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I love love love my hospital. It is happy, scary, enlightening, frustrating, sad, and beautiful.
Yesterday I reported to my draw labs for my first patient around 2200 (10pm), wondering why the tests had been ordered since 1930 and the previous shift hadn't drawn them. I walked into his ICU, announced myself to the employee inside (not sure if she was a nurse or what)... she said "Look at this room. I don't think we need any labs." A large hispanic man was sprawled on the gurney, not hooked to anything. No machines dinging, pumping, buzzing. Definitely too quiet.
"Oh... OH!!!" Apologized, excused myself, and was glum the rest of the night. RIP, man in ICU B12.
My next patient was an 80-something-year-old man post-surgery from a traumatic cerebral hemorrhage. Shaved head, huuuge stitched scar across it from surgery. It was obvious he knew I was there, but never opened his eyes. When I went to draw his blood he kept moving his arm and hands so I couldn't... it dawned on me he was trying to hold my hand. So I sat for awhile and held his. He fell back asleep, I drew his blood, and he started laughing in his sleep.
I've found thats one of the biggest pros of working graveyards... you're not in so much of a hurry and can give more of your time to patients that need it.
While I was with my third patient I could overhear the conversation between her roommate and a doctor on the other side of the curtain. He was telling her about the spots on her lungs. She was crying.
I feel like crying a lot, but haven't yet. That wouldn't help anyways. Doing my job is what helps.
I also looooove the ER. And not just because of the EMT's. :P There's so much to do, so much to learn. And everything is super important and life-altering.
More later... here's some pics and info! :)
"Sharp Grossmont Hospital, a 400+ bed hospital located in La Mesa, is the largest health care facility in East San Diego County and is known for its outstanding programs in heart care, orthopedics, rehabilitation, robotic surgery and women's health. In addition, the hospital's emergency room is one of the most technologically advanced emergency and intensive care facilities in the nation. Sharp Grossmont Hospital is a part of Sharp HealthCare, which has been recognized for quality excellence with the 2007 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Sharp Grossmont has also been recognized as a Magnet hospital for nursing excellence and is committed to providing the highest quality care."
Yesterday I reported to my draw labs for my first patient around 2200 (10pm), wondering why the tests had been ordered since 1930 and the previous shift hadn't drawn them. I walked into his ICU, announced myself to the employee inside (not sure if she was a nurse or what)... she said "Look at this room. I don't think we need any labs." A large hispanic man was sprawled on the gurney, not hooked to anything. No machines dinging, pumping, buzzing. Definitely too quiet.
"Oh... OH!!!" Apologized, excused myself, and was glum the rest of the night. RIP, man in ICU B12.
My next patient was an 80-something-year-old man post-surgery from a traumatic cerebral hemorrhage. Shaved head, huuuge stitched scar across it from surgery. It was obvious he knew I was there, but never opened his eyes. When I went to draw his blood he kept moving his arm and hands so I couldn't... it dawned on me he was trying to hold my hand. So I sat for awhile and held his. He fell back asleep, I drew his blood, and he started laughing in his sleep.
I've found thats one of the biggest pros of working graveyards... you're not in so much of a hurry and can give more of your time to patients that need it.
While I was with my third patient I could overhear the conversation between her roommate and a doctor on the other side of the curtain. He was telling her about the spots on her lungs. She was crying.
I feel like crying a lot, but haven't yet. That wouldn't help anyways. Doing my job is what helps.
I also looooove the ER. And not just because of the EMT's. :P There's so much to do, so much to learn. And everything is super important and life-altering.
More later... here's some pics and info! :)
"Sharp Grossmont Hospital, a 400+ bed hospital located in La Mesa, is the largest health care facility in East San Diego County and is known for its outstanding programs in heart care, orthopedics, rehabilitation, robotic surgery and women's health. In addition, the hospital's emergency room is one of the most technologically advanced emergency and intensive care facilities in the nation. Sharp Grossmont Hospital is a part of Sharp HealthCare, which has been recognized for quality excellence with the 2007 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Sharp Grossmont has also been recognized as a Magnet hospital for nursing excellence and is committed to providing the highest quality care."