A new year, a new beginning

Happy belated new year to all that read this humble blog.

I worked New Years Eve, and it was surprisingly not too bad.   We kept waiting for things to get out of hand, but luckily they did not!  I hear that the next day it was brutal.

I've been asked to precept again this semester, this time full time.  I know what I'm getting into this time, and I hope it will be smooth sailing.

Every time I think I want to leave and do another job, something keeps bringing me back. We had a guy come in pretty sick and within 5 minutes I had assessed him, started a line, drew bloodwork, got vitals, ecg, and had the doc swing by for an assessment. All done by myself as any/all help seemed to be with other patients at the time.  I've been working in the area enough to anticipate what is coming, but its nice to hear a "good job", which the doctor provided.

What I have found is that I'm tired of certain people complaining about the department.  Yes, its hard work, yes it can be frustrating for certain things, but GET OVER IT OR DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.   Perhaps it's the "cool" thing to do, but it gets frustrating to work with those people.

Anyway, here's hoping to a great year!

I'm still here

Time goes by fast when you're having fun, or when you're burnt out and the last thing you want to think about is work when you are not working.

I fully admit it, for about 8 months there I was not happy about my job. I also, however, was not willing to leave it.  It's funny how that happens- you start in a place and you're proud to be there, and make it part of your identity. Then, the job/people change and move on, but you stay on because "it will get better". Well that 'getting better" moment has started to happen- to a point. We've hired more staff, they are young and eager to learn, but they are newbies to Emerg.  Which means the people who have been working there a while now have to make sure they aren't missing anything.  My role has changed from staff nurse to preceptor, and now a lot of times one of the more senior staff in the pod if not the department. For someone with less than 5 years on the job, that can be scary.


I've offered to take a student again for the next term, and I hope it's as good as the previous experience.  I've trained over 5 people to Emerg by now, and I hope I have contributed to their success in the ED.

Although I am not actively looking for a new job, I still keep looking on job postings, and one day perhaps I'll leave the ED.  For now, however, I"ll keep my "geriatric acute medicine" ward/ED.

My least favourite time of year

It's soon approaching.. the sun is high in the sky, the birds are chirping their summer song... and the newly fresh minted residents start their training.

Urrgh and I work July 1st! 

A not-so-happy Canada day to me!

Junior nurse... very interesting

So nursing bullying is in full swing.

A colleague who graduated one year before me told me that I, a 'junior staff member', couldn't dare correct or contradict them.  The colleague was making a sarcastic, inappropriate remark at a critical time in patient care.

I told them I dont apologize for advocating for patients, and 1 year more experience does not a "senior" nurse make.


~Miss-elaine-ious

Condolences, but time to let go.

Lately this turn of events has been in newspapers all over the province, and apparently in the USA as well.

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2011/02/28/17440436.html


My condolences for the family, but it's time to stop the poor baby's suffering.


miss-Elaine-ious RN

Heard around the ED

Resident Verbal Diarrhea MD: "I think there should be an opportunity for residents to moonlight as nurses while they are training"

Nurse Logical: "MMMnnn wouldn't work, completely different skillsets."

Nurse Awesome: " You couldn't hack it."

Change of Shift

Thanks Kim for including me in this week's Change of Shift. 

Visit her blog at Emergiblog.