Punch in..."code 22 unit 1, code 22 unit 1". I ran to the unit to find a patient that tried to kill me 6 months ago. He notices me and runs toward me..he was stopped. It took 12 staff to stop him! My supervisor tells me I can't stay on the unit because "he's upsetting the patients by telling them he's going to murder you" Ok. This sucks. I know he's sick and can't help it. He hates every woman that has green eyes, I don't take it personal. I think I'm going to the dual unit. Nope! There are 2 places I hate to work- adolescents and rehab. I used to be an awful child and I have issues with the staff on the rehab unit. Since I rather work with kids then my ex I say...send me to the kids. When patients arrive we assess them. We scale them for LOO. (levels of observation). They, at the very least are put on 15 minute checks, meaning every 15 minutes we find each patient and mark their exact location within the unit. My turn for rounds I find a girl 14 years old crying. I'm on checks (rounds)when you are doing these you can't do anything else. Safety first. So I walk the girl back to the nurses station and have her talk with staff. She says she wants to talk to me, not the male staff. I give him the checks board and we walk down to her room for privacy. She tells me she wants to die. We talk for 2 hours, she says she feels better. I know she's full of shit. I call the doc for a 1:1 order. This means staff is to remain within arms length of the patient at all times while the order is in effect. The doc comes, gives the order. Im back on checks an hour later, I walk by the room. I see a female staff reading a magazine "where the hell is Cathy?" I ask. "oh, she's in the shower". What??? in the fuckin shower? I throw the check board on the floor, pull on the door. Its wedged closed..I pull, nothing still. I take the checks board and wedge it in the door to use it to pry the door open. Finally I get in, only to find the worst sight. Hanging in the shower, the girl. I jump in the shower with her, she has a faint pulse. I hold her while im trying to cut her down..Call a code blue...I waited what seemed like forever for the staff to find scissors. I cut her down. Everyone comes in, the ambulance is on its way they tell me. I sat with the girl in my lap in the shower waiting..There was nothing in her eyes. We brought her out, started CPR. We stabilized her until the ambulance got there. As I walked through the hospital soaked-making my way to the laundry room to change, my boss walks over to me and says. " they lost her in the ambulance". I hate days like this.
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Sounds like your day was as bad as some as mine. I work in a Veteran's Hospital, and it's a shame how some nursing staff are.
Joe -
I just got goosebumps reading this. You knew she needed help and you did all you could to save her. I hope that the nurse who was on 1:1 got reprimanded for her lack of responsibility.
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Oh, no....
I suppose you put yourself in the path for things like this with your job, but unfortunately signing into the job doesn't take away your humanity, your emotion. I could only have nightmares of days like this - while you (and others in your profession, surely) deal with it day by day. It's amazing that people have the strength for this line of work. Even more amazing that I get the chance to know them through their stories like this. The female staff that took her eyes off the girl should get reprimanded, if not worse.
Gypsy--<< -
I give you lots of hugs. life sucks. and you are an amazing person for sticking through it and doing this job, not a lot of people have the spirit and strength to do it.
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Oh my goodness. I could not have your job. I'd be too emotionally attached to the patients..which I'm sure is a huge No No...Right? Gah, I didn't even experience it and I am about to cry.
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My GF is a psych nurse so this sounds familiar. She is in a voluntary admit unit now. The patients are more annoying than dangerous. I don't see how you can do this job long term without suffering psychic damage to yourself. It is like being in a war everyday. Don't forget to take care of yourself while you are helping everyone else.
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Goddamn. Why do nurses like that even work there if they don't give a shit.
Sometimes there are more to words than the word itself. -
hope youre copin all right with that event,you did what u could,regardless of the saness its a great read. your spec.
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Ohmmigosh!! Poor baby. I feel so bad for her. And you as well of course but that poor girl. She was sick and had that woman done her job she could have gotten better, =[
Im so sorry -
I hope they cut down that nurse reading a magazine.... by firing her. It's such a shame when people commit suicide before they even get a chance to live... or realize what they'll be missing.
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I wanted to fucking choke her, during the code she had the magazine in her hand the whole time! She is getting fired, if she doesn't im giving my keys in.
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damn. that sucks - i'm sorry.
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I know, I couldn't sleep at all last night...I keep going over it. Ugh, somedays it's really hard being me.
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well if you need to talk about it or anything, let me know
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Thanks. I appreciate it.
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I would say saying that night sucked would be an understatement.
At least your ok, right? -
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I'm ok, I just..God that really sucked.
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