Confessions of a Coffee Crazed Nurse

Patient: Nurse! Nurse! I need peri-care! Where's my grape juice?! GRAPE JUICE!

Me: *banging head against wall* I'll be right there! *makes pretend gun with hand and shoots self in head*

On the med/surg floor I worked on, we had a "frequent flyer" who was probably one of the most aweful people I've taken care of. He had hepatic encephalopothy - he basically drank himself stupid. Literally. He was terribly gross. Constantly yelling out that he need peri-care (he wanted his ass and nutsack cleaned). And I mean yelling. Disturbing other patients. Wouldn't use the call bell. And grape juice. Good LORD this guy went through the grape juice. He should have bought stock in it. He was the type of patient that you were only assigned to for one day and then it was someone elses turn. Though we'd all take turns going into the room because, well, strength in numbers. I don't miss him.

And now . . . . . . David Duchovny! Why? He's pretty damn hot! I was a huge X-Files fan and have always had a crush on him. Mmmmmmm.

Confessions of a Coffee Crazed Nurse

It's that time again! Today will be more generalized. Before I worked at the Birth Center (where I'm at now), I worked on a busy medical/surgical floor. A very tough floor to work on. We saw pretty much every type of patient you could imagine. GI bleeds, overdose, suicidal patients, psych patients, post surgical, wound/infection, trauma, pneumonia, cardiac patients . . . you get the idea. Some patients were very critical, some, uh, not so much (like drug-seekers). I enjoyed working on this floor and learned a ton. Had my share of codes and deaths, good patients and bad. I wanted to work med/surg for a few years before specializing so that I had a solid background and I know I'm a better nurse for doing this. And overall, I don't miss it.

But, there are a few things I DO miss. Here they are:

1. I miss my old co-workers. We had a great team and we all worked well together.

2. I miss doing codes. Sounds weird, I know. But it's such an adrenaline rush and satisfying to see the results of your effort so quickly (I do get similar exposure with "bad" deliveries or moms with post-partum hemmorhage)

3. I miss the doctors I worked with. The docs I saw every day were AWESOME! Caring, compassionate, listened to nurses (that's a biggie), and joked with us and were fun.

4. I miss the little old ladies and men. Little old men are so freaking cute! I'm sorry - they just are! And the little old ladies . . .especially the ones who cussed. I wanted to bring them all home! Especially little old asian ladies. There is nothing more darling! Sadly, my hubby said no . . .

5. Deaths. Why on earth would I miss people dying? Because the deaths that I was involved in were hospice patients. They weren't easy, but it's rewarding to be there for the families.

I don't want to do med/surg any more, and I LOVE working in the birth center. There is a part of me though that longs for the excitement of ER nursing or flight nursing. Maybe one day . . .

Melissa and I in the 10th floor nurses station. One of my bestest friends!

Me and Dr. Monticelli - one of my all-time favorite doctors!

Dr. Harbison and I. Another awesome doctor!

Valerie and I. A fabulous nurse! Though, we had a way of hastening the death of hospice patients. No, not on purpose. We just always happened to be working together when either one of mine or her patients passed. Kind of an aweful coincidence.

Jill and I! With Valerie and Melissa in the background! Jill was nice enough to follow me to the birth center! Yay!!!

Alright, last one. Me and Dr. Porat! Another one of my all-time fav docs! Showing off his novel!! Which is a good read, by the way. It's called The Other Face of Murder.