People at work getting all wound up about Christmas Eve, a Monday, and one surgeon (not known for his speed) getting on the schedule for a full day. Different stories. It doesn't make cost effective sense to stay open for one room all day, especially since we get a pay differential in the afternoon. But that's a side issue. We don't stay open 24/7/365, we have weekends, nights and holidays off. And the nurses forget how many of all these we have worked, routinely. And resent being asked to after assuming we wouldn't.
I figure I'll take whatever luck gives me, making no request or complaint either way. Stay out of the froth. I'll still get the next day off.
Today, one case cancelled because the patient was on drugs. High as a kite, I heard. Which has happened before. But this time, they called EMT to get him up the the Main hospital, because he was ODing. First time I've seen that, patient getting loaded into an ambulance as I leave work, for self inflicted recreational drugs use. The problem of facing a stressful situation like surgery, with only one coping mechanism - drugs. Yeah, anesthesia on top of that would have killed him.
The (probably) narcissist nurse (NN) has finally given her notice. The excellent J, who doesn't trust NN one bit, mentioned she thought she'd be happy, but has mixed feelings. As do I, relieved of course, but I can't be happy about her mental illness and failed life. Like with my father, I want NN far from me, but I still pity her. She's caused a lot of distress, is unteachable, needs to be away from vulnerable patients, so this is good. But I wish her treatment, not punishment. Far away from me. When K told me on Monday, recounting how she called NN to task and the resignation followed, K mentions we can cope, it's only ten days. I say, hell, I went through a divorce, this is nothing. We'll be short handed, but we can deal better with that than with someone not doing her job safely.
Watching the snow piling up on the mountains. Rain down here, impressive morning fog.
Told the story this week of being in Kindergarten, walking home, older girls talking, and I butted in, offering a correction.
"We were not talking to YOU."
I pulled back, hurt and shocked, but wiser. My first lesson in Not my circus, Not my monkeys. A cow-orker says they were rude, but I know I was, even if I didn't mean it so. They were right, I was wrong. There is a time to step in and confront, to stop bullying or protect, to call out bigotry or injustice. But there are far more times when the right thing to do is keep one's own counsel.
Never grab the steering wheel when someone else is driving, unless they've passed out, or are trying to kill you...
4 comments:
Hey Zhoen
I hadn't realized you were in SLC. Did you happen to know either Bob Crapo, a pulmonaligist, or Bob Jensen, a researcher? I worked with them over the years. I know Crapo died a few years ago.
And yeah, I learned that lesson, though it took a bit for it to take effect.
take care
Mike
Should,
Nope, sorry. I never did cardiac, even in surgery. It's a small world, but not quite that small. And Jensen is a very common name, especially here. I did general and transplants long ago, and orthopedics the past decade.
Silence is difficult, and potent.
I know someone who says the way to avoid an argument is to not pick up the other end of the rope. Very impressive fog video. I didn't know SLC had fog but then there is that big body of water.
Cat,
It's not common, certainly not compared to Boston. But yeah, especially in the winter. Bottom of a bowl.
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