Comments on: A Day In The Life

By: Bianca Castafiore

Bianca Castafiore — Sun, 10 May 2009 16:13:05 +0000

I’ve been an inpatient frequently this past year, and have had several stays in ICU, twice on a vent. In fact, the last time was about a week ago. I am embarrassed to say that I made my nurse cry. I guess I could stand in for your patient with the toe issue. I was in pain, very scared, and angry that my nurse she seemed unable to answer any of my questions, or even to know what was wrong with me. This was the second day she had me, and she still did not know anything about a chronic illness of mine that made hospital life very difficult — CRPS/RSD. She kept putting charts and tubes, etc. on my very painful legs and would say, “Jeez. They are barely touching you, come on!” I was ready to kill her and told her so. I needed something for pain, and having had a great meeting with pain mgmnt, knew that I had been put, as requested, back on my home meds — I was polite when the nurse brought me a methadone tablet for breakthrough pain, and was trying to explain that that was a scheduled long-acting med, when she said, “You don’t want it, fine, I’ll write that you are refusing your pain meds” and walked out.

I wonder if ICU nurses become so used to working in the presence of patients who are either snowed, on a vent and out of it, or just plain confused, that human interaction sort of falls away. While on a vent, while being suctioned, or turned, I heard more intimate details shared between nurses, RTs, etc — when I was quite conscious and lucid!

One nurse made fun of me saying she was “sick of this one going ‘O! O! Don’t touch my legs! Ouch! Ouch!’” The nurse with her pointed out that I was awake, to which she responded, “She won’t remember anything…”

I guess, on a bad day, yours is a job I wouldn’t wish on my worse enemy… except that I know we’re talking about a *bad* day — and an unusual happening.

I think you did nothing wrong — being human in the midst of all the professional work ought to be a job requirement. Unfortunately, you were pushed to the breaking point. Thank you for sharing the details of a rotten day.

I know that as I reflect on what a bitch I was to the nurse who ended up crying — I am resolved to let more stuff just go… Most of the time, it was fear talking. I need information, and was not receiving any. Unfortunately, she wasn’t the greatest of nurses in terms of her knowledge base, but me going off on her wasn’t going to change that. So… nurse out there whom I made cry — I am sorry. I was scared and needy (ick, what a combo).

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sun, 10 May 2009 02:16:24 +0000

“People don’t remember much about our medicine but they remember how we make them feel.” -Thom Dick. I worked a too busy IIC for several years. I have learned that we are better nurses if once in a while we can put ourselves in our patient’s shoes. Hang in there!

By: geena

geena — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 02:32:53 +0000

To michelle:

So because I had one bad day and wasn’t able to keep it together for one patient, I should just bow out of nursing now?

I guess I don’t write about all the times that I’m on the ball because frankly it isn’t as interesting.

I’m glad you’re able to remain perfectly composed under stress 100% of the time. Seriously. That’s really quite a feat!
I myself can only remain perfectly composed 99.9% of the time. I am not ashamed to admit it :)

And because of that, I need to change my profession?

Maybe in the future we’ll be replaced by robots and can take the humanity of out the equation completely!

Thanks for the comment.

By: michelle

michelle — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 01:22:56 +0000

I am saddened that you and many of the nurses’ commnenting on this blog entry think it is appropriate to tell a patient that your attitude is becuase you have another patient to car eofr that is sicker. If you in fact were the patient – would you give a darn about anyone lese but yourself. Perhaps we have all forgottent hat we chose to work in this profession and if we cannot or do not like the stress of it than perhaps we need to make a change. We wonder why no one recognizes or appreciates us – if we act like whining children – we do not deserve praise or recognition.

By: Teresa

Teresa — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 05:51:45 +0000

You know I could have written the daily routine, but usually on two of the comatose,vented patients, with every known med/lab protocol in place for the nurse to decide to use as indicated. Add to that being the charge nurse, with a 12 bed unit, and a 36 bed tele unit, so assingments, etc, and it DOES ADD UP to no lunck, no breaks, no BR breaks, and hopefully off within an hour of the time I should be. BUT even though the complaining patient did strike you wrong, I can see his point. HE ONLY saw you when he put on a light, and he saw that as hurry in hurry out, as the other patient is considered more important by you, and demanding most of your time. All patients need TLC, esp. lonely ones, and those that are too well to be in the CCU:/ICU and have time to watch the nurse come and go room to room. The comatose patient has no idea how much care they are receiving. IT works both ways, I never leave a room without making a couple of personal tasks, or at least asking if there is anything else they need for the next 30 minutes or so.

By: j

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 21:03:21 +0000

I totally understand. You know I cannot believe how inconsiderate can be. You know the ones that are really sick don’t complain. I work in the Er and we have those issues all night long. So everone who is septic or possilbly septic goes to the ICU???? WTF. That’s why we have so many holds in the Er. Well hang in there girl.

By: sharla

sharla — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 04:48:11 +0000

I understand your frustration, just be glad you had a flex nurse to go on transport and someone to help with checking blood sugars. On our unit there is no such thing as a flex nurse so we have to go on all transports and hope that our other pt is being looked after by the rest of the staff. We don’t even have an aide to help with baths, I&O and blood sugars.

By: Amber

Amber — Wed, 30 May 2007 20:28:19 +0000

I just found your blog, realize I am a little behind in commenting, but LOVE your stuff. I am currently a float tech in a large teaching hospital and I am a nursing student. I recommend this blog to all the young nursing students who have no idea what it is like to work in a hospital. They need to know.

By: Amy Robbins

Amy Robbins — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 14:43:12 +0000

Great Blog. I found it from the Thinking Nurse blog that links to yours. You have given me some ideas for my new blog.

I graduated from a small nursing school (Darton College) in Albany, Georgia about 12 years ago and have been a nurse ever since.

My husband talked me into starting a blog a little while ago. It’s about travel nursing. Check it out at http://travelnursingjob.blogspot.com/2006/08/travel-nursing-jobs-in-california.html. Let me know what you think. It is not as serious as your blog but I am just getting started.

Would you consider exchanging blog links?

Thanks,

Amy Robbins, BSN

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 11:10:35 +0000

Wow – that was like reading the story of my life. It’s a relief to know that I’m not the only one who has those days. I have been in that exact situation so many times. People think that a walky-talky patient is a breeze, but your entry clearly shows that is not always so. Just one question – when did you get to pee and eat? Just kidding!