Well, I keep meaning to post...
i plan what to say in my head and then don't have time to sit down to compose the post cause my days are so busy.
Lately, I go visit my mom for lunch nearly every day. After she broke her hip in November, she's very unsteady and forgetful. So I help make her lunch, make sure she takes meds, etc. But it sure cuts into my writing time! A story I had planned to write for Christmas still isn't finished. Plus, I have a story for the Lewis fandom due by Jan. 28th, which is when I am on a cruise, so MUST be done before the 26th.
However, the main cause for this post is that I had to float to another unit last night at work. You know on TV shows, how some nurses seem to work on every floor, in every department? That's not reality. Yes, there are some full time float nurses, who work in several different departments, but most of us basically hate floating.
As an intensive care nursery nurse, I know babies up to about one year--not at all used to patients who can talk, for instance. We use only about five antibiotics, only four painkillers, etc. because so few have been tested on babies. We have a large unit where everyone is nearby, not individual rooms.
Friday, I floated to the Pediatric ICU--which, if I have to float, is definitely my chosen department. It's the most like our unit--most being the operative word here. I even got (to the satisfaction of my manager who keeps her eye on appropriate assignments) a one year old and a three month old, similar to what I've have had in the NICU.
Except everything is different--everything, and it's only down the hall from my unit. The charting is different, the equipment is in a different place. The meds are even somewhat different. I could do the work, but feel so stupid having to ask for something every five minutes. Luckily, one the nurses next to me is a lovely guy named David who often floats to our unit and is really helpful. In fact, everyone was so nice, but two babies in isolation--put on gown, glove and mask--take vitals, poke the pacifier in mouth. Take off iso garb, wash hands, put on iso garb--go change one year old's diaper, wash hands, take his vitals. Take off iso garb, wash hands, put on iso garb, start three month old's feeding pump, wash hands, take off iso garb--sit down at computer to chart, and of course, the mom needs me for something. Put back on the iso garb... got over 11,500 steps on my iphone by the end of the night! whew, but I was tired today.
I'll try to post more in 2018! on the cruise, we have three days at sea, that will give me free time, right?
Lately, I go visit my mom for lunch nearly every day. After she broke her hip in November, she's very unsteady and forgetful. So I help make her lunch, make sure she takes meds, etc. But it sure cuts into my writing time! A story I had planned to write for Christmas still isn't finished. Plus, I have a story for the Lewis fandom due by Jan. 28th, which is when I am on a cruise, so MUST be done before the 26th.
However, the main cause for this post is that I had to float to another unit last night at work. You know on TV shows, how some nurses seem to work on every floor, in every department? That's not reality. Yes, there are some full time float nurses, who work in several different departments, but most of us basically hate floating.
As an intensive care nursery nurse, I know babies up to about one year--not at all used to patients who can talk, for instance. We use only about five antibiotics, only four painkillers, etc. because so few have been tested on babies. We have a large unit where everyone is nearby, not individual rooms.
Friday, I floated to the Pediatric ICU--which, if I have to float, is definitely my chosen department. It's the most like our unit--most being the operative word here. I even got (to the satisfaction of my manager who keeps her eye on appropriate assignments) a one year old and a three month old, similar to what I've have had in the NICU.
Except everything is different--everything, and it's only down the hall from my unit. The charting is different, the equipment is in a different place. The meds are even somewhat different. I could do the work, but feel so stupid having to ask for something every five minutes. Luckily, one the nurses next to me is a lovely guy named David who often floats to our unit and is really helpful. In fact, everyone was so nice, but two babies in isolation--put on gown, glove and mask--take vitals, poke the pacifier in mouth. Take off iso garb, wash hands, put on iso garb--go change one year old's diaper, wash hands, take his vitals. Take off iso garb, wash hands, put on iso garb, start three month old's feeding pump, wash hands, take off iso garb--sit down at computer to chart, and of course, the mom needs me for something. Put back on the iso garb... got over 11,500 steps on my iphone by the end of the night! whew, but I was tired today.
I'll try to post more in 2018! on the cruise, we have three days at sea, that will give me free time, right?