Update - Transfer to PACU?

Came back from the weekend to talk to my OIC. Just been volun-told to go to the PACU at the end of the month.

I guess that solves the issue if I'm going or not.

Transfer to PACU?

After finishing up my 3-month rotation of night shift on the surgical ward, my OIC wanted to talk to me about a couple of things. First we discussed floor issues, scheduling (I do the schedule), and then came up the subject about transferring to the PACU.

The biggest reason for transferring to the PACU is due to my rank and time on the ward. I am one of the two senior LTs on the floor. My OIC suggested that going to the PACU would help broaden my nursing knowledge and possible leadership opportunities (not much leadership opportunities in the ANC, more on that in a future post).

My first response was, is there anywhere else I can go? PACU doesn't seem to be in my realm. I'm told it's step towards critical care, but I'm more interested in trauma than critical care. My ultimate goal is to go into nursing informatics, but my informatics mentors tell me to expand my nursing knowledge so when I become an informatist I'll have a good nursing experience to draw from.

The schedule is another concern. I like not working 5 days a week. It gives me time to go out and explore, work out, and enjoy my time off while normal people are at work.

However, a benefit of working 5 days a week is that I'll be able to get all my training holidays and federal holidays. I currently don't get that doing shift work.

I have the weekend to think about it. I'll be talking and emailing my mentors about this.

What are your thoughts, suggestions? Or am I being a total lame-o? I welcome all constructive feedback.

Want. (while deployed)

These are some of the new ground MEDAVACs that are being used overseas. They are built similar to the MRAPs but are modified for speed and mobility for crossing the rough Afghanistan terrain.

One cool thing is having oxygen in the truck.

The most interesting new feature is an oxygen concentrator that turns ambient air into medical-grade oxygen, thus removing the need to carry heavy tanks of air that might explode and turn into projectiles if hit.

I would like to check these out in person one day.

[This is the U.S. Army’s tough new high-tech ambulance - Jalopnik]

Those two words

The other night I was dragg'n. Lately I haven't been able to sleep and it's been really affecting my mood. Even my coworkers saw how grumpy my mood was. On top of my lack of sleep I got a couple of emails from HRC that I'm not too happy about. I was grumpy about lack of sleep and my future career. Oh and my allergies.

That night I only had several easy ortho patients with pain management issues and a lap appy who was in the OR when I got on shift. I made sure I took care of my patients without them seeing my mood. Just when I got my ortho patients pain level at a comfortable level my s/p lap appy patient came.

"Jane's" family was in the room asking a kabillion questions when Jane came in. I got all their questions answered with Jane's permission and they took off. Jane had some pain and nausea but her biggest concern was getting her Red Cross message overseas to her husband. I'm thinking, really? For a lap appy? With no other surgical or medical history and having an uncomplicated surgery she wants a Red Cross message sent? There's no way her husband was going home from overseas for this. Yes, I'm a jerk. Moving on.

I got her pain and nausea under control and start making phone calls. It took about 30 mins to gather info from the patient, the chart, and from the surgeon. After everything was done and Jane was able to talk to the Red Cross person on the phone I tucked Jane back into bed. I turned out the light and proceded out the door Jane softly said "thank you."

Those two words caught me off guard. They made me stop in my boots for a couple seconds. I was sleep deprived, exhausted, my eyes watery from allergies, and hungry. I turned back to Jane and said "you're welcome" as I fixed her blanket. I went out and closed the door behind me. I sat in my workstation chair for a couple minutes.

I'm a jerk.

I didn't deserve those kind words. Even though I didn't show my dismay towards her situation she still thanked me. I felt so wrong and wanted to sink into my chair and never get up.

There are days like this that really put you in your place.

Sleep for a week

Precepting thoughts

After scheduling people with preceptors for about a year I finally am scheduling myself with a preceptee.

I'll be precepting a nurse new to our unit, but not new to nursing. My role is to orientate the new nurse to how we run things on the surgical foor. I'll be precepting this nurse for about a month.

As of today I have two years of nursing experience: medical, surgical, with bits of pieces of the ED, ICU, SDU, pediatrics, and yes mother/baby. I don't feel that I have a complete grasp of my surgical nursing field, but I am mostly comfortable with working in my current field. Are my experiences and training enough for me to guide someone into my unit?

I guess we'll see.