tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33649262011-04-21T22:58:38.334-04:00AmandaRantstales from my journey as a nurse in the ERAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.comBlogger251100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1144298211840773022006-04-06T00:18:00.000-04:002006-04-06T00:36:51.936-04:00so last night, i go to work in L&D and there are two patients there. then, one of them went home....so i sat there with NOTHING to do until nearly 11, when i was rescued. the ER called, asked if i could flex out and come work over there. i just about flew across the street, got there, and clocked in. out of the world of wood floors, soft lighting, and nice paintings on the walls....and sheer Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1143347036153682982006-03-25T23:22:00.000-05:002006-03-25T23:23:56.163-05:00as a child, she tormented me (not that i did ANYthing to deserve it!)....but holy smokes, i love this gal and she makes me laugh.....check out her blog.http://getstung.blogspot.com/Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1141684086081654802006-03-06T17:19:00.000-05:002006-03-06T17:37:47.340-05:00I am still moving back to the ER....but there's been a delay. It seems that (lucky me!) I am too valuable to the L&D department for them to let me go right now....so it will be the second week of May before I go to the ER. I guess somewhere in there I should find something to be flattered about....but it kinda pisses me off, too. I -feel- like this is the L&D boss' way of flipping me the bird. ("Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1140241781443170442006-02-18T00:04:00.000-05:002006-02-18T00:49:41.480-05:00Well, now....sometimes we just don't know what we're into until we jump feet-first into it.....I've been working in L&D for about 3 months now and I've been growing more and more dissatisfied with it. ("But why?" you ask...) Several reasons, I'll start with the most trite first:*I'm bored out of my freaking skull. This department is a high-risk L&D, accepting transfers in from 22 counties. There Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1133584486538937532005-12-02T23:29:00.000-05:002005-12-02T23:34:46.546-05:00Started in L&D this last week. I've worked three shifts....total of 4 beautiful baby girls born! I'm beginning to sort out who's who there....still have to get to know people. The work, though, is absolutely fantastic. I don't really know what else to say at this point. It still feels like it's not real. I mean, I've (intentionally) moved towards working with laboring women for twelve years now (Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1130727805634815982005-10-30T21:44:00.000-05:002005-10-30T22:03:25.703-05:00So on to the update. I got called for the interview in Labor & Delivery (L&D). At first, I was nervous - not about the interview itself, but because of the change it might bring about....I was also nervous because I had heard some good and some bad things about that particular department (and their director, whom I'd be interviewing with). But I went...and it was a good interview. The director Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1128812569507776922005-10-08T18:56:00.000-04:002005-10-08T19:02:49.513-04:00I just went 'back home' primarily to attend the wedding of an old friend. I stayed at my parents house. While I was there, I was able to patch up some hurts between my mother and myself - mainly, I had been a thoughtless ass about something and I hurt her feelings....but we talked it out. I also told her that while I had no intentions of becoming an 'in-your-face gay rights activist', *I* was Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1126943253558227832005-09-17T02:44:00.000-04:002005-09-17T03:47:33.600-04:00Coming Out.....I want to tell you how I arrived at the place I am now in my life. If you know me, some of it you might already know. Some of it may be a surprise....but bear with me while I tell it.The first time I had a crush on a girl was in the 4th grade. I didn't really recognize it as such, but I knew I didn't feel the same way about her that I felt for my other friends. Being young, I Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1126939388319424632005-09-17T02:30:00.000-04:002005-09-17T02:43:08.326-04:00Boy, oh boy, it's been a long time since I've posted on this damn blog. It started out as a journal of the path to becoming an ER nurse....but now I'm thinking that it might take a different swing. First, let me get you caught up on what's going on at work. I'm a preceptor now (have I posted that already?) - what that means is that I help train the newbies as they come in. Seems like each batch Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1094273359596338322004-09-04T01:32:00.000-04:002004-09-04T00:49:19.596-04:00The ER that I work in has an interesting dynamic. What used to be two hospitals across the street is now one, with some redundant departments. There is a Trauma Center/ER at the hosp across the street. The one I work in has the only psychiatric crisis ER beds for this part of the state. ....consequently, 'they' get all the GSW's, the "hot" MI's, the multi-traumas, etc. 'We' get the overdoses, theAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1085884239317106182004-05-29T22:16:00.000-04:002004-05-29T22:30:39.316-04:00in a month or so, we'll be getting new 'baby nurses' in the ER. funny to think that just last year, i was a baby nurse, too. i saw one of them recently (rather, potentially one of them - it was her interview day, and she was touring the dept to see if she was interested)....she looked so wide-eyed and green. i don't think she was expecting to see the lady in the wheelchair coming in from triage, Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1084683995048539752004-05-16T00:35:00.000-04:002004-05-16T01:06:35.046-04:00well here i am...slacking again.
i got out of orientation early - by several months. on the one hand, i should be proud, on the other: it was a relief, because i was about to scream with preceptors hanging over my shoulder every shift.
i've also switched to night shift - which i love love love. granted, we get more freaks and drunks, but we also start out the night slammin' and then (usually) Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1066146329500783392003-10-14T11:14:00.000-04:002003-10-14T11:48:21.526-04:00i think i'm finally getting into some sort of groove at work. it's been several shifts since i've missed or blown an i.v. start (which is frustrating for me, but moreso for the patient who has to be stuck a second - or third time) 'course, now that i've said that, i'll probably blow every one i try for tomorrow. ;)
a few weeks ago, i watched a woman die. she was nearly 90 and was riding in a carAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1062642394438159682003-09-03T22:26:00.000-04:002003-09-03T22:27:30.036-04:00a bit of explanation about my slacking out on posting....my close friends will tell you that i *am* a slacker at heart, but i really have good intentions. (what's that about the road to hell???)
anyway, i've just moved to a new house and both this week and last i haven't had any shifts in the er...i've been sitting on my butt in hospital classes. i suppose they would be interesting if i hadn't Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1062641906639512962003-09-03T22:18:00.000-04:002003-09-03T22:18:26.623-04:00after some prodding (thanks angela!), i realized that i *really* need to get caught up here. i've had some interesting experiences since i wrote last.
one day, i walked into the room of one of my patients and smelled something odd in the air. i told my preceptor "i think she's smoking something in there, but i have no idea what" he asked if she was smoking crack. "i don't know"...."well, does Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1061254826740010812003-08-18T21:00:00.000-04:002003-08-18T21:00:26.636-04:00tomorrow is yet another one of those "it'll happen sooner or later" things that i wish would happen later than sooner. my kids start school (the youngest in kindergarten) and i'll be at work. good ol' 7a-7p.
just plain sucks.
~aAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1060861608320508142003-08-14T07:46:00.000-04:002003-08-14T07:51:24.126-04:00well, the inevitable finally happened yesterday: i got stuck with a dirty needle. thankfully, it was an elderly gentleman who had been in a monogamous relationship for about 65 years - not that that makes him hiv-proof. the hospital did what they call an "exposure panel" on his blood - tests for hiv, hepatitis (all types), etc.... turns out that he is hiv negative (whew) and i'll get the Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1060613758426724792003-08-11T10:55:00.000-04:002003-08-11T10:55:58.316-04:00yesterday at work was boooooring! (which was fine by me, since it was my 3rd 12 in a row). there's three words you never say in the ER: boring, quiet, or slow. i've heard that those are the "jinx" words - as soon as you say them, you're gonna get slammed with absolute crap!
i didn't take care of a lot of interesting stuff yesterday, mostly chest pain or UTI or whatnot. i *did* take care of a Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1060482172943861402003-08-09T22:22:00.000-04:002003-08-09T22:22:52.913-04:00not much to post today....i did a lot and saw some interesting things, but i'm too pooped to write much. in the last 36 hrs, i've worked 25....and i'm going back in 8.5 hrs for another 12.5 hr shift.....
nothing like getting thrown in the deep end, eh?
aAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1060395948212923122003-08-08T22:25:00.000-04:002003-08-08T22:28:31.620-04:00well, day one is done and accounted for. things were busy from the moment i walked in and i hit the ground running. (can i just tell you that i freaking *LOVE* this job??? - it suits me more than i suspected it would!)
interesting cases of the day: a gentleman (?) who came in about 7:30...he had punched through a glass window (and cut his hand, obviously) - he was mad (about what, we never foundAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1060223175329221062003-08-06T22:26:00.000-04:002003-08-06T22:26:15.350-04:00well, more class time yesterday and today. once again, it was terribly facinating to me, but not so much to the general masses. (as if there are actually masses reading this!)
today we covered how to collect forensic evidence (as in, rape kits, suspect evidence kits, tox screens for worker's comp, etc.) i was excited to find out that one of my preceptors is a 'sane' nurse (as opposed to, say, Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1060007059227491172003-08-04T10:24:00.000-04:002003-08-04T10:33:19.656-04:00no, i'm not slacking already. i've just spent all week in class (for things that are terribly facinating to me, but would be intensely boring to you). this week, i'll be in class again tuesday and wednesday (so, i probably won't post). next weekend, i work 12's on f/s/s - i'm anticipating having *something* to write about.........i hope.
meanwhile, for your reading pleasure, here's some info.
aAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1059513190042772222003-07-29T17:13:00.000-04:002003-07-29T20:43:19.443-04:00today was my first actual day in the ER. well....not even that....today was my first day in the ER *classroom*.
i think i was surprised when i walked in and was asked to grab a 3" thick binder and a shiny new textbook ("they're yours, you'll use them")....hoo boy, school all over again!
where i work, there are actually two ERs right across the street from each other....what used to be two Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1059445783925303042003-07-28T22:29:00.000-04:002003-07-28T22:33:00.216-04:00well, i had my first day of work today. here's a brief synopsis:
blah blah blah -diversity- blah blah blah -benefits- blah blah blah -core values- blah blah blah -parking pass- blah blah blah -i.d. badge- blah blah blah.....
...you get the idea.
tomorrow: orientation begins for the ER. probably most of this week will be more of the above. i have 48 weeks of training before i'm "thrown out on Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364926.post-1059270865033326152003-07-26T21:54:00.000-04:002003-07-29T20:43:39.853-04:00today is saturday. a little background on me: i recently graduated from nursing school. i've had most of the summer off, which was a delight, and on monday i begin working in the emergency room at a local hospital. this particular hospital serves several rural counties and is a level 2 trauma center. i will be a "nurse intern" for almost a year - that is, i'll have a preceptor watching me like a Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467045516590330178noreply@blogger.com0