A typical Monday of late, in that it involves work, frustrated desire, and something funny

I didn't make it to the dramatic presentation. I transposed two theaters when I was looking at directions originally and when I realized the mix-up it was too late to make the show. Oh well, there will be other opportunities. I'll just have to stay on top of what's playing and plan ahead. What I like about Houston is that classic and contemporary, much-lauded works get mounted here. Quite different from Austin.

Yesterday work was a study in contrasts. When I started the day, I took two patients with the plan being that I'd give them up at 9 AM to another nurse so that I could get more practice admitting difficult cases. Two hours to assess the patients, document, give medications, while also managing phone calls from family, updating doctors on condition, and providing comfort care isn't much time. I didn't quite make it and by 9:30 just ended up fetching one patient's meds for the relieving nurse to give. Dang. Then I found out that the surgery schedule started late because resident interviews had begun that morning. We wouldn't be getting the kinds of patients I needed till much later in the day. I kept myself busy helping others and studying a little till my manager called me up for my 90 day review. I'm doing well apparently and get a small raise. Yay.

At 3 PM (or 1500 as medicine uses military time) I took back one of my original patients and prepared for a fresh post-op case. He came out at 1700 and the race was on to do as much as I could get done before the next shift showed up at 1845 while also, you know, taking care of the patient. As I was saying to Mybloody last night, I once started to write a post about post-operative care of patients who required heart bypass during surgery but when it took three paragraphs just to establish the basics of hemodynamics, I deleted it. Too complicated and therefore boring for anyone that doesn't want to actually do it I think.

Anyway, I again didn't quite make it in the time allotted. Between assessment, calls and conferences with doctors, warming the patient, managing blood pressure, giving meds, and documenting I didn't get to some paperwork and a few of the less important medical orders. I was and am disappointed that, though improving, I'm still slow. My preceptor said, "You did fine. Are your patients still alive? OK then." To which I replied, "That is *not* the standard I'm shooting for at this point." I'll get there eventually but I'm not one to be patient with my own progress, grumble grumble.

On a lighter note, this made me laugh: