I had such a chaotic day at work, and the weird part was it was totally stress free and enjoyable.
For breakfast I had three leftover pancakes from earlier in the week (I always make extra for work and then end up eating half the extras, which leaves me with a measly portion to take to work). Luckily I had banana bread muffins too.
My lunch was leftover Caprese Caesar pasta salad. AKA my favorite dish on the face of the Earth.
We had this for dinner the previous night. I can’t tell you how much I love this meal.
Please make it asap. You’ll thank me later.
So back to work.
I admitted a crazy anxious patient at the very beginning of my shift (I hate getting new patients before I’ve even gotten into the shift, but oh well). This person was needy to the nth degree, and the room was like a time suck. Every time I went in there I was in there forever. Tears and anxiety and more tears. But by the end of the shift we were besties.
Throughout the rest of the shift I discharged two people. They were both happy nice people who were very appreciative and so it made me smile to see such wonderful outcomes in their care.
Unfortunately, because I sent two people home, it meant I had to admit another patient. Usually our charge nurse avoids giving a nurse two admissions in one shift, but we were being slammed with people, so it was actually my turn again. Oh well.
The patient was coming from the ICU and I was told it was a straight forward case, very stable, no big deal. Meh. I made it to the end of the shift fine, all my charting and everything was done, the patients were all safe and ready for me to pass on to the night shift.
So there I am, doing bedside report with the night RN, and the patient says “I feel dizzy”. I look at the monitor – asystole. Fuuuuuuuuuuu…
The next part was a total blur, but the patient never actually lost consciousness. I felt no radial pulses in either upper extremity, but (praise the Lord) the patient still had pacing wires, so in no time at all I had grabbed a pacing box and low and behold, we had a rhythm.
The patient’s mom was in the room the entire time and I don’t think she had any idea what was going on. I had called a code two seconds in, but we cancelled it since we got the heart beating again so fast. And then I finished giving report to the night RN.
On the drive home my adrenaline was still in mega freakin overdrive and I just kept re-playing the whole thing over and over again in my head. I have to say, I feel entirely responsible for this patient being alive. And that’s a damn cool feeling. Kinda a scary one too.
So yeah. I was starvvving when I got home so I showered in six seconds and immediately got my grub on.
I think the adrenaline was responsible for my heightened appetite because I couldn’t get enough of this tempeh stew. [I know I still owe a recipe]
I had three refills. And I had two pieces of toast with Earth Balance too.
So I totally had to look up what asystole meant – and yikes! I would be freaked out!
Wow. I can’t even imagine.
I had to have an EKG and after looking up a million of the terms and what my doctor said, I couldn’t help but think of you and all the other cardiac nurses/doctors and how hard you work. I know the connection is thin there, but you popped into my mind 😉
That salad looks like something I want to shove my face in.
Thank HEAVEN for attentive and smart nurses! I just had vocal cord surgery (happy I will be able to sing again, but on voice rest now) and I realized yet again that it is the nurses we all count on to get us through those difficult moments…. The nurses at MGH were so nice!
You’re amazing and inspiring, thank you for everything you do!
Random note, I am thinking about going back to school to become an RN. I tried going to nursing school 9yrs ago but life happened and now I think it’s time to finish what I started. I just got the ball rolling on the whole going back to school thing this week, we’ll see what happens….
omg, i would’ve been completely freaked out! you are just awesomeee 🙂
Holy moly. You are my hero… seriously. I don’t even know how you keep your cool in a situation like that. Maybe it’s the extra pancakes… 😉
I was with you for awhile there Elise, then it got a little confusing I won’t lie
I love your work food posts, I may have to post a few of my own for my 12-hour shifts! I love that this shows that a RN can work a 12-hour shift and eat healthy!
Haha also had too look it up… Awesome job, Elise!
I love hearing (reading ?) your nursing stories, it’s a whole other world! Kudos to you. bisous.p
wow, you are such a rockstar! way to go:) and that caprese pasta salad looks perfect! yum!
The tempeh stew looks delicious! I love the caprese too, thanks for all of the wonderful recipes.
strong work 🙂 that’s a good feeling!!
must be something going around…i had a “fun” night at my work too. long story short, we can have a max of 6 on nights, somehow during the night, i ended up having been the primary nurse for 8 pts, but never having more than 6 at a time. happy monday night 🙂
i wish i had a bowl of that caprese salad right here and now!
I can’t imagine, eek! Glad it turned out ok thanks to you!!! Recipe for the stew please 🙂
Wow that sounds super intense! I would be freaking out big time, I guess that’s why I will never be a nurse hah. Great job on keeping that patient alive! That would be a darn awesome feeling!!
You’re a star…. nurses are amazing. Well done!
Just found your blog and love it. Bravo on thinking fast and saving your patient from a very unstable situation!
I’m pretty sure I would freak the eff out. lol. Nice work! 🙂
thanks michelle! glad you found me 🙂
ha. sorry. sometimes i write these things and forget they arent my journal.
good luck!!
thats so good to hear…i love when patients have wonderful hospital experiences (there are plenty of bad ones)
i hope everything with your ekg was ok!
omg. earth balance is dangerous!!! i cannot even tell you the number i’ve times i’ve gotten earth balance and bagel wasted. xoxo