, and one cool friend with me, and at least two of them would be sticks in the mud. I can always plan a separate trip of my own, though. . . lol.