...And nobody missed me!

 Nothing like taking almost 11 years off! A lot has changed in those 11 years and I won't bore you with the details. Suffice it to say, I am no longer a CNA but an RN, and an RN manager at a large nursing home. My goal for this blog is mostly vent about life at a SNF (skilled nursing facility) in a humerous way...and yes, I know that's the wrong word! Behold my humor!

The tricky part will be to do it without violating HIPPA. Just in case, I sterilized my profile and removed my picture., CYA!!

Currently not finding any humor in the fact that the nurse/CNA shortage predicted in the last decade is hitting my industry in full force! Covid has made it worse and now vaccine mandates are making it almost unmanageable. 

I'll try to post more and more often but if you read the old posts you will see that I have made that promise before.

MIsc, Shtuff

Pack's in the Super Bowl! Psychiatric Clinicals are.... interesting. Classes are so far so good. Patients are patients, some good/some bad/all in need. Fam's good! Kids are super smart...maybe too smart for their own good, but I would rather have that than the opposite! Bear fans are quiet but still crying. That's about it!

Sittin, waitin, wishin

Sittin with an obnoxious patient
Waitin for his Ativan to wear off
Wishin I was home in bed with my wife

Time out of mind

Seems that I have been with a lot of pts lately with "altered mental status" whether its Alzheimers or suicide attempts I just can't get enough! I will say that i dodged a bullet the other night when I was transferred from 1 pt to another because the 1st 1 didn't want a male sitter. FINE with me since she was a "self-mutilator" who had swallowed nails and screws in an attempt to end her life. WOW, really!! nails and screws...there's got to be an easier way. I would guess ANY way would be easier. She had this blank look in her eyes and scars all over her arms and face. She was really creepy! The guy I ended up with was great, we talked sports and music until 1 am then he went to sleep until 6:60. Easy Peasy. He was also a suicide watch but nothing so dramatic as self-mutilation just your deep depression. That I can handle. I don't start psych nursing until next week! I also sat with a man last week who just moaned all night. It just about drove me crazy! 8 hours of moaning like a wounded goat! It was BAD. 2 nights later I sat with the same guy and was informed that he wasn't expected to make it through the night. It's a strange feeling when the moaning from 1 night you consider annoying becomes the final sounds a person might utter in this world. They didn't seem so annoying anymore and I felt guilty for being annoyed in the first place. I spent that 2nd night watching over him with his wife who would periodically break down in tears as she wrestled with the decisions she was having to make. We talked, we laughed, she cried, we hugged when I left. He made it through the night but I have no idea where he is today. Welcome to nursing!

Just another night

Sitting....again! It seems that's all I do anymore. I guess I shouldn't complain, there are much worse jobs out there. I'm not getting shot at or running into burning buildings but at least those would keep me awake! My pt tonight is a little old lady with Alzheimers. Those are sometimes the worst because you really can't stop them from doing whatever the hell they want to do without the fear of breaking them. I have had pretty good luck sitting lately...nobody has accused me of kidnapping or hit me with a cane but I have had 1 person pull out his PICC line and 1 pull out his NG tube. I know I am here so that doesn't happen so I feel responsible but when the pt lays there with no issues for hours and then decides to pull something out when you are changing the garbage or charting on the computer I don't know how to stop it. Oh well, nobody has given me a hard time about it yet so I guess it's a "shit happens" kind of event. TV is showing a repeat of the GoDaddy.com Bowl. I already know who won and have seen all the highlights but am still watching. I love football season!

New Year's Resolution

Wow, just realized that it's been over 5 months since I posted anything on here. Must be because I don't have much going on....Yeah right!
I've decided to make more of an effort to do updates. I might even let my wife put my blog address on hers. That way maybe more people will read it or at least know it exists! This stems from a conversation several of us NCA's/sitters were having in the nursing office when someone told us we could write a book about the things we see and put up with. I don't think I will write a book but some of the things that go on here defy logic....and can be hilarious. So if I can avoid any HIIPA violations I will keep up with updates. Maybe a disclaimer...All posts are based on fictional characters, any resemblance to actual people is purely coincidental. Names have been changed to protect the innocent/guilty.

Lights......Action

No cameras but plenty of lights and action here on the floor! I haven't seen this many flashing light since the last time I was pulled over by the cops. I'm not done with half the stuff I'm supposed to have done and I am just getting to eat before I go sit the rest if the night. I will be sitting with a patient that is not handling his tube feeding very well, if you catch my drift. this should be fun! By the way Jenn, thanks for the unsalted peanuts!