The company you keep...

Had a great shift!

Got to meet/see some repeat customers last night!  Had a great crew on, back and forth... the support and help was constantly flowing!  Even had a co-worker profess "their love for me!"  Not really... I just helped them get things done and caught up.  On my part, a triage/check-in, an IV start, blood draw, settling in, initial interventions...  They helped me a few hours earlier do the same.  I had the time and opportunity to pitch in to help them, just as they had done the same for me when I had a critical patient!

This shift was easy for me, as it was my "Friday."  Meaning, last day of work on this rotation... I now have 5 days off!  Woo Hoo!  Nothing would have made it any harder!  My 'theme' of the night was "Bring it on!"

I got off easy... most of my patient's last night were either very ill and straight forward, or not so ill and very easy dispositions. Some of my co-workers however, deserve some "hazard pay!"  But such is life in the ED!  My turn will come around in a few weeks... this I am sure of!

My most momentous accomplishment?  Well there were two...

My first was when I got a patient that presented with an early sepsis... fever, hypotension, decreased LOC... got the 3 "L's" in less than 10 minutes of arrival  (Line, Labs, and specifically... Lactate level)... ABX in less than 30 minutes for a 'raging' Urosepsis... admitted within 2 hours!  More nursing interventions done in the first 30 minutes than physician intervention...

The second... not so glamorous, but the most appreciated by my peers!

A frequent patient....  who was discharged, and was not leaving the ED quickly... kept stopping to talk to other patients, staff members, etc.  This patient ended up directly behind me, and I heard the conversation, directions, and interaction.  So I stood up, turned around...  This patient realized my presence and said, "I'm going...chill 'Bro!'..."  But they did not move... I discreetly took hold of a loop on this patient's "luggage," and truly, gently, directed them towards the exit.  They walked, followed the "guidance" towards the exit, then our Hospital Security took over and made sure they safely exited the building.

I have now been 'voted,' at least for this shift... "most needed to be in the area to deal with 'difficult discharges!'

And through it all... I still love my job!

I am an Emergency Nurse!  I love you to death, but my ultimate goal is to get rid of you!  Discharge or admission... I want you out of here!!!  There are a bunch of sick people here in the ED... you don't need or want to be here longer than you have to!

I have been truly blessed with the ultimate team of co-workers!  We have our shifts... we have our difficulties...

But it truly is amazing how teamwork makes it all work!  I'll keep these friends!  I'll keep this company!


Peace!