Saturday, August 29, 2009

Busy week..

Tuesday through to yesterday I worked four afternoon shifts. Tuesday I was out at Parkville for the first time in my history of employment with the Health Group.
Tuesday was also the day that Melbourne had extreme weather forecast, and the forecast was unusually correct. My first time in charge of this facility was more than exciting. I was completing my diabetic medication round when strong winds, gushing rains and an electrical storm hit Parkville. I got the staff to move residents away from the windows of the dining room areas as trees threatened to break through. This proved to be a good move as the glass double doors on the lower level of the facility were smashed in and rain was coming through. Not just rain, but the gusting winds were also entering the lower floor aswell. Code Yellow was phoned through to switch. Security and bed manager had to come on over, through the storm, to secure the doors.
"Trust this to go down on my first shift here" is what I exclaimed, haha. Apart from that, the staff were awesome to work with and I just loved the residents. It was very busy, and even with the doors smashing, my time management was not thrown that far out of whack. I will return if needed in the future. It is a different type of nursing, not by any means a slower pace, but much different to the acute settings I have become familiar with these past 10 years or so.
Wednesday I worked in the Emergency Department. It was by far the busiest shift I have ever worked there. What is going on out there? 17 admissions between myself and my awesome male colleague.. we had 7 cubicles between us. My legs ached by the time my shift was complete, despite wearing my $200 Rockport shoes.
For the first time ever I ducked through a Drive Through Bottle Shop and bought myself a Strongbow Sweet Cider. Not the usual practice I can tell you. The attenant told me his "Mrs" was an ambulance officer, he said she had been to my hospital that night. I told him I reckon I probably met her on more than one occasion that evening. They do an amazing job too.
Thursday I worked with another awesome team of nurses on the Renal/Endocrine Unit. Absolutely busy, my time management planner worked well this shift. I felt good when I left work as everyone was settled for the night and their rooms were tidy for the night staff. Essential when and if you have a code and need to rush into a room. You do not need to be tripping over things that are left lying about.
Last night I worked on the Plastics/Trauma Unit. Worked with another awesome crew of girls. Each patient is so varied in their presentations to hospital, and in the operations that the surgeons perform for each of them. Care tailored is to each of their needs and discharge plans by the nurses and allied health teams. Run off our feet, thinking on all levels every time we do something for the patient. It keeps your skills up to date and not a shift goes by that I do not learn something on this ward.
When I got home I sat and watched some of the American version "So you think you can dance". Wow, they are all so amazing on this show, I only WISH I could dance like that!
That caps off my week of work. Today and tomorrow are rest days..if you can call looking after four kids "rest days"..yeah..right :) We may go for a drive up to Dayelsford or something. See my cousin before she has her 6th bambino.

12 comments:

FoxyMoron said...

I love it when you talk about work Caz, I am in awe of nurses and the great work they do. More work stories please! ;)

Stace said...

I'm with FoxyMoron! You don't often detail your work, it's interesting to hear :)

Jayne said...

LMAO
Woman, don't you know all nurses instinctively learn to dance through each and every shift, limbo-ing and side-stepping and pas de deux-ing to the rhythm of call bells, beepers, phones, bed pans hitting the flusher, IV's running through, doctors mobile phones and the usual chant "the agency can't fill the night shift vacancy tonight" :P
Hope you have a relaxing weekend, you've deserved it!

Anonymous said...

And all are better for your efforts Cazzie. I will let you know when I hear of Rockports on special. A friend keeps a tight monitor on them. Now, six children? Unusual now.

Coffespaz said...

Hey Cazzie...so sorry I haven't popped by in a while. Thanks so much for your comments, it makes my day to "visit" with you. Hope things have slowed down a bit for you.

Cazzie!!! said...

Foxy, yes, I don;t often speak of work because I was not sure people would want to hear about exactly what I do..or more to the point, what I see. Some of the things that go on are unbelievable out there, it is hard to fathom why things happen the way they do, resulting in a patient presenting to the Emergency Dept. There seems to be no rhyme nor reason for some things that occur. Keeping a poker face is very difficult in some circumstances.
I have longed to write of some events, but privacy acts prevent it and yo just never know who reads your blog you know?

Stace, read above comment, and also, I guess some of my work is similar to Aidan's where he couldn't really write about the things he comes across. Working in close with the Fed's and Vic Pol many a time over the years (even as recently as a few days ago) I know a little of the awful things they encounter. I know I could write without naming people, I just worry someone may stumble here and catch on who it is about.
Any tips on keeping things low key would be welcomed :)

Jayne, you hit each nail on the head woman! Damn straight! Hahaha.
Today, I woke up, cleaned the whole house, took the girls shopping to Aldi with me, went to the video shop and now we are home..ready to relax now :)

Andrew, thanks, that would be welcomed with my hip pocket if I could get Rockports on sale :) I love them. I have worn them for about 6 years now. I buy a pair every 18mths or so I would say. I have tried alot of different brands of shoe, Hush Puppies, Diana Ferrari, Kumfs and now Rockports..these have been by far the most comfy and good looking too.
Yeah, my cousin has 2 weeks to go to have her 6th little baby. Her children all look so similar to my 4 that when we are together people wonder who has more children. Hehe.
Her childen are so lucky to be growing up in the bush, out of Malmsbury. Such a lovely life. My cousin is a Primary School teacher, and she is very patient..and so, she is great Mum :)


Coffee, it is ok, things can be so busy. Take care :)

Mal Kiely [Lancelots Pram] said...

Wow, just wow! My brother and his wifey are both nurses, so I wholly empathize with your hectic workdays!!!

G-Man said...

Cazz...EVERYTHING you do is interesting!!
And now you are in CHARGE?

...As it should be.

rosemary said...

Are you a "float" nurse or assigned to a unit and they just needed you elsewhere? I admire any nurse that is versatile enough to float to different units.

Mom said...

When I get sick I want you to be my nurse.

Cazzie!!! said...

Mal, yes, you must have heard some good stories from their work experiences.

Galen, haha, not always in charge, but definately trying to keep as close to my planner.

Rosemary, yes, I am on what is called "Nurse Bank". I work just for the one Healthcare Group and go wherever they need me. Sometimes I might be 10 minutes away from arriving at work and they call my cell and shift me to another ward/area. That doesn't bother me, I like the challenge :)

Mom, let us hope that is never , hehe.

Middle Child said...

My eldest sister is a Renal Dialysis nurse at Royal Brisbane, and sometimes she tells me about her days...they are different to yours but amazing as well...if only there were more cazzies out there. I did only three months nursing training and left because i couldn't handle the hospital hierarchy (it was 1972) then ten years later I was in effect my lovely husband's nurse for the next 25 years...fate shure has a way of sorting out pikers like me