No, that's not overtime, it's technically over two weeks, but it sure feels like it... It's a good thing I have off for a week cause I don't think I could stand to go in to work again anytime soon. I've had some really bad days at work this week. Sunday I took a break for 17 minutes all day long to wolf down my food (which is highly unusual). Yesterday I went in to pick up the patients of the RN that leaves at 3 (just to be NICE to the other nurses I work with and make a few exra $$'s) and walked into a confused combative nursing home patient with a kink in his intestines causing everything you think that might cause. By the time I'd left at 8:30 last night we'd put tubes in both ends trying to relieve pressure and I'd almost gotten punched in the head 5 times trying to do it. Another patient I've had all week has multiple personality disorder and wants her morphine and has been very difficult with all the nurses and doctors. Refusing medication, everything. I think her husband gave me a bag of candy because he felt sorry for me. He was calling me the "quarter back." You know something's wrong when the doctors come out of the room, look at you and go "I'm sorry, she's psycho" while they twirl a finger around by their head. In the words of Lauren Clifton (the night shift nurse) "I'm over it!" We decided both of us had had enough of her and I think we both told her straight, albeit nicely. I've had a retarded Orange Grove patient and admitted 2 hospice patients this week. One day I sent 4 people out to various places in one day, 3 in the span of 2 hours. This week has been an exercise in extreme patience for me. I suppose this week has made me a better nurse and nurses say that these things come in cycles, in other words, I shouldn't have another week from purgatory for awhile.If every week was like this week, I don't think I could stay at this job or in nursing for that matter. But fortunately there are windows of hope in all this running my head off and difficult patients. No matter how you are feeling you put on a smile and are pleasant when you walk into the "good" patients rooms and they help to give you the boost you need to make it through the other rooms. It makes me feel badly though when I don't get to give the good patients the time they deserve because "I want my morphine shot" lady is hounding me every 5 minutes.
So now I finally get to go home. How wonderful... Mom sent me on a $75 shopping trip to the VM yesterday. I'm sure a bunch of kids do that before spring break. I haven't gotten any of my midterm for Health Care Policy written. How can you write when you're tired and come home totally wound up every night? I'm taking it home with me. I think one of the greatest things about today is that I get to be OUTSIDE in the SUNLIGHT all day. When you work 12 hours you don't get to see the sun for days at a time. Funny how little things like that become so amazing to you.
In other news, Carrie's digital camera has been the bright spot in both our weeks I think. She's making me want one, but I have to get a newer computer first so I'll have somewhere to store the pictures. And that computer is coming next week! Anthony's building it for me. So that's something to look forward to.
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