Updates and musings from one momma nurse

Followers

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Delegating

"Mama, mama! Oh, my baby is calling for me. I'm the mommy." (walks over to baby doll and picks it up, then hands it to me) "She says she's sick. You're the daddy. You take care of it." (walks back over to rocking chair, grabs a book, and puts her feet up) "I'm busy right now!"

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Cooties

What did you play with your friends this morning? "We played Cooties." Oh that sounds like fun. How do you play? "Well, first you pick the winner, who picks all the cards. And then they SMASH the bug. And then you give the player a high-five. And then the player goes to a different center. And everybody gets a turn."

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Fun with Delirium

You know it's going to be a fun day at work when you assess your patients and realize that only one out the five can tell you where he/she is.

Some of my favorite exchanges:
Me: Do you know where you are right now?
Patient 1: I have no idea.

Patient 2: Did you work on the highway last summer, too?
Me: No, last summer I worked here as a nurse, just like I am right now.

Me: Your dressing is off again. That needs to stay on so your wound can heal.
Patient 3: Are you saying I'm doing that?

I come in to find Patient 4 out of bed, standing sans-gown in the corner of the room.
Me: Why are you out of bed? No weight on that leg, remember?
Pt 4: You need to call my parole officer.

Pt 2 again: How long have you worked at (local grocery store)?

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Her First To-Do List

We had a limited amount of time this morning before a scheduled activity, and numerous things to do to get ready.

I reminded Sweet Pea of all the steps, but she was just not in the right mindset and we weren't clicking.

I decided to try something new for us: A pictoral to-do list.

It's not a brand-new concept; many people use it in various settings, but this was the first time we had tried it.

So she and I brainstormed the steps to getting ready, and I drew a picture to represent each step.

Then she could see what her options were, pick one off the list, and then check it off when she was done and see what was left.

Still needed a little redirection at times, but she took more ownership over getting ready.

Here's our list, midway through completion.


In case it is not abundantly clear (I am not the greatest artist), the pictures are of a book (gather library books to return), a toilet (go potty), cup/bowl/spoon/placemat (eat breakfast), clothes (get dressed), and then a car and the library.
Fairly successful! We will likely repeat this strategy in the near future.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Pewshing

This afternoon, Sweet Pea decided to play dressup. With her Cinderella dress, flip flops, and long white gloves on, she picked up a parasol, leveled it, and jerked it back and forth a couple times.

What are you doing, Sweet Pea?
"It's a gum."
That's not a good game to play. What do you know about gums?
"All my friends at daycare pewsh the gums at all the girls, and we run away."
Pewsh? What is that?
"Yeah, the pewshing game. When you pewsh."
..How do you do that?
Sweet Pea makes two fists in front of her, sticks her thumbs up, and makes a sound effect like "psh".

Crud. Time to sit down and have a chat! Amazing how much a kid can learn from peers, eh?