It has been a while since I have updated my blog. I have incurred many changes which include completing my BSN, and I will be beginning graduate school in August to pursue my Master's of Science in Nursing-Family Nurse Practitioner degree. This has been a very difficult decision because I love my career as an ER nurse, but I feel that there is no opportunity for advancement. The company I work for, who is a for-profit hospital, does not offer any upward mobility for those who are committed to higher education or training.

Today I only had to work 6 hours, because I filled in for a call in. However, in those few hours I felt as if I had taken care of half of the town! I had multiple admits, and with the lack of resources, can make for an exhausting shift. I really wonder if some facilities realize that ancillary support of lab personnel for venipuntures or transporters to move the patient's could actually increase patient satisfaction. I certainly know it would increase mine!

I found myself in hot water the other day because of the call bell.  One of my peers received two ambulance patients at the same time, and since I wasn't too busy, I figured I'd run in and give a hand.  I got the patient settled in, did my assessment, inserted a luer and drew some blood, did an ECG... all the usual. Then as is my usual practice, I explained what the process would be and that there might be a wait.  I then grabbed the call bell and let her know to press the bell if she needed anything.
 

I haven't posted here in a very long time.  My life has gone through many changes in that time but I'm still alive and well and doing my thing in the ER :)
 

When doing CPR, the last thing you're thinking of is music, really, but maybe you should be, and specifically the Bee Gees song Stayin' Alive.

According to the American Heart Association, at 103 beats per minute the Stayin' Alive song almost perfectly matches the rhythm needed to jump start the heart (100 beats per minute). And, apparently, the American Heart Association has been using the song as a training tip for CPR instructors for about two years.

This article on the CNN website is worth a read.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/10/16/disco.song.health.ap/index.html#cnn...

A 68 year old female presented to the ER with complaints of abdominal pain and vomiting for three days. Past medical history was significant for end stage renal disease on hemodialysis, high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

Her past surgical history was significant for bilateral below the knee amputations (BKA), coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), and amputations of two fingers on her left hand.

I am starting to develop a list of custom syndromes for the varying patient presentations I see in the ED. Recently I have been dealing a lot with the multiple complaint syndrome, which I am positive most of you who work in the medical field will be able to instantly identify.