NursingLink

Today I felt like a total idiot and almost made a horrible nursing judgement. It was late afternoon and very busy at the practice where I work. I went to the waiting room to call a patient, and it was very crowded and noisy. There was a woman in a wheelchair with her back to me, and amid the drone of noise I could hear her wheezing. I got my patient in to a room and started to get her situated, then excused myself and went back to the waiting room. The woman in the w/c could not even speak, and her fingernails were dusky. I pulled her in to a room and her pulsox was 72% on room air. I then <literally> pulled a doctor out of a room with at patient. We got o2 on her and gave her a duoneb, and after an hour she was o.k.

Jesus Christ was I really going to just leave her there for another hour until her appt.? None of the other patients realized there was a problem. Of course not. God, I am just glad that she was o.k. but I sure feel like an a-hole for not acting quicker.

You did a good job. You and the patient both benefitted from your actions. If there is a next time, you won't hesitate to trust your judgment.

What does this last post have to do with the original one?  Seems like you have a bone to pick with some RN's.

Who ever made the original post, you acted and then reacted. I'm sure the woman was happy to be helped at that time.

I understand where you are coming from about others not even bringing this woman's situation to anyone's attention.

God help us all.

THanks Angie for saying that. I wanted to say some of the same words but just couldn't.

Hatred is so powerful. We all have the same "gift" to grab. Some choose to get it and some do not. Why are there so many angry people out there?

Nursing is hard. Famalies do suffer. I have missed out on a lot in my "young life", but I want it badly and I can make sacrafices.

*Samantha*

Please don't beat yourself up over this.  You made the right decision, even though you may have second guessed yourself at first.  Even as nurses, we are still human and do make mistakes at times.  Thankfully, you acted quickly and professionally and I'm sure that patient benefited from the fact that you cared enough to do what you did.  When acting like this you bring pride to the profession!

Anonymous said:

Today I felt like a total idiot and almost made a horrible nursing judgement. It was late afternoon and very busy at the practice where I work. I went to the waiting room to call a patient, and it was very crowded and noisy. There was a woman in a wheelchair with her back to me, and amid the drone of noise I could hear her wheezing. I got my patient in to a room and started to get her situated, then excused myself and went back to the waiting room. The woman in the w/c could not even speak, and her fingernails were dusky. I pulled her in to a room and her pulsox was 72% on room air. I then
pulled a doctor out of a room with at patient. We got o2 on her and gave her a duoneb, and after an hour she was o.k.

_______________

          You did what needed to be done and recognized the s/s of the patient while there was still time to help her. It's hard when your standards are so much higher than average folks, but you can't say 'coulda, shoulda, woulda' because you did your job! Just think if that lady went completely cyanotic and had heart failure! Yikes, can you imagine how bad THAT would hv been!

Don't beat urself up over it. Being in the ng profession is hard enuf as is w/o being ur own worse enemy. Thank God you helped the lady in time and she was OK after getting on 02.

Thx for the kudos on the nurse that started this subject to Angie and Samantha. I couldn't agree more! Some people are just, uh how do you say...."difficult" (big smile)!

~Susie