Monitor Mention

I'll be the first to admit that cruising the Internet can be very time-consuming, entertaining and primarily distracting. But come on folks, we shouldn't be doing it while we're supposed to be working. When you take your 15 or 30 minute break, go ahead, drop into cruise control; but when you clock back in for work duties, shut the damn thing off! It is an unsafe practice and unprofessional, with the public watching our every move.

Monitor Mention

I've tired myself

With all my observations,

I'm so far beyond

Any consternation,

Regarding the lack

Of professional attention,

But give me a moment?

There's one I'd like to mention.

The Monitor Techs

Of a certain age,

Keep their eyes on the screens

And look at strips on each page,

Comparing this morning

With later afternoon,

With precise,careful viewing

Like watching phases of the moon.

They studied Basic EKG

Intermediate, and more,

Ordered Cardiac Rhythms

From Dr. Marriott's store,

Attended rhythm symposia

Whenever they could,

If Zak Vera said, "read this"

They knew that they should.

But those days are disappearing

A Monitor Tech, is a U. A.,

How many textbooks do they own?

It is really hard to say,

But I suspect it isn't many

Afterall, they took that class,

And if you showed up for 3 days

You couldn't help but pass.

How many books about rhythms

Do I have at my house?

At least ten for me

And one or two for the mouse,

Along with the journals

The articles, and more,

The science keeps growing

Thus, more books at the store.

I am sorry to report

But around fifty percent,

Of Monitor Techs I view

May need to repent,

Regarding smartphone habits

Versus Monitor attention,

Yes, that was the thing

That I wanted to mention.

Fibril_late;

1/30/14

Cry

Another ridiculous assignment, designed and delivered to us by under the rock management. Sorry, I'm just venting after working a 13.75 Hour long shift and dangerously understaffed for the last 5 hours of that.

Cry

Just another stupid shift

Oh, let me tell you why,

Staffing so bad

I could almost cry,

Instead I was cussing

A blue streak and more,

As two going-home patient's

Left their blood on the floor.

One patient was waiting

For a room, all day long,

Thirteen hours on hold

That's one bluesy song,

Filled with hours of pain

Nausea and more,

Praying for some space

On the Oncology floor.

Six patients at 7 pm

Then two of them split,

Now four of them for two of us

But that's just half of it,

One 8 o'clock bleeder

And a sheath-pull at nine,

The other bleeder at 1030

And she was all mine,

With a growing hematoma

And blood-pressure sky high,

Thirty minutes to stop it

And again, I could cry;

Because our night wasn't finished

Finding a room was a chore,

When the bleeder was transferred

We weren't done, there was more,

With duties, like charting

Cleaning and sorting,

Day shift wants a fresh house

Or they will be snorting,

About the things we didn't do

Though we worked so flippin' late,

Lord, if I get laid-off

I will thank my bloody fate!

Fibril_late;

1/9/14

Golf

The return of a “frequent flyer” is something most of us experience in the medical realm. The person who has a health issue that keeps recurring, despite multiple attempts to ameliorate it. This is the story of one gentleman, who suffers from persistent Atrial arrythmia’s. He has undergone several Ablation procedures, and multiple Cardioversions.

On the Green

It's hard to believe

But, he came back again,

Mr. Atrial Fib

For a visit to our pen,

He said that he missed us

Like toast is to butter,

While up on the monitor

I spotted A. Flutter.

He had a nine month reprieve

Post-cardioversion,

What mysterious trigger

Prompted this latest excursion?,

To visit our pad

Of electrical thrills,

Dr. Oneill must be wishing

For some magical pills.

Good for nine months

No Apixaban on board,

He needed an echo

To see if clots could be scored,

If clear, he would earn

An elecrical shock,

January seven?, already

He's punching our clock.

Atrial Flutter

Doesn't require much juice,

One little shock

To attain a testy truce,

Send him off on his way

To destinations, unknown,

Get on with your life

If you need us, just phone.

It was wonderful to see you

In two thousand fourteen,

But the next time we meet

Let it be on the green.

Fibril_late;

1/9/14

Undeniable

Undeniable

Last week I had the pleasure of attending to a delightful gentleman who originally hailed from Ireland. Prior to the previous week, he had never been treated for any “chronic” health conditions, and he was 90 years old. He mentioned that four years back, he did have a hip replacement, that being the only time he had spent time in a hospital. Here was an active member of the community, truly full of life, a recent world traveler, and he didn’t even own a written prescription. Amazing!

Why the story? Because the nurse who called report from the outlying hospital, told me, “(this man) he is certainly in denial, regarding his health”. In regards to her assessment?; she was so far off base, she was out in the parking lot.

He's in denial

That's what she said,

Heck, he's 90 years old

And nowhere's near dead,

He doesn't see a doctor

And never takes medicine,

He's a genius of living

Like good Thomas Edison.

He lives alone

And has never been married,

He works for the church

His life is so varied,

He's in charge of three orphanages

In places far East,

90 years in the making

A heckuva priest.

He's an old time member

At the Ballybunion links,

Where the wind howls like banshees

And old friends raise their drinks,

For a returning old son

Whenever he comes home,

He's 90 years old

And still on the roam.

Is he in denial?

I think not, again,

Undeniably, Father

Is the healthiest of men.

Fibril_late;

1/3/14