My tenured staff Nurses were quite different. Nurse J was hovering and motherly not interested in anything I had to say. She was on the night shift and taught the many student nurses on the floor. She appeared to be a stern disciplinarian and likely one to play favorites. Nurse M came on as my day nurse Friday. Without the teaching approach she is a take no guff go by the rules gal. I worked hard to satisfy both and understand their approach to nursing.
There was a big difference. For example, my IV’s were set in the back of my hands. Due to there location they were easily bumped with normal activity. An important part of my recovery is to be up and active. I asked Nurse J if we could do something to protect them better because I was bumping up against stuff and it hurt. Her response was simple, do not do it. Nurse M came back with mesh fabric used for burn victims and fashioned glove to cover my hands. It not only did the job making movement safer, it also had a stylish look about it. Many folks prefer the conservative approach, but I want to move about as much as possible. Staying stationary was not a reasonable option. That night Nurse J noted the gloves and inquired about them. I think she found it to be a good idea, although I am not sure she could admit it. There two careers and experience show in their approach. Both are pushers to make sure I do the physical part of recovery to the 110% level.
The epidural left me with very little pain. If I stressed the wound or had a bad gas pain it cut through and if it was too bad I had a button to push as much as once every 20 minutes.
Friday I got my laptop hooked up and e mail checked and processed, doing a little work as well. Moved to a private room I had much more space, more comfortable bed, more inviting surroundings and room for all the family and friends who have been there for me and coming to visit me. Urologist in the morning and pain management in the afternoon, student nurses with a year or two to go function as PCA’s (patient care assistants) and occasionally another med doctor. No food ordered, so now the last time I had anything to eat was 5 days ago.
The resident urologist, Dr. I, an outstanding clinician with a totally unurological bedside manner stopped by every day at the same time to check on my recovery. This morning he told me the tube could come out of my nose today. Later when I mentioned it to my nurse she said she would check. The hose had repeatedly come disconnected from suction and since nothing was coming out was finally left disconnected. When my nurse appeared later she advised me the resident said the hose had to remain in. This was a female resident I am not sure I event met, however I felt another opinion was needed so I called Dr. K from my room. Nurse D advised me at his office that the resident made that decision, and after some insistence agreed to have Dr. K call me. Shortly there after two nurses appeared with smiles and pulled my hose. We stopped by to check in on Aaron and he was on the heal.
It happens that during my stay the medical order entry system was going digital. As I have seen so often, the institution appears to have paid a pot load on the soft ware and then failed to train the Doctors first, putting the load on the nursing staff, undoubtedly at a cost to customer service. I understood from my time with John G in the maintenance management software business and could be patient. I am sure that it entered into the hose in the nose issue. It seemed overall such a minor thing given the high standard of care I received every hour of the day.
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