Back in the day, when I was working in various units, either ICU or on the "floor", I remember taking report from the Recovery Nurse. When the conversation finished, I never called back to the Recovery room, once I had received the patient. Why? Because now, it's my duty, job, and expertise, to determine what needs to be done, and move forward. Why would I hassle the Recovery nurse, now that it is 3 hours post-op, and there is mysterious swelling over a dressing where the new pacemaker is? My response? Betty, take the dressing off, look at the incision, and call the doctor if you think there is a problem.

If you're confused about this, take a visit to a typical Recovery arena; the newly repaired patient arrives, and for the next hour or two, the focus is on the old standard ABC's, equipment, incisions, consciousness and other nuances. If the patient is hypertensive, we're giving Hydralazine, not Lisinopril. If there is tachycardia, it might be IV Lopressor, not oral Metoprolol. So, no, I'm not responsible for giving the patient, their standard daily medications, all right?!?  Criminy!

She's Throwing a Slider

As a Recovery Nurse
There is a particular focus,
A-B-C's and equipment
And some other hocus-pocus,
Perhaps, some particular points
From the Anesthesia provider,
Like, “Don't expect a fastball
Because she's throwing a slider”.

When it's time to report
To the next, receiving nurse,
It can be collegiate and collaborative
But at times it makes me curse,
When questions are asked of me
As I'm poised on your doormat,
Posing irrelevant queries
From some predetermined format.

“What were the closing pressures?”
Nurse B, wants to know,
It's unclear what she's talking about
As this was a Pacemaker show,
Where they cut a pocket in the skin
Put in a pacer and connected wires,
Closing pressures don't apply
Unless you're focused on the tires.

Later on, I get a call
Did I give the afternoon meds?
No, I told you, the patient had nausea
And vomited while in bed,
Then 15 minutes more
You're on the phone again,
Looking for some answers
That were charted, way back when,
That's why we have computers
In this digital, modern age,
Did this patient have their X-ray?
Look at the Radiology page!!!

Recovery takes an hour
Sometimes, a little more,
Wake and shake and breathing
To get them ready for the floor,
So, if daily medications
Were not administered, it's your duty,
Please stop calling me, do your job
And don't complain, that I am snooty.

Fibril_late;
2/17/12