I heart Emergency

I'm starting to get the feel of being an Emerg nurse. Call a patient's name, take them to the room, do an assessment depending on their complaint, inform the physician, and treat the patient until they are 1) admitted or 2) discharged. Fairly straight forward.

Today however, was different. In 1 shift:

- I was 2 for 3 for IV starts on patients.
- I was 0/2 for foley insertion (to give me credit, a total of 7 foleys were attempted on this patient, 2 by me, 5 by staff!)
- I saw first hand the confusion/disorientation associated with post-ictal states.
- I helped a man who had tried to commit suicide
- I helped out with a trauma; multiple stab wounds with a possible hemothorax.
- I was the one to do report to the charge nurse of the big-city hospital about this trauma.
- I set up and completed four 12-lead ECG's.
- I feel confident in the plan for cardiac patients
- I saw the devestating effects that a brain tumour can have
- I talked to a lady who has a severe degenerative disease who came in with exacerbation's of symptoms, and tried to develop a therapeutic relationship with her and her husband.
- I cut clothes off a patient
- I spent over 13 hours on my feet
- I am ridiculously exhausted

Overall, I had a FANTASTIC day.