Attitude Adjustment

It has been pointed out to me that the reason that I am burned out could very well be that I am focusing on the negative instead of the positive. So in an attempt to counteract the cloud of negativity that seems to be following me, I have compiled the following:

Six things that I love about my job

1. The look that little old ladies give me when I give them a blanket fresh out of the blanket warmer. It's amazing to me that a warm blanket has the same effect on a little old lady as 1 mg of Dilaudid has on a drug seeker.

2. That rush of adrenaline that I get when we get the first look at the EKG of a STEMI. Yes, I'm a dork. I love STEMIs. That tombstone gets my blood flowing like nothing else. Well, at work, anyway.

3. When floppy, listless babies turn into normal, crying babies with the help of some Tylenol, Motrin and and a fluid bolus or two. Some people think that the sound of babies crying is bad. I disagree. Crying babies are music to my ears. It's the ones that don't cry that make me nervous.

4.*POP*SNAP*SNAP*SNAP*!!!!!! The fact that I love it when belligerent drunks get tazed in my ER doesn't make me a bad person, does it?

5. When I get an IV on someone that's already been stuck 10 times. Because now that poor, sick person can get some medicine to help them feel better...... No, not really. It's an ego thing. I admit it.

6. The sound that the automatic door makes as it closes behind me on my way home. Sorry guys. If you're looking for something deep and meaningful, this is not the blog for you.

Wow! I feel so much better! In fact, I think I can make it through the last three nights of my five night stretch now.

Thank goodness for the positive people. It gives me someone to focus my negativity on.

If all else fails, watch this. It'll put you in a good mood, guaranteed. Unless you're a sociopath, of course.

Damn Meme thingees

I've been tagged twice over the last couple of months, and in the middle of my burnout funk, I have forgotten who tagged me. Leave me a comment, and I'll link you. Sorry I'm retarded.

In honor of my burnout, I'm going to modify the meme. And so, for your reading pleasure:

Six things that are causing my burnout

1. Co-workers with no work ethic.
I know you think that you're working harder than you should be. But so are the rest of us. Stop making us carry your load as well as our own.

2. Equipment that doesn't work.
I understand that we are moving to a nice, new hospital in 3 weeks. In the meantime, the monitors don't work, the gurneys don't steer, there isn't a portable O2 tank within 15 miles, and I have to beg, borrow and steal freakin' Jelcos from the other floors because all of the stock is being moved over to the new facility. What about this facility for the next 3 weeks?

3. CYA medicine.
I get so tired of drawing Type and Screens and Blood Cultures and prepping for Abdominal CTs on patients that don't need them, simply because that is the way that our docs are forced to practice ER medicine in our new litigious and entitled society. Hey Doc? That little box that you checked on the order sheet equals 15 additional minutes of my time spent in this patient's room prepping for a test that we both know she doesn't need, as well as another hour and a half in the ER taking up a bed that I could really use for one of the 20 patients still waiting to come back.

4. Back pain and sore feet.
No, not the patient's, mine! My freakin' back is killing me. Right between my shoulder blades. And my feet hurt. I don't even get to sit for 2 seconds anymore.

5. Rudeness.
Can't you at least be polite as you waste everyone's time and money bringing your lazy Medicaid ass in on a 911 ambulance for dental pain? Why do you have to be so damn rude?

6. Demented and contractured little old ladies with PEG tubes.
It should be a crime. 'Nuff said.

What's burning you out at work this week?

I *heart* Dilbert!

(click on it to make it bigger)

I don't get it.

Oscar Pistorius has been given permission to compete for a spot in the Olympics.

There are people that think that he shouldn't be allowed to compete because his blades give him an unfair advantage.

He is missing both of his legs below the knees.

I am of the opinion that if something provides an advantage in sports, then other people will try to do it to get an edge over the competition, no matter how dangerous it is. (ie: steroids)

I think that the Court of Arbitration for Sport has set a dangerous precedent. It won't be long before runners all over the world start cutting off their legs in order to run faster. Be alert. You may see these patients in your ER when their black-market or home amputation goes bad.

Anonymous internet angst

Some of you were around for the strange affair of "The Dawn". She created a blog just to tell the world how much she hated me because I was an evil nurse. She took it down after much fun.

Now there is "Busymom345". She's a fibromyalgeur who has created a blog just to tell the world what an evil nurse I am. You know, because I don't believe in fairies and fibromyalgia and such.

That's two blogs that have been created so far just to talk about what an evil nurse I am. Created, of course, by people who don't know me. But that's totally beside the point.

How many people on the internet hate you?

It's Fibromyalgia Awareness Day!!!!

In case you didn't see last year's post, check it out. There is a plethora of helpful links to assist you in managing your fake disease.

After working my ass off for the last 3 nights, I'm going to take my exhausted and sore feet, neck, back, arms and legs outside into the sunshine to work in the yard for a few hours. Then I'm going to come inside and take some *gasp* Motrin, and relax for the evening. I'll prolly even drink a beer or two. It's not the same as going to the ER for narcotics, but it'll have to do.

What are YOU doing to celebrate Fibromyalgia Awareness Day?

Happy Mother's Day!

Not just to my Mom, (though especially to my Mom) but to all of you moms who visit my little corner of the blogosphere.

Being a Mom is hard work. Each and every one of you have my utmost respect.