Monday, September 07, 2009

3 mornings in a row....

Yes, I do do mornings!!! Friday was ever so busy on the roads at 6am, yet I got to work with about 20mins to spare. I just took my time and listened to Vega radio..I love their new and old mix of music. I do not know half of the new artists but I love their garage band feel. Yeah, real music with real instruments is always better than synthesizer stuff I reckon.
Friday I worked on Neurology. A great team of nurses, we work two up. The young girl I worked with did so well. It is heavy work, and the plan changes by the hour as we progress through our shift. Lots of reassurance given at every step with every patient as they are scared. Scared because the hospital is new to them, scared because we use lifting machines to move them about. I have been in one before, it is different, but given reassurance that you are safe is essential.
Putting naso-gastric tubes in, it is the one thing I hate to do. It is necessary for feeding and the administering of medicines in people that have had a stroke. Horrid things, but necessary too.
Saturday I worked on Neurosurgury. Another busy day at work. The traffic was scarce on the way in which was great. No Hot Air Balloons to see, I wondered why? (Highriser, would you have the answers?)
I got to work with another 3 nurses who were just awesome. We called on each other for guidance and assistance and got all our work done. I even had enough time to sit and speak with some people and also braid a ladie's hair for her. Alot of changes to care plans went on, just as the day before on neurology. That mans alot of paper work and alot of talking to next of kin to let them know changes in their loved one's plan.
Yesterday, yes, Father's Day, I worked the morning on the Trauma/Plastics Unit. It was flat out like a lizard drinkin' in the desert Sun! My shift planner that I devised went to plan. Towards the end of the shift I got to sit with a patient who spoke to me about being a Vietnam Vet. I am just not sure how we got onto that subject, and I was surprised at the amount of information he had openly divulged. In my experience, and generally speaking, war vets do not speak of actual combat. Not this time. I listened, and I learned, these men and women who I have much admiration and compassion for went through so much. He had lost his best friend in combat, right next to him. They grew up together and they did 3 tours of Vietnam together. It all went down in the last week of their third tour of Vietnam. His recall is so vivid. He is a smoker, I could have almost let him light up that bloody cigarette right there in the hospital room..if not for the smoke alarms that directly go to the MFB. Hell, he deserved to have a puff.
It sucks majorly how people treat the Vietnam Vets. He was comparing his experience to that what is happening right now overseas. He hopes that the vets of the current war against terrorism get a better "deal" than he himself was given..or lack thereof. Organising their own home welcoming parade as he and his mates did, being treated less that courteously by people he had grown up with. As he said, they did not live his life, they did not see what he had seen. It seems that, just like my Grandad, he was is not the violent type, would not hurt a fly..now.
When I got home I fell asleep on the couch for a bit. A powernap. I awoke to watch Australian Idol..I so love these performers..they are brilliant and diverse and I so wish I could sing like that!
This morning, I have vacuumed the whole place,and I mopped the tiled areas... phew, this house is way too big! I believe I am exempt from riding my bicycle for one day.

8 comments:

FoxyMoron said...

Vaccuming is extremely good exercise. You are excused from your bike ride.

Mom said...

Sounds like nursing is still a very busy, hands on experience. With all the machines and equipment someone still need to braid hair.
Sometimes I miss it, but mostly I just like remembering it all now.
You sound like a wonderful nurse.

Anonymous said...

The main ballooning companies haven't started for the season yet. There is one that continues over winter. I saw balloons either Friday or Saturday.

Cazzie!!! said...

Foxy, it sure is! Thankyou Maam :)

Mom, yes, the hair needed to be tidied, pillow hair is not-so-trendy, lol.

Andrew, thanks. I love seeing them when I do do mornings, they make me smile :)

G-Man said...

I had a naso-gastric tube put in once...Just Once!!

Jayne said...

Erck, used to hate inserting naso-gastrics and catheters, both guaranteed to have the pts highly resistive and spitting curses at you within seconds lol.

Jules said...

I think my house is bloody big too, it's putting me off doing housework.

Middle Child said...

"flat out like a lizard drinkin' in the desert Sun" one of my favourites - Its wonderful that you used the time left to sit and braid an old lady's hair and talk with the vet...this is what will stay in their minds - not all the pain and procedures - it is the little kindnesses. Those nurses and docs who just squeezed Don's shoulder, or expressed interest in the photos i had plastered the walls in - there were a few like this but RNSH wears many of them down and has a bad reputation for that.

Nurses like you are pure gold