You are currently browsing the monthly archive for February 2012.
School had not yet let out; the cars were lined in anticipation of the bell. A crossing guard stood at the corner of a busy street. His stop sign leaned against a post. His fellow guard sat across from him in a folding chair, arms crossed and head down.
As a car passed the standing guard, he turned with a wide smile and waved. The driver smiled and waved back.
Another car turned the corner. He smiled and waved. The driver smiled and waved back.
Another car. Another smile and wave. Another friendly reply.
He missed no one, and each driver responded in like.
My red light changed to green.
I was already smiling when he turned to me.
⌂ I’ve been keeping an eye out for furniture since buying my house and have come across a distressed gold leather chair and ottoman on-line. I’ll be looking at it in a few days. I’m crossing my fingers because I need more seating, but I’ve yet to like anything on-line once I see it in person.
⌂ I found someone to reupholster these two chairs I have for $200 each. That is about 50% cheaper than any bid I’ve ever gotten. I’ll see the guy on my next day off to look at his materials book and check out his work.
⌂ There’s another possible job opportunity. This company not only contracts nurses for education but social workers as well. My sister and I both could have new jobs soon. (The first is a prn position in minor care. I should know sometime next week.)
⌂ The studying for my PCCN has finally begun in earnest. I’m shooting to be ready for the exam by the end of March.
⌂ I bought myself a little French press, and I love it. Anyone want a never used coffee maker? Three years sitting on a counter untouched.
I’m charging now. I did not see that coming.
Our unit manager has been discussing changing our two units to having a free charge. This week we made the switch. It’s been a rough week.
The matrix has yet to be adjusted for the new position. So we have a one less nurse taking patients on each unit. And the rest have to pick up the slack. While in theory the charge takes no patients, that is impossible with our current matrix. Oh, and we’re also in the middle of changing to physician-entered computerized orders. No more written orders. Physicians are supposed to enter the majority of orders themselves. Ha. Right. Put it all together and you have chaos.
I came in Monday morning to find the change. I had a larger work load with one actively dying patient (and family to deal with) and several to prepare for procedures on top of the normal morning rush. I was on the verge of tears by 10a. I started crying by 2p. I had not eaten breakfast. I was trying to leave the floor for lunch. One physician happened to be the last straw. He was being his usual pain-in-the-ass self, and I said, “Look. If I don’t eat right now, I’m going to cry. Nurse So-and-so here can help you do that.” He turned to me and put his hand out like he was going to touch my arm, and I pulled back with my arms held to my chest and said, “Don’t touch me.” I then walked around him and out of the station. I went downstairs to get food and returned to the lounge where I cried a little as I ate. A brownie later and I was doing better. By 3p we scrapped the free charge deal because we were getting too many admissions to keep that going.
On my Tuesday off I got a phone call from the opposite day charge nurse giving me the heads up that I would be free charging the next day. I knew she was going on vacation, and I thought that was all it was. I charge occasionally whenever I’m the most senior nurse on schedule. Wednesday morning was fine, but by 3p staffing wanted to pull someone. Rather than make someone give up all their patients only to pick up new ones, I volunteered to go. The other free charge would charge both units.
I arrived at work Thursday to find my name on the charge list. The regular charge had no idea what was going on. I had been told nothing. I went to my manager’s office as soon as he arrived to find out what was happening. He told me that there had been charge nurse meetings where they were told that different people would be rotated through the free charge position to see how they do. I told him the problem was that had been a while ago, and no one was given a clue that it was happening now. Much less me. And that sucked. But then he did what managers do when they compliment you profusely and tell you that your name has been coming up every time the free charge position is discussed. And they just know that you’ll do a great job. You have such a calm manner that the floor needs. Some of the doctors have commented to them positively about seeing you charge. On and on…. My charge nurse phone rings, and I have to go. There will be more meetings to discuss the job requirements, because it’s basically being made up as I go along right now. I agree. We all need to meet. Soon.
And then Friday. It wasn’t bad.
“A man does what he can; a woman does what he cannot.”
“And I am not one of those women who trips twice over the same stone.”
“Courage is a virtue appreciated in a male but considered a defect in our gender. Bold women are a threat to a world that is out of balance, in favor of men. That is why they work so hard to mistreat and destroy us. But remember that bold women are like cockroaches: step on one and others come running from the corners.”
A terrible idea is not to be confused with the pizza party in a box. That is obviously genius.
⌂ There is the possibility of a return trip to Vietnam and Thailand this summer. I’m just awaiting the details from a friend…
⌂ It happens to be the parents’ birthday weekend. Family tradition means lunch and bowling. Maybe a movie if they’re feeling especially wild.
⌂ A work friend is leaving for a supervisor position in minor care. She wants to speak to me this coming week about a job opening.
⌂ I have an actual date for Valentine’s day this year, thus ending a 28 year streak. It’s still nice to know that I’ll be getting chocolates from my mama.
⌂ I went rock wall climbing. I learned that I have no upper body strength, but my legs are killer. Also, it will ruin your nails. Even if they are short.
⌂ I was at dinner the other night, and I couldn’t believe how loud it was in the restaurant. These two girls were sitting across the room, yet I could hear their conversation as if they were right next to me. I mentioned this to my date, but he said he couldn’t hear anything. It was then that I realized what was going on. Telegraphing! We happened to be sitting along one end of a long curved wall (I was facing away from the wall), and the two girls were on the other end directly facing us. Suddenly it was so cool.
ANA statement on the case of Amanda Trujillo
Too little, too late.
Some nurse blogger responses can be found here.
Cops don’t like to give tickets to nurses.
