Learning

 
The last few days that I have worked I have learn alot of new things.  How to discharge patients by myself, how to admit and transfer patients and having 3 rooms by myself.  Even though I have 3 rooms myself my head nurse bales me out when I get behind.  Which seems to be alot sometimes because I keep getting new things I have never done.  Everyone seems happy to teach me anything I ask questions about.  Any where from how to to a nitro drip, a heparin drip, or simple things like where the heck do i chart this.?  I know it in  time I will get use to everything.  The nurses even giggle and tease me cause I still have the out of school positive attitude about the frequent flyers or TROLL. I learned  TROLL means To Return Often Loves Lortabs (painkiller). I even transfer a patient to CCU all by myself. I learned just how grouchy some people are…sheesh. One thing I really didn’t want to learn was life can be taken from you in a flash.  This was the first day I seen a Baby less than 3 months old die.  A code blue was called and nurses from all units were trying their hardest to get this baby to breath again.  I know I should have stayed for a learning reasons. I just like it was wrong to be in there.  I felt like I was more in the way.  I knew they would be asking me to help get items or to do something.  I knew I would have to tell them I don't know.  I am just in training.  So I decided to back off and  let the experience ones do all the work.  While they were working hard with the baby It kept all the other patients labs and med orders under control.  I was shocked by the callousness of the other patients.  Some standing and gawking and others yakking on their telephones.  Not to mention the all the complaints of "what is taking so long?" "Don’t you realize I am important?"  Even though I would like to shout at them " You have been here numerous times and have yet had anything serious enough for the ER.
The code was finally over and everyone parted ways. You could see the tears in the eyes of the family, the doctors and all the nurses.  It makes me realize just how hard this job can be. The next  day when talking to the nurses I found that most kissed their loved ones, their kids, and checked on their babies 12 times that night.  This job can be heart wrenching.