And You Would Be…?????
Well, I see I haven’t blogged anything since, ummmmm…last June! Well, if you read my last entry, you know that I decided to keep on keepin’ on in the ICU/CCU, on nights, so since June, I’ve either been working or sleeping. 
But I’m awake now, so I thought I’d post about my shift last night.
Apparently I haven’t been sleeping quite enough, or I’d at least to be able to remember my patient’s names…if I could have done that last night, I’m sure everything would have gone much more smoothly. My poor patients! I had a head-injured patient S/P crani/evacuation of both subdural and epidural hematomas, and a newly vented septic lady, sedated/restrained, pressors, etc. Now, in report, I know that their names are Frank and Edith, respectively. Once out of report, my brain decides that Frank’s name is Bob, and Edith’s name is Mary, and I didn’t realize I had their names wrong til 0730 report. Yes, all night long, I had agitated patients who previously had been calm and quiet! Poor “Mary” is mouthing words to me that I can’t make out because of the ET tube, probably something like–”You MORON!!!! My name is Edith, and I want a new nurse!! How do I know you aren’t going to send me to OR and amputate my legs???????” And I’m oblivious to my patient’s distress, assuming she is just bucking the vent and needs more Versed. Which I gave her. Boatloads. All night long, “Mary, Mary, RELAX!” And she’s tied down to a ventilator, thinking, “You know, I knew this wasn’t gonna be a good day…”
My head-injured patient doesn’t answer or look at me when I call him. “Bob! Can you hear me?” I lean into his face, and call him again. He looks at me suspiciously, and I know now that he was thinking, “You MORON!!! My name is Frank, or at least I think it was before I fell out that window onto my head.” Now he starts getting restless, knowing he is at the mercy of a moron, and I’m thinking, “Hmmm, in report, he’s been fine…maybe we better get a stat head CT!!!” Frequent pupil checks from me, always prefaced by, “BOB, I’m going to shine a bright light in your eyes!” And he was probably thinking of where he thought I could shine that bright light, right up my heinie.
Well, the day nurse is taking care of them now. I hope she remembers their names. It will save her 8 hours of aggravation on everybody’s part, and a whole lot of Versed.
People, know your patients! Take it from a moron who’s been there.
Oh my God! Too funny! I also have a horrible time with names. Now numbers I can remember!
i cant understand……
I have learned a lot from your site. Thanks!!
Oh boy, you’re going to get some comments on this one!
I would like to have so many visitors like you.How can you do that?