All in an Evening's Work

This evening, I was responsible for fifteen patients. Between the hours of 3 pm and 1:15 am, I administered medications to each one of these patients.  I also took temperatures, blood pressures, pulses, counted respirations, and checked oxygen levels and blood sugars.  I gave two shots, gave two suppositories, did a treatment on someone's genitals, and put cream in a patient's rectum. I assessed wounds, lung sounds, and performed skin assessments.

An ambulance dropped of a patient in a wheel chair who was a new admission. I had not been told that I would be getting a new admission, and had no paper work.  This patient then became very agitated, and after an  hour or two, signed out AMA.

I had a patient with a temperature of 100.6 degrees. Even after medication administration, the temperature continued to rise. I had to use non-pharmaceutical treatments to "break the fever", and fought the temp all evening, only to have it increase again at 11 pm.

I replaced oxygen tanks, put oxygen on a patient,  and cleaned a concentrator. I made a total of five "callouts" to doctors. One doctor told me "to do what I wanted", and asked "Why can't you fix it?".

I sent a pt to the ER. I wrote orders, transcribed orders, discontinued orders, and carried out orders. I ordered labs and talked to the pharmacy twice. I called family members. I did medication education with both patients and family members. While one patient had a fever, I had another one yelling at me, and another patient refusing to sit down in the wheelchair.

I ate lunch while talking to a doctor and charting. I am a breast-feeding mom, and only had the chance to pump twice. I should have pumped at least three times, if not four, and even took a phone call while pumping.

I charted on six patients. I was punched, called names, and yelled at. I was hugged and kissed. I was exposed to MRSA. I held the hand of a dying man and cried. I argued with a nurse.

My shift was supposed to end at 11 pm. I did not clock out until 1:15 am, and I am still afraid that I forgot something. I came home to dishes in the sink, two loads of laundry to fold, baby toys scattered over the living room floor, and my two boys (husband and son) in bed.