That one time in the ER...

That’s right people, I may be on vacation, but I still choose to keep you updated on the craziness of my life.  Actually, I’m just beat and my sister and I are chilling on the veranda enjoying a glass of wine.  Don't be jealous.  Before I tell you anything about Hawaii, I have to tell you about my last few days at work before I left.  Pretty exciting.

First few nights of work were same ol’ same ol’.  Nothing too exciting.  Third night I floated to a rehabilitation floor.  Pretty boring.  People here are ready to go home, but waiting for clearance.  I worked there until 2300(11:00pm) then got a call from my supervisor.  She said, “You’re gonna kill me.” I said, “No I’m not.” “I’m sending you to the ER.”

So I worked the ER as an “episodic nurse,” in other words I was an extra pair of RN hands.  There’s a lot of stuff to be done in the ER, and a lot of it can only be done if you have a license to do it, so that’s what I was there for.  It was quite a change from what I’m used to.  People coming in for this n that, waiting 4 hrs then leaving with no real issue to be found. 

Here’s a story for you: Tiny little drunk man comes in with the police because he refused a breathalyzer.  If you do that you’re forced into cuffs and brought in to the ER for a “legal.”  This is a legal blood draw to see what one’s blood alcohol level would be.  This little guy thought he could take on one male nurse and two burly policeman.  Nope.  He made a kicking action to a nurse and before he knew it his head was slammed down onto the gurney and his feet were up over his shoulders and his butt was straight up in the air.  I felt bad for the guy making such poor decisions, but it was a bit comical.  Did he really think he could take on even one burly policeman?

Basically I helped with big cases such as “chest pain,” anything coming in with EMS, or respiratory issues.  I started several IV’s, and you all know how much I love those!  It was an exciting night.  One moment you’re running around mad, the next it slows down a bit, then a big accident comes in and all hell breaks loose.

We had another combative drunk man come in, mind you it was Saturday night, and before he even got there we cleared the room of all equipment that could be used as a weapon.  When he got there he was so passed out he may have looked dead.  No joke.  No need for any weapons.

Needless to say, I liked it.  It was exciting. But I don’t think I’d ever want to always do that.  Yes, you get to be there for people in really bad times, but then you ship them off and never see them again.  You see people for roughly 4-10 hrs of their lives.  I like to spend more time with my patients.  See them through until the end, good or bad.  Fun night, but I’ll stay where I am for now.
PS- Abby, from ER, is one of the reasons I'm a nurse today.  I loved her character and how she dealt with her patients.  I know, so shallow, but I loved her.  I became a nurse for a lot of other reasons too, you know.