Night shift

This is the sign for my favorite winery. I didn't have the pictures downloaded to my computer when I did my last blog. It was a pretty day but there was no great angle to get the sign.

My roommate's husband came home from the hospital today. He is doing much better thank goodness. He's going to be hard to keep down which is good and bad. I think he might overextend himself. Luckily his daughter is here to keep an eye on him while his wife and I are at work.

Nights has been ok to deal with. I worked 3 12's this week and I was scheduled for tonight but they put me on call...which is rare, then at 10 they called to give me the rest of the night off. I'm still scheduled for tomorrow, which is good. I need 4 12's a week to meet my goal. Always have a goal, otherwise what are you working toward, right? The last night I worked I took care of a very nice old gentleman. I can call him old because he was over 80. He told me how nice I was and asked if I could just sit with him awhile. It was about 3am and I had just been doing my rounds checking on all my patients when he asked me. So, I pulled up a chair and held his hand while he talked for a few minutes. He was very nice and just wanted some company. It's very nice with the nurse-patient ratios here in California, I can afford to give my patient's that kind of time. Those are the times I love being a nurse, I guess they are the times that keep me going. I also had another patient that night who was a retired nurse...she also had a touch of Alzheimers. She must have asked me 10 times where I went to nursing school, not to mention the other 100 times she asked me why she was there, where she was, where her husband was...it was a long night. She had a sitter because she kept playing with her I.V. and trying to get out of bed even though we told her she couldn't because she had just had a cardiac catheterization and was flat on bedrest for 6 hours...she said she was a nurse and she knew what she was doing and she didn't need her I.V. any more or to have a sitter. It's sad really, I hope to never become that way, if I get confused I want to be pleasantly confused. The poor sitter was there for the whole 12 hours, she really earned her keep that night.

Remember the mantra...first do no harm

Roommates

Hi all! The weather sure has cleared this week...sunny and 60-70 degrees. The view just isn't the same without the green leaves or the grapes on the vines. That hasn't stopped me from visiting my favorite winery, V.Sattui. You can only get the wine at the winery but it's worth the trip! It's located just north of here in St. Helena. A nice drive up route 29.
Anyway my roommates arrived Wednesday night. 3 long days trip from PA. They took 80, which I had advised against, but they made good time. There are very few ways to get to California from Nevada one of my least favorites, and now theirs as well, is Donner Pass. Well into March you still have to put chains on the tires to drive over the pass, as they found out. It makes for a long day!
My roommates husband ended up in the Emergency Room of the Queen of the Valley here with an awful headache and nausea and vomiting. They are still trying to pin point the cause. What a way to start an assignment! She made it to orientation the first day but has had to miss the second day, the hospital of course has been wonderful and worked with her to get her working. It's so nice to work somewhere that actually cares about the staff and the travelers.
I started working my night shifts this weekend. It was a little difficult the first night, I had slept the night before and had to take a nap before work. I was sooooo tired the next morning. Last night was my second night and it was really hard. Even though I had slept yesterday, I was really tired last night. So, I'm glad I got a day off!!! Nights are much different from days, usually much slower. It's ok though. Just so you all know, patients don't sleep at night (and neither do the nurses!). They are up just as much and need just as much care. Everyone should try the different shifts before they decide which one is best for them.

I'm back! I've been in Napa for a week now with a terrible internet connection. I have my laptop with me and was using my Cingular wireless card....Supposedly wireless anywhere....anywhere but where I am I guess. The cable guy showed up today so I am on cable internet...what a relief! It worked very well, I used my wireless card to get to comcast online and never had to pick up the phone! Now what to do with this card?
I have been back at the Queen of the Valley hospital for a week now and after an hour it was like I was just here last week. It is a very odd feeling. Does that mean I'm home? I hope not I can't imagine trying to afford a house here. People are paying $500,000 and think they are getting a deal. If I could afford it for a year or two then sell the house for a profit it would be a good idea. One of the nurses I worked with before here is planning a move to Colorado. He sold his house here and is building a 3000 sq.ft. home in Loveland....and he has money left over.
The floor is busy as ever. They are expanding to the Pediatric unit in another week so right now we are over staffed a bit...floating doesn't bother me. I'm just glad the patient I had problems with is gone. I have had some flashbacks since I've been back...whenever I hear a ventilator alarm it sends chills up my spine. Can nurses have post-traumatic stress from taking care of a difficult patient? I think I have it. Anyway otherwise it's been great to be back...real cardiac tele patients and there was even a code on the floor the other day. I love to watch the dynamics of the floor how everyone just comes together to get something done.
It's been difficult to be here alone, without my husband, and my roommates won't be here for another 2-3 days. I have been passing the time by working and talking on the phone. I'm so glad to have the internet...what did we do before?
The flooding here in Napa is over for the time being. Although it is still raining almost everyday. I hope it stops before my friends arrive, I bragged about the beautiful weather, they might be mad...it can't be any worse than where they were....Cincinnati, yuck! Cold and grey and snowy this time of year. Besides all I have to do is take them to a few wineries and they'll forget all about the weather!
So, glad to be back, I should be able to update my blog easier and more regularly now!