MAGNETism

I am ambivalent about my hospital's claim that we are seeking Magnet status. You can find more information about this designation here.

At times, I feel inspired to aid in the effort, certain that if we can find enough like-minded colleagues to work towards positive change, we can make it a better workplace. I am often proud to acknowledge that I am part of such an esteemed institution, that we can provide professional, highly-specialized and complex, but heartfelt, individualized care to a high volume of patients. I assume that my fellow nurses choose to stay because they, too, appreciate the high expectations and abundant opportunities inherent to a large teaching facility.

However, there are also times when I am discouraged by the ridiculous processes and mindless functions of the executives and managers who spend so much time talking in circles and sitting on committees that accomplish nothing. How can we effect change if those in leadership roles care more about the statistics than they do about the people "beneath" them who are daily offering their blood, sweat, and tears at the bedside? I wish I could say that we have a cohesive team from top to bottom, but I am constantly reminded that this is simply not true. There are an abundance of petty battles being waged at any given point, with very few satifactory resolutions made.

To my fellow bloggers: Do you work for a Magnet hospital? I would love to know... how is it?

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A few other random thoughts:

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It was an incredibly busy weekend. Low staffing didn't help: it would not have seemed quite so out of control with a few more warm bodies present, but we made do (as always) with what we had. Now that all the holiday celebrating has ceased, we have settled back into the normal routine... busyness as usual. Today feels like I'm recovering from a marathon: achy head, sore shoulders, heavy eyelids, sore throat. I still didn't manage to get a pedometer for Christmas, so I'm not sure how many miles it was this weekend. It felt like at least a marathon's worth!

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As a charge nurse, I often step into the room for the actual delivery, to make sure that there are enough hands available and that the newborn can receive any extra care if necessary. Sometimes I miss having a close bond with one patient and seeing her through the entire experience, but it is thrilling to be present for so many of those most magical of moments. Within an hour and a half the other night, I witnessed a natural (and naked) birth that was documented by a professional photograper and videographer, the birth of an undiagnosed Downs Syndrome infant, the birth of a first child after days of labor and hours of pushing, and the birth of a sweet babe with a previously diagnosed cleft lip and palate.

Sigh... our bodies are so amazing. And sometimes they betray us, but that's a post for another day.

Bone Tired

I am not even kidding.

When I finally get myself a friggin' pedometer, I am totally going to get on here and brag. I must have walked/run at least 8 miles last night.

And when we're already crashing a patient who's bleeding out, is it really necessary to clue me in on the fact that the patient who was 8 cm when she got to triage is (oopsy) also BREECH?

So what if I'm in charge? At that point, I just don't wanna know.

Realized at 5:00am that I never ate lunch.

Too late now. I'm sure I'll make up for it at a later date. You know how we nurses like to enable each others' eating habits at the holidays!

Off to bed... I feel a coma coming.

Food for Thought

How not to make friends with the Neo charge nurse: give her a 28 weeker, 30 week twins and then 30 week triplets over the course of about 4 hours.

Huh.

I'll try to remember that one next time.

Probably best not to mention the 26 weeker with a bulging bag at this point, huh?

I've been busy.

From the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

Main Entry: hi·a·tus
Pronunciation: hI-'A-t&s
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin, from hiare to yawn -- more at YAWN
1 a : a break in or as if in a material object : GAP b : a gap or passage in an anatomical part or organ
2 a : an interruption in time or continuity : BREAK; especially : a period when something (as a program or activity) is suspended or interrupted b : the occurrence of two vowel sounds without pause or intervening consonantal sound

Can the word "yawn" be contagious when read?

As the day charge nurse aptly put last night upon my arrival, "Everything was going okay until 4:00pm, when the skies opened up and started raining pregnant women!" Well, the day nurses this morning came on to a very nice board, due in large part to the fact that we delivered the whole flood of patients that were left to us, along with another wave that followed.

Note to self: do not EVER make comment to departing shift based upon the current census on the floor along the lines of "Well, it must have been a good night (or day, as applies to situation)... you're all just sitting around." The fact is, we got our butts kicked and then did it all over again a couple of times and right now we're sitting here staring at each other because every ounce of energy we may have had is completely gone.

On that note, nighty-night!