Posts tagged ‘Randomness’
Dealing with alcohol withdrawal
Working in just about any type of clinical facility you are likely to run into alcoholics and those who are going through withdrawal symptoms. I never really realized how dangerous withdrawal can be. It can be deadly. Amazingly the booze can kill you but so can discontinuing drinking abruptly.
I was talking with a Nurse on the unit today about a withdrawal patient and she was telling me about it is imperitive to ask patients if they drink and how often. And if it sounds like they drink frequently to push for how long it has been since their last drink. She said that sometimes she will even warn them about the importance by telling them that they can go into seizures and die if they go into withdrawal without the proper precautions inplace.
I knew a person a few years ago who was embarassed by his drinking and therefore lied to the doctors and nurses about how long it had been since his last drink. Sadly after 10 hours in the ER for an issue unrelated to ETOH and then being admitted and on the floor it had been about 20 hours since his last drink and he had a grand Mal seizure.
This poor guy wound up in Status Epilepticus secondary to alcohol withdrawal. Status Epilepticus is a serious medical condition that can be fatal.
Long story short, it is important as nurses not to pass judgement and to find a way to gain the trust and establish a relationship quickly with your patient so that they are willing to share this type of information. Never judge a book by its cover, just because the patient isnt a 50 year old homeless man with rotten teeth and booze breath doesnt mean that they arent possible alcoholics. Ask everyone. It can save a life.
And for those non medical folks, it is very important not to lie to your Nurses and Doctors. The information that they ask for is not because they are curious, it has a valid place in preventing serious complications.
And now, I step down from my soap box.
Happy Tuesday Everyone.
Abbreviations and an apology
It was brought to my attention that I frequently use abbreviations in my postings that not everyone is familiar with. So here are a list of ones I frequently use:
CO- Commanding officer (military person in charge)
LMP- Last menstrual period
EDC- Estimated date of confinement (Due date)
DPO- Days post ovulation
HCG- Human Choriono Gonadotropin (Pregnancy hormone)
Quants- Test that measures HCG
Are there any others that I use?
Trying to focus and failing miserably
School is wonderful, I am just loving clinicals so very much. I am loving that the Nurses I work with are interested in teaching and that I have been blessed with happy nurses so far.
I worked on the Renal floor the other day and I have to say that I think Dialysis is magic! Seriously magic!
Now I need to get back to studying for my Neuro exam and finish getting ready for my Ethics presentation.
Off I go.
Bucket list
One of the blogs I read mentioned this recently. I had never really thought of composing a bucket until now.
So here goes:
1) go to Paris
2) have children
3) get my BSN
4) Deliver a baby
5) visit Nepal
6) learn to speak Spanish
7) find my faith
8) walk the breast cancer 3 day
9) buy a home
10) donate hair to locks of love
11) teach a womans health seminar in El Salvador
12) volunteer for Drs without borders
Im sure that there are tons more that I can add. What are your “bucket list” items?
Sorry sir, I didnt mean to grab your crotch
Did the title catch your eye? Did it get you interested?
Here’s how it went down. While out at my girls night out on Friday, I decided to wear my new eyes (glasses) and when the show was over I was walking dowb the stairs and started to fall. I reached my habd out to grab something and……the something that I grabbed was the crotch of some old dudes pants!
Lucky for both of us I let go. But I was totally gonna fall down the stairs and take the mans crotch and pants with me. Talk about a WICKED evening!
I loved seeing the show and for those of you that havent seen WICKED yet, go see it!
It was green and great! I loved it!! Abd with the new eyes I could even see the faces of the actors!
Up too early ramblings
School starts in just over a week. Summer feels like it flew by and like I got nothing accomplished. Im excited and nervous about starting school again. Im loving that this time it is a count down….one less day until graduation!
I still havent purchased my school supplies. I was shocked to see that I am out of almost everything that I need. I still need to press the marshmellow suit (scrubs) and buy some new white socks. Exciting stuff, huh?
Ive been meaning to mention how thankful I am to be going into this school year having my tuition paid for. My amazing husband has given me a portion of his GI bill and we got the approval for it to cover my nursing school. I feel so lucky and I know what a huge blessing this is for us. Its a hufe weight lifted off my shoulders.
Ok…I guess I can stop my rambling now…..
Words of the day
Beautifully tragic and hyper fancy…..
Movie date, and disapointment
I went on a date with my girlfriend tonight and we attempted to see District 9. HORRIBLE MOVIE!! We walked out about an hour into the movie. This movie left a horrible awful taste in my mouth and was a political movie disguised as an Alien Flick.
Has anyone else seen this movie?
We wound of going to see Post Grad….yet again I was disapointed. It was sugary sweet, and the acting was horrible. There were some good songs in the movie though. The Gilmore girl acted exactly the same as she did in the series. Basically I felt like I had already seen this movie. I could predict everything that happened. Sweet, but now I have a tooth ache.
In other news….I am now trying to make lists of both movies and books to read as I have an entire month of free time! Any suggestions?
The Gym and the New Blog
Yesterday was a perfect day! I got up and met one of my closest friends at the gym. We ran and chatted!! Gotta love going to the gym! I did a fun 3.74 miles!
After the gym and getting cleaned up, I headed off to the massage appointment that my amazing hubby scheduled!!
Massages are like an hour of uninterrupted heaven! Kristen (the therapist) had the hands of an angel! I felt like million bucks!
After my massage I felt so good that I came home and worked on the yard work.
It was glorious!! Although today I zm having some massive low back pain, I suspect that is because of the rocks I was moving yesterday.
Now about the new blog. I have been contemplating a move for a few months. One of the blogs I read made the move over to wordpress.com and I have to say that it is pretty amazing. I am slowly moving everything over there. It should be fun!!
Ok…Happy 4th of July weekend!! Be safe and stay out of the ER because Im working all weekend!
– Post From My iPhone
Dr. Seuss
So thats why Ive been having trouble sleeping…….It must be love.
400th posts…and other random things
A very bulleted post…..
- As of today I have posted 400 times on this blog!
- I have been posting here for 314 days (Since 7/9/08)
- I have posted every single day for 288 days
- I have been in Nursing school for 239 days
- I have 387 days until I graduate from school
- I have 200 days until my Hubby comes home for good
- And in 9 days I am a quarter of a century old
Numbers are surprising……
No blog today
Have a horrible migraine and have spent the entire day waking up only to drink fluid and take more medication.
I will write about my ED experience when i come back to the land of the living.
– Post From My iPhone
Happy Cinco de Mayo
In my county May 5th is also known as “dont go to a Mexican restaurant unless you want to wait for 5 hours” day. Is this the same everywhere?
Today is my Mental Health final, Im trying to think positively…..do you think the cookie will help?
– Post From My iPhone
Overheard in the grocery store
Very tired Mama: “Because its their bedtime”
