Thursday, August 23, 2012

{Sit Up Straight}

I don't believe I have shared this yet, but a large part of my life {calling} and what makes my heart truly happy is nursing.


{Simulated Hospital Room from Nursing School
@ the OHSU School of Nursing}

Blessed with a job on a critical care unit at our local hospital, I have come to appreciate the criticality, fast tempo, teamwork and tremendous amount of healing that happens there.  It is a delicate balance between sending patients home with new pacemakers and "detoured" circulation in the heart (aka: Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting/"Open Heart Surgery") to the other side of the spectrum - easing the pain and suffering of a dying individual who is dearly loved by my neighbor down the street.

I could never have imagined that although my "giving bank" is spent {and sometimes withdrawn} by the end of each shift, I am reimbursed 200% via laughs, blessings and words of wisdom provided by those around me.

Short Story: 

{and the first of many, I'm sure}


My 75 year old patient was a woman originally from Eastern Oregon.  Recovering from ICU psychosis and slowly becoming more alert and oriented, this patient had two chest tubes and a foley catheter, along with a central line, Peripheral IV and multiple incisions on her arms, legs and chest after a partial lung resection as a bonus to her Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.  In short, she had a lot going on, and someone this confused with a variety of lines and a poor reaction to Ativan {anti-anxiety medication} makes for an interesting night for the RN {that would be me}.

Thank goodness no falls or serious injuries occurred this night, as I was caring for three other patients and this particular 75 year old lady was very impulsive in her unfamiliar hospital room.  After continual re-education provided to her and her partner {who was also very confused, might I add} about the importance of using the BiPap machine {helps people breathe at night}, not pulling out IV lines, reorientation of the situation at hand and gentle reminders not to jump out of bed and attempt to skip down the hall while whistling in the middle of the night, I was definitely ready for my 2:00 AM lunch break.

And then, in a moment of clarity and truth, I received my re-education.


"Honey, you have a nice figure and all, but let me tell you one thing: you have BAD posture!  I'll show you a thing or two about that once I get out of here.  We'll get lunch."


Tired, surprised and unsure of how to respond to this initially unwelcome word of advice, I stood speechless, looking at this fragile woman, wondering what in the world I should say.

She must have noticed my inability to produce words, for she continued to share her life story about being a dancer, living on the east coast, and the importance of caring for your back.  Now, whether or not a few details were embellished or memories were 100% accurate is unimportant at this point, and truly not something worth arguing.  Besides, what I did take from this conversation was my lack of caring for myself while caring for my patients, particularly in the form of posture and lift techniques {which can, unfortunately, end a career}.

My patient slipped back into a confused state, and the reorientation continued as I wrapped coban around her peripheral IV line.  The moment of clarity was lost, but the words of wisdom remained in my mind long after that shift.  I can definitely say that I was sitting a little straighter as I drove home that morning. 

If we don't take responsibility for our health {and the many aspects of this broad term}, no one will.

And that, ladies and gentleman, is a freebie for you from my personal bank account.


Cheers,
K