A Fussy Nurse

At the start of my shift today at work my friend Grace who was on night shift told me not to go to a patient name ______ because her head is full of head lice. I can look after any case but patient with head lice, no no. I just can't. It makes me itchy and of course I cannot concentrate doing what I do, especially when I see it crawling everywhere.

The Bum

Me and my friend chatted today who is a nurse as well in recovery. She asked me if I was at work last night because she thinks that one patient who was in theater will be admitted to critical care. The case? A man who inserted a vase in his bum and unfortunately the vase stocked and broken inside his bum. What a nightmare! I said to her that the one that I encountered last year is worst than that. Why? A man who was in his late twenties decided to put a car speaker inside his bum. At first I did not believe it because I wander how on earth will the car speaker fit into a man's anus? But to see is to believe, I saw the x ray of the said car speaker. I don't know how he managed to do it. Even consultants cannot explained how. It took time before he admitted himself to the hospital - maybe because he was ashamed of what he did. The result? The speaker contaminated his body. He went septic and very poorly. He stayed with us for almost a month. As what I gather he recovered but for the rest of his life he will suffer. Until the end of time he cannot eat any solid food because almost all his intestine was removed. And I'm sure he cannot do it again because the doctor closed his bum and put two stoma to collect his waste product. Lesson learned? LEAVE YOUR BUM ALONE!

Granny With A Mascara

One thing that I love doing overtime on the ward is that patient are all coherent (not all of them though :) They can talk back and make me laugh. Unlike in ICU that most of our patient are unwell. My recent experience is with an old woman who is 102 years old. When I was preparing her things for her wash, I noticed that there is a mascara in her wash bag. A mascara for a 102 years old??? Can you believe that! To make sure if she knows what it is for because she was a bit confused. I told her to used it and she did without hesitation. You know what? She did it very well, I was so tempted to used my iphone to take a photo but as you all know it is not allowed for patient confidentiality.

Why???

I did an overtime on the 23rd. This time I was in Assessment Medical Unit - a ward that receives referral from GP (General Practitioner) and admits patient from A and E/ Emergency Room. It was a very busy shift. We we're only two at a start of the shift and patient being admitted never stopped at all. Mostly elderly and very frail. Hospital was in red alert, means that there are limited beds available even though they already opened an extra ward which accommodates 28 patients. This elderly patients are being admitted not because the are poorly but because they want to stay in the hospital for the reason that they don't want to be alone during Christmas (most of them just made up anything so that they can be admitted). And some of them was dragged by their daughter/son so that they will not be a disturbance during holiday season. It really sucks!!! Why can't the relatives look after this elderly patient? Back home in Philippines we respect and love especially our oldies and we do take care of them up to their last days. But why not here? Is it because of their culture? As what I noticed here in UK (after 7 years of experience) more than half of relatives including daughters and sons are not concerned of their parents. Why??? I just hope and pray that my kids will not be like them when I get old.

Doctor Is Not Always Right

When I was at work last week I had a patient that had an operation called carotid endarterectomy. She said to me that she saved her own life. I was wondering why she said that. When I asked her, she said that she's been to the Doctor (General Practitioner) so many times because she always had headache and she felt dizzy all the time. The Doctor always said that she just needs Paracetamol and rest. Poor lady after visiting her Doctor for so many times, she decided to booked a CT scan for herself. And they find out that her artery is full of plaque. So she had an emergency surgery. If she did not do it, it will lead to stroke or even death. So, remember don't always trust your Doctor. Seek advice if you are not convince, ok.

What is carotid endarterectomy?

Carotid endarterectomy is an operation during which your vascular surgeon removes the inner lining of your carotid artery if it has become thickened or damaged. This procedure eliminates a substance called plaque from your artery and can restore blood flow.

As you age, plaque can build up in the walls of your arteries. Cholesterol, calcium, and fibrous tissue make up this plaque. As more plaque builds up, your arteries narrow and stiffen. This process is called atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Eventually, enough plaque builds up to reduce blood flow through your carotid arteries, or cause irregularities in the normally smooth inner walls of the arteries.

Your carotid arteries are located on each side of your neck and extend from your aorta in your chest to enter the base of your skull. These important arteries supply blood to your brain.

Carotid artery disease is a serious issue because clots can form on the plaque. Plaque or clots can also break loose and travel to the brain. If a clot or plaque blocks the blood flow to your brain sufficiently, it can cause an ischemic stroke, which can cause permanent brain damage, or death, if a large enough area of the brain is affected. If a clot or plaque blocks only a tiny artery in the brain, it may cause a transient ischemic attack (TIA), also known as a mini-stroke. A TIA is often a warning sign that a stroke may occur in the near future, and it should be a signal to seek treatment soon, before a stroke occurs.

To remove plaque in your carotid arteries and help prevent a stroke, your physician may recommend a carotid endarterectomy. Carotid endarterectomy is one of the most commonly performed vascular operations, and is a safe and long-lasting treatment.

Brain Damage?

One night we had a patient that was transferred from A and E or Emergency Room. He was poorly, unconscious and connected to a breathing machine because he took a drug overdose. The nurse that accompanied him was a Filipino. He told us what happened in A & E and it really made us laughed. Why? When the patient was in A &E they thought that the patient had a cerebral/brain damage because the pupil size is not the same and one of his eye is not reacting to light which is one symptom of cerebral damage. So the patient had a CT scan straightaway but the Doctor cannot find any abnormalities of his result. And you know what? They found the answer when they rolled the patient. One of his eye popped out. Yes you heard me right. It popped out because it was an artificial eye. Imagine if it did not happen he will have more test and investigation. Luckily the man survived.

Tragic Accident

When I arrived last night on my night shift. One of our patient was already dead. I am sad but at the same time happy for her. At least she will not suffer anymore and she will be with her husband who passed away one day before her. The couple was involved in a road traffic accident and the husband was dead on scene. Wife was brought to hospital but she suffered a lot. She had fracture everywhere and her lungs was punctured with her ribs. Sad to say she did not survived. What a tragic accident!

To everybody out there please drive safely!!!

Meet Mr. Death

We had another patient who's got a very unique surname. Which doesn't sound right. Not right especially if you are in the hospital and in very poorly condition. Guess what's his surname is? It is DEATH.

Warning

This is a warning to everybody who are on medication for life threatening illnesses. My patient was admitted to ICU due to a very high blood pressure that if you do use a normal sphygmomanometer & cuff it won't record. Her blood pressure was above 300 mmhg systolic. For a normal person, blood pressure systolic is only 90-160 mmhg. The reason for her high blood pressure? She stopped her medication for her nephrotic syndrome and yes without consulting a doctor. She nearly died because of her stupidity. After taking it for almost all her life and to think she is a teacher, I don't know what come up to her mind to stop her medication without the doctor's consent.

Naughty Patient

My patient was very confused last night. So I gave a lot of sedation because it not safe for him and for me. After few hours he was sound asleep. When I came from my break after one hour he was totally naked. And the nurse who kept an eye on him doesn't want to go near the patient. You know why? The patient said to her after undressing himself that "Come and hold my hand. It will be quick." Very very naughty! What do you think is he doing? :D

Pop His Clogs

When we have a patient who die, as a staff, we will do our best to discrete to other patient what's been happening around them. So when we call the porters we have a secret word which is "Rose Cottage". I just learned as well when I was on night shift on Saturday that other English terms are " Pop his clogs", "Pushing the daisies" and "Kick the bucket". After few minutes the terms that I learned was tested because we had a patient who pop his clogs :(

Goodbye To Both of You

I had 3 days off. Entering into the unit I did not noticed our long term patients, one who spent more than a month and one who was in the unit for two months. I asked and my colleagues said that they passed away just one day apart. It makes me sad for them and for their family. After fighting for their life for ages they failed. There was a time that both of them improved but still not enough to make them better. Wherever you are now my dear patients I hope that both of you found your resting place.

The Window Cleaner

We had a patient who was admitted with multiple ribs fracture that caused a tension in his lung, also he had a fracture in his scapula and elbow. The reason? He fell down from a ladder. He works as a window cleaner and it's his 3rd time to have an accident with the same reason. He was a lucky man. But the thing is, when I I asked him, he will still continue with his job. What can you say?

Vey Depressing

It's been a long time that I did not do any post. All I can say is that it very depressing on the unit right now. For a span of just a week a lot of our patient died. Almost everyday if not one, two patient died. I was on a long day today and again another one died and one waiting to die...it really makes me sad. It's not the medical and nursing fault. It's the patient that not improving and not responding to treatment. If only I have a magic wand to get the remaining patient better...

Another Day at Work

When I was at work on Thursday afternoon doing some overtime (after my 3 days off from work). I noticed that the bed area where we had a patient with long term weaning problem wasn't there. She died. After almost a month of suffering and fighting for her life she failed. I was sad but it's not beyond our control. May her soul rest in peace.

Poor Patient :(

We had a patient who was in a very critical condition last week. First time we had a case like that. A very unfortunate man who was trapped into a bad relationship that ended up ending his life. More unfortunate is that he is still alive and will suffer forever and may end up in jail. We transferred him to another hospital few days ago which specialized in cosmetic surgery but I think the damage is unrepairable. Poor man :(

I'm Affected

I am sad and affected by my patient's situition that until now I'm still thinking if he is already gone. If he is, may he rest in peace. Read the story here...

Nursing A Patient

I am glad that one of our patient improved and moved to the ward today after a month of suffering with a multi organ failure. This is the one that I loved being a nurse in critical care to see a patient improved day after day. Not everybody survived in ICU but to think that she almost died in few occasion she's still alive until now. It makes me say that I am proud to be a Nurse. I am just hoping that she will make it and go home from a normal ward.

I'm Feeling Itchy!!!

I feel that there is something crawling on my head!!! Or maybe it's only my imagination!!! Why I am like this today??? One of our patient have millions of head lice, and because he is having an alcoholic withdrawal he doesn't really care. It's all over the place!!! From his head to toes you can see head lice. I admitted this patient few days ago and I did not really noticed anything. Maybe the head lice are having withdrawal as well that is why they are hopping and crawling away from the patient -LOL. He had a treatment today by my colleague and hopefully it will be all gone when I come back on my night shift on Wednesday. Yucks!!! Thinking of it makes me itchy again.

Back Pain

Another busy night for me. My patient was very confused and poorly. She was trying to climbed out on bed and me trying to stopped her causes a very bad back pain. Why??? She have a massive weight of 126 kilos and me down to 58 kilos...imagine the difference? Not a surprised it will really hurt my back!