Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Blood explosion


How does this happen to me????!!!!!



Now while the blood in the above picture is all on the floor - the explosion I was privy to was all over the floor, side rails, bedding, patient's hands, legs, hospital gown, even in their HAIR!!!

So here's how it all happened....

Settled my confused, ancient, patient who understands NO english to bed.... and went to complete charting as it was 2300hrs and I had a 1/2 hr before my shift was done so off I went.

However, my pt had been restless all evening long and was throwing their legs over the side rails. So since I was nervous that they would fall out of bed, I finished a couple of people's charting and then went to check on this patient. I guess it was intuition that something was going on.

I wish I had a picture that would illistrate the disaster I found. It was SHOCKING! What had happened was that the patient had managed to disconnect this part:


Which was still in the vein - from this part:


because there was this on: a statlock


And while I LOVE statlocks - the confused pt's always make life difficult because the things that are supposed to keep these patient's safe - such as pulling out an IV - they manage to do so anyways. As was the case with my patient.

So because the pt managed to disconnect the extension set from the IV cannula which meant that there was a direct access to the blood supply and away went this pt bleeding EVERYWHERE!!! I was so shocked when I went in there that the first this I did was grab the wrist because there was so much blood everywhere I didn't know WHAT had happened and I just wanted the bleeding to stop! But then I was perplexed because I needed help but I knew that all my colleagues were back at the nurses's station and NO where close enough to call for. It took me about 2 minutes of brainstorming before realizing that I could use the pt's bedside phone and call the nurses station.

But then it just rang and rang! Oh My Goodness!!! At last someone picked up and came to my rescue. I was able to figure out what had happened and reattached a new extension set to stop the bleeding. Then went about cleaning up the blood explosion - which took another 1/2 hr because of the amount of blood. Goodness it was a mess!

Happy ending to me for nurses' week!

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Another one down

I officially got my marks for my courses -

Food history = A

Nursing for adults III = B-

Hubby isn't too thrilled about the B- but I have indicated that I was feeling burnt out this semster so it's pretty good in my book. I would have preferred a B or even a B+ but it is what it is. I'm just excited that I made it through the course that has been the bane of my nursing education journey. So I'm hoping that now that I have that under my boots that the rest will be smooth sailing.

Now that I have that over and done with I set my sights on the next researchish course for my program. Unfortunately we have to have groups - something I'm not impressed about. Something I'm certainly NOT looking forward to. However, one thing I learned from the last round is that I will stand up and be leader of this group - because at least I get some say in how the group is managed.

Then this fall I start in on Nursing for adults IV - AKA critical care - doing placement in the ER. And while that course will be UBER busy, I have to do an english course on top of it. Wish me luck!!!

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Almost 2 yrs in

So I've been on the injured list for almost 2 yrs...

I went to my surgeon several weeks ago and had him sign off on my paperwork (which is what Oc Health told me I HAD to do) so that I only work Thurs-Sun - which is what I've been doing for more than a year (off and on)....

Then to be told by them that they REFUSED what my surgeon indicated - pretty much word for word for the last 2 yrs -- how in the world do they do from being ok with me working up to 4 days to saying that there isn't sufficient compelling object medical information to support my accomodation

Dude, the information hasn't changed!!!! So how the hell is that possible?! honestly!!!

First thing I did was call my union rep cuz there's NO way that this will fly! He thought it was ridiculous and said that he would get on it pronto. So tomorrow I will follow-up with him about this because it's stupid and insane. How can they refuse medical that they've accepted throughout this time period?! We shall see who reigns as victor!

Monday, May 4, 2015

On my unit critical thinking isn't all it's cracked up to be

One has to wonder whether my colleagues have any critical thinking abilities.

When a patient falls and hits their head/neck/back (in any which manner) off the wall or the front of the counter in the bathroom and loses consciousness.... #1 move would be to NOT MOVE THE PT!!! Yet the ONLY voice of reason was I. WTH is that shit?!

Thankfully I'm a pretty bold person and I point blank told the other several nurses that were there that we weren't moving the pt but that I needed assistance to keep his neck and head in proper alignment while straightening him out from his slumped position. Once that was accomplished we set about to put the pt on a back board then transport the pt to the bed so they weren't on the cold floor anymore.

I put forth that we should call a code but no one would listen to me - including the charge nurse - she said that since the pt was awake (any by NO means alert!) that it wasn't warrented... ya right! The pt wasn't answering questions and had lost consciousness. We had no idea whether the pt had had a stroke or seizure or anything else.... I thought it was foolish.

So I stayed with the pt ensuring that he did not move his head until the physician came. About 10 minutes later the physcian showed up and the pt was coming around. Neurologically not all there, not answering questions very well. Pupils were not equal and one was sluggish - now I have NO idea if this is a change but it certainly isn't normal!

The physician thankfully sided with me so a C-collar was applied and a head CT was obtained as well as x-rays to clear the spine and check whether any ribs were fractured. Wonderfully, all was cleared and believe that the loss of consciousness was infact a seizure.

I seriously question the critical thinking skills of the people with whom I was working with - and some of them are seasoned nurses. Such a shame!