Lost on the Floor

The other night was a first: first time to float. We had so many empty beds it wasn't even funny, so I got the short straw and went to med-surg. Not that it was a bad night, in fact I did more sitting doing nothing than anytime lately on my home floor. The thing that really chapped my hide is that I was at 4:1, with fairly non-acute patients. Sure between the poly-substance OD 3 days out of the Unit, the the homeless gent with DVTs and the lady on ETOH withdrawal protocol, not to mention the rather large lady in acute renal failure with a rectal tube, it was enough to keep me busy. Compared though to the previous night on my floor, it was nothing. They were stable. No one was detoxing actively. They all slept. All night. With minimal requests. I turned to the other nurses and offered my free time, but they were pretty well wrapped up as well. I'm not complaining, it could have been worse. It was just unusual.

In other news...
You always hear about "pucker factor", how your sphincter can slam shut in response to unexpected events. In the case of males, things like rectal exams or mentioning the Jewish custom of bris, can cause this. So can seeing V-Tach live and in person on the monitor. It kind of makes you stand up and pay attention. Right after that showed on the screen, we heard overhead, "Rapid Response to room xxx." By luck it wasn't one of mine. So like a good co-worker, I went to see if I could help, saw they had enough help, realized I would only be in the way and skedadled.

'Til later...