We have a spandy clean new unit with seven (!!!) beds, monitors, a central monitoring station, computers that work, (oh, crap, I just realized I have to call them about the call light system) and beds and so on that actually function and don't have bits broken off of them.
So that's what I've been doing for the last couple of weeks. That, and the usual keeping people from falling out of their chairs or having larger strokes or otherwise having complications that would keep them in the hospital for weeks and weeks.
The first thing I did in the Spandy New Unit was stretch my arms out from my sides and turn in a complete circle. That did not used to be possible. The second thing I did was walk from one end of the floor to the other, giggling, and saying "wahoo!" softly. Then I got my poop in a group and got the patient we had to move to her new room.
It feels a bit like a shakedown cruise. There's still a lot of stuff that doesn't work, and things that could be neater or more convenient, but we'll work those out in time. Right now, I'm just grateful to have a place to put people where I can be relatively sure that the walls won't catch fire and I can get them into and out of the rooms through doors wide enough to admit hospital beds.
Soft yahoos from here, so i don't wake anyone (it's early here).
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your unit.
HUZZAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete"Got my poop in a group"....
ReplyDeleteHee hee hee! Love it!
that's a huge project - glad the new space is so much better!!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete" I can get them into and out of the rooms through doors wide enough to admit hospital beds" - always a plus I feel! Enjoy your luxury :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, non-flammable rooms! I sure do not wish a fire on anyone (had one at the end of the day one day and it was smelly and scary).
ReplyDeleteHope you and the patients enjoy the spinning room!
A new unit with seven beds, i.e., SEVEN beds??!! Woo-hoo!! Although I'm not really superstitious, isn't *S.E.V.E.N.* supposed to be a Lucky Number, or somethin'? Anyway, I'm also not picky about wishing ANY type of luck to poor NCCU Patients (and/or to NCCU Nursing Staff); so............ The Very ~ *B.*E.*S.*T.* ~ Of Luck to you, and all your patients, in your new Unit, Jo!!
ReplyDeleteWe actually have a 13 unit CCU. Not sure why no one has ever mentioned that.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog. I found it through the Reader's Digest article. I am not a nurse nor a nurse in training. I was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2010. And hell broke loose. I am so happy that you did not have radiation. Radiation has taken everything from me. If you are interested you can catch my blog st www.mycervicacancerjourney.blogspot.com. I wish you all the best in your journey.
ReplyDeleteJo, not sure whether you have seen this or not. But, just in case.... Thanks for your blog.
ReplyDeletehttp://thenerdynurse.com/2012/01/arizona-nurse-has-license-threatened-by-doctor-after-providing-patient-education.html
I 've done the move the unit thing, its a chore all right, good luck, but its sounds like your move is a to a much better place: mine was just sideways :)
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you're writing again. I came in with the RD group and was stunned enough to stick around to see if you were gonna start up again. I'm an ancient nurse, one that started way back when IV pumps weren't on every drip and I could actually calibrate their rate. What fun. Nowadays I'm back at the bedside after 20+ years running community programs and involvement in health policy. And starting an art career. Strange new world but I'm oddly enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteStefanie