So, I had this patient for the past two days...and yes, he was sick...lungs were junky sounding ok...they sounded NASTY...But in reality/comparison...not the sickest patient of my load. Maybe I'm just sensitive at the moment...maybe it's cause I'm 'due to start' I dont know why this A****** actually got under my skin.. Granted yes, I am a new nurse...and was supposed to be off of orientation starting this upcoming sunday, but really I think I have learned how to lay it out straight for these peeps. I work at an inner city hospital...which has a 'lovely' population. So here's how he got to me.

New Admit/transfer from another floor @ 11 AM...right at lunch...duh your lunch is going to be screwed up and/or your going to have to have a cold lunch. But NOOOOO, I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off because this guy 'wanted a hot tray.' Didn't help that I called dietary ummm 5 times....talked to someone 1. ALso the transferring nurse was trying to get his tray...AKA the situation SUCKED, kinda to be expected when you transfer at mealtimes. Meanwhile, I have a pt. that wants to leave AMA, and another pt. who has to have a sitter at bedside because he's confused, another patient with fluctuating bp, and lastly a patient returning from amputation surgery who is in hypoglycemic crisis B.S: 35! The only way I could keep it together was to 'kill him with kindness.' What sent me over was his comment about that 'it's not "my" fault, he still respects me, but that I'm a push-over...and maybe not cut out to work here @ ..... and maybe would be more suited @ ......... (aka, nursing home hospital/'ritzy')

So, I took him again today...because I was determined not to let him get to me today...and prove, maybe more so to myself than him i guess that I CAN handle this hospital and his 'shit' doesn't bother me. The best way I could deal with him was to avoid him and eye contact...awful I know. Today I found out that he is a 'frequent flyer' & he is not well liked...

I guess I'm mad at myself for letting him get to me! My preceptor said to me this evening that she feels that my nursing skills and thought process is great, its just the little things that get me frustrated. The 'big stuff' I handle just fine...its the little things that seem to 'frustrate/fluster' me....WTF?...But she is right...it IS the little things. The 'big stuff"...that's what I'm built for...its this stupid bullshit that I can't deal with. ARGH!

When we get a frequent flyer patient who is difficult, we do trade off and rotate from day to day. It's easier to deal with.