Thursday, April 22, 2010

4th day ICU

I feel like I've learned so much more in the last 4 days than I have in a year on cardio-thoracic surgery. Today my patient from yesterday was doing worse than before, in every way. My preceptor left me alone for 5 minutes, and of course the patient's BP went from 105 systolic to 60. I got another nurse to help but told him to NEVER leave me alone again! All we did was bolus him fast but it all leaks out of his vascular system as quick as we could put it in. I mixed up levophed for the first time, just in case, but we didn't need it. I've never mixed up an IV med before.

I also did all of the charting and meds and organization of the day. The family was distraught because basically their dad/husband is going to die, and everything we're doing is just prolonging the fact. A half hour before I left, I checked a residual on the NG tube and got back blood. So we set up and did a gastric lavage. Oh, and nurses also place the dophoff tubes. So take that all you cardio-thoracic PAs who think you're so hot that no one else can drop a tube!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Love your post! And you must have learned on day 4..that doctors may save a life..but it nurses who save doctors lives...hehehe..glad you dropped a tube.. you got a lot of experience in those 4 shifts...and one day..trust me.. you will be so so grateful.. sounds like you are kicking some butt!! Keep it up!! ps..
I love, love, love.. the title of your blog!! I think you may be in my head!! hehe..
Smiles~
Cat aka Gypsy Nurse