2007-10-01T22:45:48-07:00
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<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#400040 size=3> 1. You have never heard or seen it all!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT color=#400040 size=3> A teminal patient had a sign taped to his chest, "Do NOT resuscitate". He was afraid someone would try to save him. By the way, he was in for an asthma attack, not complications of his cancer!</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#400040 size=3> 2. Many people have no common sense.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#400040 size=3> Doing dangerous things and then being shocked when they are injured.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#400040 size=3> 3. Patience really is a virtue.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT color=#400040 size=3> Human nature often wants you to ask a parent why a child who has had a fever of 103, that started on Monday, was ignored until Saturday night. Especially when the parent is upset over having to wait for the child to be seen because we are dealing with a gunshot wound and a multi-vehicle car accident.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#400040 size=3> 4. Age has nothing to do with how things turn out.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT color=#400040 size=3> As devastating as it is, the young can die. Death is not fair and has no compassion for the young.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#400040 size=3> 5. Illegal drugs are not harmless no matter what the society wants you to think.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT color=#400040 size=3> Illegal drugs kill, cause fatal accidents and cause hallucinations (wonder if that guy still is freaking over the spiders crawling all over him...spiders only he could see).</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#400040 size=3> 6. Death is not always peaceful and never pretty.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT color=#400040 size=3> Case in point: a 14 year old who committed suicide. He hung himself with a very decorative belt with fancy cutouts. He was purple from belt up and the belt design was imprinted on his neck. His parents were devasted and we all cried over such an unnecessary loss.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#400040 size=3> 7. You meet some of the nicest people during the most stressful times of their lives.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT color=#400040 size=3> There are some people who, even in adversity, remain polite despite their fear and anxiety. Some even come back after recovery to let you know that you made them feel less frightened and want to thank you for caring and for your compassion. </FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#400040 size=3> 8. "Professional patients" are often lonely; they are not all hypochondriacs.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#400040 size=3> It is always great, when you have time, to talk to a patient who is always coming to the ER. Often during the conversations, you get to the root of the real issue that brings them back. Watch to see if there is a pattern. If they always pick the same shift, they might be coming in the hopes of seeing a particular doctor or nurse who have always been very kind and compassionate to them. I had a patient with self induced asthma... who always showed up on my shift. Turns out she was lonely and I was the only one who took the time to talk to her during her visits.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#400040 size=3> 9. People can survive some unbelievable events of trauma...the will to survive is very powerful.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT color=#400040 size=3> You can see a patient who has almost no chance of surviving but they will survive! Never underestimate determination or hope. Looking forward to an event, a wedding, birth of a grandchild, etc can be enough for a person to make a miraculous recovery.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#400040 size=3>10. That the well "hung" male patient may have a salami or stuffed sock taped to his leg! </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#400040 size=3> LOL...had a guy brought in who had fainted on the dance floor. When we removed his clothes for the doctor to examine him, we found a salami taped to his leg. Of course, he was wearing snug pants.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#400040 size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#400040 size=3>Most of all, the E.R. is the type of nursing you either love or hate. There really is no in-between. I loved it! (Loved...though I have been and always will be an R.N., I retired a few years ago.) You have to be up to the challenge of being able to handle whatever comes through the door without panicking or taking the time to think what to do. What to do has to come natural; has to be second nature to you since minutes can make a major difference in how things turn out. But, most of all, a good E.R nurse has to be able to relate to the patient, to calm the patient and family members, to make the patient comfortable, to let the patient know that they are in good hands and will be taken care of...confidence, knowledge and compassion is so important!</FONT></DIV>
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