Sunday News/The Saturday Six/The Sunday Seven & Other Memes

Hello everyone.  How was your weekend?  Mine was spent either at the ER working or sleeping.

 

Friday night was c-r-a-z-y!  Two hospitals close to us were "closed" or on "divert" because they were critically overloaded and didn't have admit beds.  So guess who got 36 ambulances Friday night?  We did!  Count them, 36!  I knew it was a lot, and I even joked around that it was over 30, but when I actually got the number I was shocked.  I don't think I've ever worked when we got that many ambulances in one shift except at the OKC bombing.  Now I know that there wasn't any terrorist activity, but I do know that there were a lot of stupid drunk people out and about.  We ended up seeing 58 people between 7p and 7a.  That is 4.8 patients an hour.  The American Society of Emergency Physicians (ASEP) has determined that a safe number to be seen in one hour is 2.5.  We almost doubled that.  Thank goodness a lot of what came is was minor, although we did admit over 10 patients and filled up both telemetry and med/surg.  Thank goodness we got all our admits up.  I just hate having to hold patients, and they really hate it too because the beds are very uncomfortable and it can get quite noisy in the ER.  Half of our rooms only have curtains, no doors.  So...nothing to close off and shut out all the noise.

 

Last night wasn't as bad, although it does seem as if I have a black cloud hanging over me (fondly called a "shit magnet" by my co-workers) whenever I go to work.  The tech last night asked me "how come you are always the busiest person here, why do you always get the sickest patients no matter what rooms you have?"  You know, I've thought about that.  I've even gotten bitter about it too when a bunch of people are sitting around doing jack nothing and I'm running around sweating.  I've come to a determination that has saved my attitude and sanity...I think God gives me what He knows I can handle, and what my patients need.  I don't mean to sound like I'm bragging here, but I'm a darn good nurse.  I have 11 1/2 years of experience with 10 years of that being in theER (minus 3 months in CCU).  I know what I'm doing, I just don't say I do.  I have a bachelor's degree vs an associates, which better prepares you by giving a more well founded knowledge base.  The AMA has determined that mortality and morbidity decrease when RNs over LPNs are placed in patient care, and are greatly reduced when an bachelor prepared RN is placed in critical care areas.  So it just makes sense to me that since I'm the only BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) on the night shift, that I should get the sickest patients.  I don't always think positively this way, but I try to because it helps me get through the night. 

 

Did I tell you I was in charge on Monday?  I kind of freaked out about it when I first walked in and I was the only staff person.  So no matter that I hadn't been charge there before, here I was, lol.  Oh I could do it and have done it multiple times, I was just worried that I do the paperwork right so no one would gripe.  Here I go bragging again, but I did a darn good job.  I charged, had my own patients, answered all the ambulance patches, triaged all the ambulances, and after the 3pm nurse went home did all those triages too.  New charting system and all, I kept up really well.  There, now I really am bragging, ha ha!

 

And I'm sure you are all thinking...

 

Okay, okay!  Enough about me and my greatness, tell me how your weekend went.

 

 De

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Saturday Six - Episode 136

I'm just about over that bug that was going around. I'm back to about 95%, just in time for Thanksgiving week! Couldn't miss the big feast! Anyway, it's time for another round of questions.  But first, Nichole of "My Two Cents" was first to play last week! Congratulations, Nichole!

 

1. When a bill arrives in the mail, what do you do with it: pay it immediately, hold it with others and pay at once, or put it off until the last possible minute?  I hold all the bills and pay them at the end of the month when my husband gets paid.  Everything taken care of at once and nothing more to worry about until the next month.

2. Which actor makes the best James Bond?

Hands down, Sean Connery.

3. Of the foods you enjoy, which one are you least likely to try cooking yourself?  Oy…just about anything because I don’t cook very much.  Okay.  I love my Mom’s smothered pork chops, homemade mashed potatoes and butter beans.  The last time I tried to cook this was when my sister, Kathryn, was out last year.  Let’s just say it’s going to be a very long time before I try cooking that again!

4. Take the quiz: What does your birth month reveal about you? November  Has lots of extraordinary ideas. Difficult to fathom. Think forward. Unique. brilliant. Sharp thinking. Fine, strong clairvoyance. make good doctors. Dynamic. Secretive. Inquisitive. Know how to dig secrets. Always thinking.Less talkative. amiable. Brave. generous. Patient. Stubborn. Hard-hearted. Determined. Never quit. Hardly become angry unless provoked. Love to be alone. Think differently. Sharp-minded. Motivate self. Don’t appreciate praises. High spirited. Well-built, tough. Deep love, emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest. Keep secrets. Can’t control emotions. Unpredictable.  Hmmmm….mostly true I’d say.

5. Of the results you just got, which one seems the farthest from the "real" you?  Homely, of course!

6. Will you see your extended family on Thanksgiving Day this year?  No, not even Hannah and we share our birthday.  But we are supposed to all get together at Christmas if the schedule and airline gods deem is so.

 

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Sunday Seven - Episode 64

Film buffs will love this week's question! Imagine those wonderful movie moments helped by just the right thing said at just the right time, and you'll be ready to tackle this week's challenge!  But first, Nichole, of "My Two Cents" was first to play last week! Congratulations, Nichole!

 

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
Name seven of your all-time favorite lines from the movies.
1.      “Oh Snap!” Chicken Little

2.      “I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”  When Harry Met Sally

3.      "Sell crazy some place else, we're all stocked up here.”  As Good As It Gets

4.      “Inconceivable.”  The Princess Bride

5.      “Hasta la vista, baby.”  The Terminator

6.      “The needs of the many, out weigh the needs of the few”.  Star Wars - The Wrath of Khan

7.      And from Vacation:

“Real tomato ketchup, Eddie?”  “Oh, nothing but the best.”

“This is crazy, this is crazy, this is crazy!”

“Roll 'em up!”

“Well am I gonna eat, or am I gonna starve to death?”

“You’ve been speeding for 1000s of miles!”

 

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Unconscious Mutterings

Week 198 - I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Teacher :: Instructor
2. Fifty :: Dollars
3. Crossword :: Puzzle
4. Stuffed :: Animal
5. Family :: Unit
6. Purr :: Kitty
7. Toad :: Frog
8. Cocktail :: Drink
9. Insecurity :: Social
10. Magical:: Kingdom