Updates and musings from one momma nurse

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Monday, September 10, 2012

Peaks and Troughs

The normal patient load on my particular unit for my shift is 5-6 patients per nurse.

One shift, I started with six patients. Four units of blood, two blown IV sites, one home care set-up, and two late discharges later, it was an hour after the "end" of my shift and I was just beginning my charting. I clocked out about 2.5 hours after shift change.

My next shift (a few days later), I started with four patients. By a few minutes after 9, I had passed all their morning medications and charted all my assessments. When a new patient transferred to my unit, I tucked him in, charted on him, and made the appropriate calls. I had time to eat lunch. I had time to pump.

It's amazing what a difference one or two patients can make!

Another thing that made that latter shift stand out in my mind is that that was the day I was asked to precept a capstone nursing student this semester. (I gladly accepted.) Can't wait!