Year One Review: Near CERT



A fresh transplant that was trached was entrusted to my care for the evening. As the shift went on, she became more anxious. Her vitals were stable. She kept saying that she just didn't feel right. After a quick run to the pharmacy, I peeked in on her and I knew something wasn't right. She was awake but not talking at all. I did a quick assessment and called for respiratory therapy. He and I began bagging her as her saturations were low and her lungs were had many crackles. The NP quickly responded though she was one of our newer NPs and was very unsure of what the situation called for. Between the RT and I recommending care action items and the NP consulting with another NP over the phone, we were able to get the patient the care she needed in a mostly timely fashion. At the end of that shift, I felt good about the care my patient received, the decisions I was able to contribute to and the teamwork I pulled together for my group.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Honduras 2016: The One and Only Thing

Image
This is about the only picture taken of me in Honduras this year that I want to look at. I met this sweet lady last year after she came to the clinic. She was 92 then....93 this year. She came last year in the same pink dress and managed to sweet talk me into giving her extra toys for her grandkids. Seeing her is always a joy. Her closed mouth smile hides her nearly gone teeth. When you are close to her you can see her eyes sparkle. She is full of life. When we ask her if she knows Jesus. Her sweet response is that she does and he lets her keep living. She stated how blessed she is. I got a lippy kiss on the cheek and whispered that she was happy to have a sister in Christ. She went on to say that she came back this year to see me because she remembered me and if I never saw her again I'd see her in heaven. How sweet this is. This is the value of lasting relationships in a  community. She knows that the local doctors are there for her. She can a...
Read more

Intuition 101: Trusting the Little Voice

Image
There is so much I do as a nurse that requires more than a describable set of skills. There is basic physical assessment and the ability to translate those seen and felt things into written word for mandatory documentation. There is the other set that requires you to know yourself and trust that your training and intuition work together to give insights. This is not something than can be taught. It can be developed though I would contend that some folks have a greater ability to tap into this "sixth sense" than others. (My own opinion from observation and working with diverse mixes of people). For the rationals who need concrete: It's a bit like the concept from Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcom Gladwell. The flash of intuition mixed with the knowledge to interpret it can lead to insight into patient condition. This intuitive judgement is honed by experience, knowledge, training and mentoring. For the other part of my brain that talks in ...
Read more

Things to Put in Your Mouth: Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Image
Finished Product Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies This recipe is one I found to use up a couple pints of raspberries I bought at Costco. I can only eat so many plain. they were cheap and in season and I was a little too ambitious in my shopping. Before they went bad, I went on the hunt. Thanks to Pintrest, I found this recipe. I figured these round treats would work out well since I like raspberries and chocolate chip cookies.  Use the link above to access the original recipe and photos that are much better than mine. I don't take any credit for it. These smell amazing while baking and after!  Tips: * If the raspberries are really soft, don't halve them or you end up with raspberry mush. * Fold in ever so gently to a soft dough...like more gently than handling a newborn. If the dough is too soft it can always go back in the  fridge before you put it in the oven. * Refrigerate leftovers. The fresh berries make them more likely to mold if left out ...
Read more