I'm totally using this as an outlet...just to warn you. I'm amazed at how writing things out calms me down. Helps my IQ to return to normal.
We will start off with the days events. Jeremie completed another 2 treatments of total body irradiation (TBI). He is doing so much better. He has been eating, no major nausea or side-effects from radiation (yet). Tomorrow is the last 2 treatments. Then on Sunday we begin the chemo. He is more clear today. Not needing so much medication. This is nice. I have missed chitter-chatting away at him. Maybe that is why he needs meds??? Hmmmm??? :-) Although he decided to tell me that I was plump in the center and attempted to poke me! I looked at him and asked what did he mean by that, and he looked sad and said if I was going to be rude then I should go back to bed! And promptly shut his eyes and was asleep! Gotta love pain meds. And yes, I am obviously going to remind him about my plump center!
So on to my rant. I think the unit is chalk full of leukemia patients. And I don't think the nurses are coping well. That is my first observation. I don't know what they are telling each other in report, but when they come into Jeremie's room they are a bit hyper, eyes darting everywhere, and seem a bit nervous. They chill out by the afternoon, and things work themselves out. The nurse leaves a bit less anxious. Or so it appears. So we begin the next cycle, the night nurse. Seriously??? Are we going to go through this again. Even before the nurse enters...which by the way it took 2 hrs and 45 minutes from when she got on shift to come in. The aid brought - and I kid you not, the largest monitoring system - probably from 1982 - into Jeremie's room so they could "monitor" Jeremie's O2 levels in ICU!!! Now??? NOW!!! WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS!!! EARTH TO ANYONE!!!! HELLO!!! HE IS FINALLY STABLE!!! Oh LORD, please, please, please help me find logic in this INSANE FREAKING PLANET!!!!
The night nurse, who usually I LOVE, comes in, can tell that she too has been given the "over exaggerated report". I've worked with nurses like this (DRIVES ME INSANE). This, this is why every encounter with a patient/client, I take a breathe leave my crap and what non-sense I have carrying around with me from the day (or report) and deal with my day. Thank you again Mrs. Atkinson (awesome nursing instructor).
I think the last few days are getting to me...Having a new nurse orienting to LDS Hospital, not even this floor, with us every bloody night...AND I'M EXPLAINING CRAP TO HER! Seriously she was going to give the I.V. Ativan in the line that is like 7 feet from Jeremie's body. Uh Duh sister, he has two open lumens on his freaking port near his chest. Don't make it take 2 hours to get to him that way. Where are they learning this crap??? Grrrrr.
Then student nurses everyday...which I don't totally mind, except when their preceptors send them in when clearly we need the person with the STINKING LICENSE!!!! Ok...another thing that drives me nuts with nurses. NOT BEING ORGANIZED! Come on! There is no excuse. You have 4 patients! Organize yourself and your day. Don't be reactive to your pumps, control them and know when they are going to be empty. I mean hello...it gives you how long it will take to be empty when you program the stinking thing. WRITE IT DOWN! Oh AND READ the CHART!!!! If the CNA came and did vitals, read them, don't redo them. I told the orienting nurse this 6 times in the last 3 evenings that the vitals were already done. Lets not disturb Jeremie any more than we have to, thank you very much!!!!!!!!!!!!!
K...I think I'm becoming calmer. I think. For the most part it is going good. I'm trying to see from their point of view. I know I'm a nurse and with the student nurses and orientee's this probably causes some performance anxiety. I really try to walk away during procedures and give room and privacy. This is their field of expertise. I respect it. I'm just experiencing things from a different side. And not loving the chaos of it.
Oh but do you know who rocks! The pain specialty nurses. The sweet nurse today gave us her cell phone to call her this weekend if we have any issues. She just listened to Jeremie, made the adjustments he was trying to explain to her about (by the way we have tried explaining what we are after for the last week, and it took talking to the right person to get what we are after). In the end the adjustments Jeremie is requesting will actually start decreasing his need and demand for pain medication. It just is set up to better deal when his pain is the worst, and when he is the sleepiest.
Alrighty...now the hot air is out. Feeling better. Now I won't think about it over and over ;-)
-Cori (for some reason I wanted to say "Peace Out -Cori" Ha ha ha...so not like me. K...the sleeplessness if finally kicking in!
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