I got sent to the ER today. Myself and two other nurses from my unit...one who went MIA after a few hours. I think she got sent home. I also got sent home, but not until 0500. I'm hoping I don't get called off tonight, otherwise I'm going to volunteer to go to the ER again.
I was very disoriented. I have never been to the ER before and things are a lot different. For awhile I was just sitting around and I didn't know what to do, even after I kept telling the other nurses to tell me to do stuff because I'll do it. Then I got slammed with discharges. I have never discharged patients before (except in nursing school, like once or twice) but I handled them like a pro :)
And I had to deal with pedi patients!!! It wasn't as scary as I remember. One was so cute, and poor thing kept asking if I was going to stick her with a needle and got scared when I put gloves on...needless to say, no ouchies for her :)
Something upset me, though. We had a 27 year old, DOA (dead on arrival), CPR in progress. Already intubated. Once they got the the ER we continued CPR and pushed some drugs. The doc did an ultrasound which showed cardiac standstill. Patient's color looked awful - definitely cyanotic. We couldn't save them. Drug OD was suspected. It's just so sad, because this patient was very young, and a soldier too. I just don't see how anyone can just throw their life away like that. It bothered me, and it still does.
And things will bother you. That's a part of nursing. But you just have to learn to let it go.
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