TGIF!!!!

Last night should have been the easy..breezy, nice and easy. Three patient's and one of those a "medical", non-tele, DNR, no family, NPO, on his way back to the nursing home. Humm...do you think that caring MD...after 4 days NPO and positive for the BIG STOKE...in that...we are surprised he is even alive...will think to drop an NGT and give some nutrient's...or TPN...OR SCHEDULE A FREAKING PEG! Probably not. Poor little guy. Made me think of my Grandpa's last few weeks. Well last night...he got turned every two hours like clockwork...I personally changed him if I couldn't find the aide, I used my stash of baby-powder when we bathed him, I did oral care every time I went into the room...I pretended he was family and that somebody did care. By the end of shift, he wasn't totally comatose anymore...he was saying "water" in Spanish and a little eye opening was happening. His quality of life may not be much...but for the 12 hours I had him it was tolerable (as my grandma used to say).

Had one patient that was on the button all night...knew he was going to be the proverbal pain in the ass when every request was prefaced by "I hate to bother you", "I know you are busy" and "If you can make the time". Yes he was post-op day one, yes he had chest tubes and incisions...but why the hell do I have to fix a "crooked" foot rest (to look at it bothers me", "pull me up exactly 1 inch and I will be comfortable" (no lie..his exact request), 03 am...I want to walk...04 am...I can't sleep and nothings on t.v., 0430 I was sleeping and lab woke me up to stick me, 05 am the ace wrap is too tight. 0530 am the dressing near my neck is bothering me. 06 don't forget my pain med. 0630 Oh, now you're waking me up to take off my dressings (which is what I told him had to be done this morning...last night)...and you are insisting I get back into the chair (you slave driver bitch nurse).

Kodak moment: Unhappy patient, MD throughly pleased that patient is in chair, dressings removed, and he had a "good night"!

TGIF!!!!!!! oH, and what about that 6 am full admit I did....Damn...I rock!