Part of why I left Ortho was because I was scared one day soon my back's going to give up. So I moved to Tele, and my back gave out anyway. I hurt my back while picking a patient about to code. It was probably adrenalin rush, I did not feel the pain right away. I did not feel any strain that would spark the urge to do an incident report. It started hurting after I got home and by morning I could not move without a grunt or a wince.

It was a case of a real bad muscle strain. So I went to employee health, got a bunch of Ibuprofen and did an incident report. It was less than 24 hours. I took a three day rest and by yesterday, I was off the pain meds and back to work. Today however, without any provocation my back started to hurt again. It wasn't the cramping, tight pain I was feeling previously but shooting pain on my right lower back. in a matter of minutes I was crying, it was excrutiating. So I went back to employee health only to be informed that they can't send me to the ER because my "claim" was denied because of late reporting. it was less than 24 hours I said. But there wasn't anything she can do, she said. That's policy. I was never even offered any pain medication, I was sent back up to my unit so I can go home.

I was appalled. I work in a hospital and I cannot even get care when I needed it. I devote more that 40 hours of my time week after week, sometimes coming in even when I wasn't feeling well, spending my holidays in patient care even if i don't get any extra pay for it (yes, walang holiday pay!). Talk about taking care of your employees. That's the big difference in the healthcare system between the Philippines and the US. I remeber presenting just my employee ID at Makati Med ER and I did not have to pay anything. I wasn't even a Makati Med employee.

Are all hospitals here in the US like that?

I'm on a Hydrocodone high

and I don't like it one bit!

My roommate had a few tablets of Vicodin from her previous oral surgery and since my back would not get enough relief from plain Ibuprofen, I decided it was time for the Vicodin. I took 1 pill, and now I wish I didn't.

It was the weirdest feeling. I felt my body relax but it wasn't the kind that was comforting nor comfortable, it was uneasy. I felt my head balloon and then came the dizzinness, the nausea and culminated with my head in the toilet bowl.

My head still feels like a damn bobblehead. And I swear, I'm never taking anything with Hydrocodone again. Well, at least if I can help it.

just anotehr day

I saw his face and it was as white as paper. I knew at once something was wrong. He tried to deny it as I thought he would but the distress in his face gave him away. I proceeded to check him out and his numbers were all out of whack, I had to do something. I need to do something right away or it will be too late. I made the call....."Angel, get in here!" Before I could mutter another word the team was there and everyone sprang into action. We were calm but we knew every single action could spell life or death. As Dayna and Chloe wheeled him towards the elevator, I was saying a silent prayer. Please God, let him live. It was a weird calm and chaotic when we got there. It did not take alot of time before things started settling down. I asked him again how he's feeling and he said "lousy" in that tone I remember so well. And I thought to myself "he's back".

Mr. S got himself a temporary pacemaker, and we saved yet another life. Thank you God.

I love my job, I love my job, I love my JOB!

I love my job, I love my job, I love my job!!!

Every once in a while, I feel it....the satisfaction of what I do.

I am a nurse, but lately nursing care has been at the very bottom of my priority list. There's always too much that needs to be done, trivial things that when totalled amounts to more hours than performing real "patient care". Cleaning the commode, stripping the bed, wiping the spills before calling housekeeping to mop the floors....???? There's something wrong here, no? Add to that a support system that acts more of a nuisance rather than support like pca's who don't answer calls, unit clerks who spends time chattering rather than helping make your job easier you'd rather do things yourself than be frustrated and disappointed. And how about MD's who think they own you??? Do you really need me to feed you info when you can easily find them yourself, in the computer and in the chart? Such delusions of grandeur!

Then there are days when you are just too happy to do your job, when the atmosphere is just right for you to be able to do your job witout thinking about time managment. Shower patients, change the sheets, set up their tray. To be able to look at the H&P, progress notes labs, and other reports without having to worry about the 8 hours not being enough. To be able to listen to your patients without thinking about all the other things you need to do, without cutting them short just because you can't spare any more time. Every now and then, you get that bliss....

Every once in a while should come more often.

Starting Over

I passed my BCD !!!!! Grabe na ito!!!!!

Let me explain.....As I've said on my previous post, I've never really liked cardiac....more so trying to figure out the lines, curves and spikes of an ECG strip. Since I moved to the Telemetry floor, there's no way in the world that I can get away without having that competency. I was scared, I wasn't sure I'll figure it out. But really, once I started, I found myself enjoying it! So there, I surprised myself yet again.....

Moving on.....since I came from the Ortho floor, I can only bring about less that 10% of my Ortho competency to my new unit. Thus this conversation with my educator

Educator (E): Did you do the riverwalk when you started in ortho?
Mikee (M): I did not have an educator.
E: Rolls his eyes

E: Do you hve any experience in chest tubes?
M: Not here, maybe once in the Philippines (I forgot to mention that this "once" was during my student days pa!!!!!)

E: Do you know how to listen to heart sounds?
M: Impakta 'to a, ano palagay mo sakin?????
E: Do you know how to differentiate murmurs from ______ and_____?
M: hehehe....NO! (in theory po).

E: Did you do the diabetes competency?
M: I know I'm competent.
E: But did you have your competency checked off?
M: Wala nga akong educator nun e. Sariling sikap lang po.
M: Nope!

E: Lead placement?
M: LAst time I did it was about 8-9 years ago.
E: So, no?
M: Ganun na nga.

E: PAcemaker?
M: No

And a litany of more No's.

Sa madaling salita....wala akong alam!!!!!!!!

my Nike Shox

Sixteen hour shifts are a killer. Even my Nike Shox could notsave me from the perils of running around like a headless chicken in the jungle called....you guessed it, six south. Every now and then I stop and scold myself - what were you thinking?

And then I get my answer.

Doing sixteen hour shifts has several rewards.

First, I only have to work 3 or 4 days and get additional days off, unlike working 8 hours, 5 days a week. That means having more time to see shows I haven't seen for a long time like Amazing Race, Rockstar, CSI, etc. Because working 8 hours meant being at work 5 days a week, it also meant missing the shows that I love. Now I even have more time to go to Barnes and Noble or just be lazy.

Having additional days off also meant I can work extra because I have more days to spare. It used to be that to work exta meant to give up one of my 2 precious days off. And believe me, they are PRECIOUS!

Doing 16 hour shifts also meant having more time to pacify things in such a way that when I go home, I feel content that I have done my job and did it well. That I did not leave things for the next shift to do.

If only my feet can feel good as well!

If you haven't figured out by now, there is no "quiet time" in 6S. When I work 16 hours, I'm on my feet 15.5 hours. Every now and then I get the "chubby girl" assignment, that is I have patients from end to end. That means I have to run, run run to get from one patient to another. Imagine them calling at the same time, or even one after another. Instant workout!

I should get new shoes. I thought my Shox and I can transition through this together. Unfortunately, it's starting to fail me. Gotta get something that can carry me through constant running and being on my feet. Coz I plan to do this craziness for a long time.

Nurse Essentials

for an after shower scent


a hint of color for the lips and powder to start the day


hand care for constant handwashing


an extra coffee fix after a toxic day


soft slippers to cuddle your tired feet


and an iPOD to sing you lullaby