2015-06-04T05:00:00+01:00

Check It Out! Guest Post by Linda Bethea.

June 4, 2015/Judy E Martin/35 Comments

The very lovely and talented Linda from Nutsrock and I have decided to take over each other’s blogs, and write a guest post each. Now if for some reason you have never visited Linda’s blog then you are well and truly missing out. Her gift for storytelling is unique and has me laughing my head off at times, and being very moved at others, She has a horde of crazy family members that make appearances in her posts for your delight and entertainment.

Linda and I both share a nursing background and we have written stories about a ‘normal day at the office’ for your amusement. So without further ado, here is Linda’s tale.

A big part of nursing is taking care of the “whole” patient, so when my patient asked if I had some clothes I could give her, the first thing I did was ask, ”Why?”

“My house burned and I don’t even have anything to wear home. I lost everything. ”

“Oh, that’s awful. Of course, I’ll bring you some things. I’ll call the social worker so she can help you out, too.”

I went through my closet after work and found several pairs of pants, shirts and a couple of dresses, enough to get her started. I bought a six-pack of granny-panties, some sports bras, socks, and shoes, since I had checked her sizes and took them to her the next day. She was so relieved to have some clothes for when she went home.

Meanwhile, the social worker had collected several items of her own called the Red Cross. That’s when things went weird. The Red Cross contacted the outpatient dialysis center who knew the patient well, only to find out that this had happened before. The lady appeared perfectly oriented, but under stress, became confused, recalling a disturbing time in the past when she’d lost everything in a house fire. By the time it was all said and done, between me and the social worker, she made quite a haul!

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Episode 356: Dirty Mind!

June 2, 2015/Judy E Martin/41 Comments

Today at work I was looking after the men, which is something that I don’t do very often as I am usually with the ladies. One of the patients was being discharged, and once the bed area had been cleaned and the bed remade, another patient arrived with two porters wheeling his bed.

We had to transfer the new patient onto the other bed, which needed a couple of extra staff and a patslide. Just before we did this I introduced myself to the patient and confirmed his name. I asked him how he was and he told me that one of his legs and one of his arms were not working properly. I sympathised with him and told him that we would make sure he was well looked after.

In order to get him onto the other bed we had to line them both up but there was a chair in the way. One of the porters went to move it but bumped it on the corner of the bed. It didn’t touch the patient but I joked with him that we were going to hurt his good leg to even things up a little.

He laughed and said that I might as well, then indicated his head towards his nether regions and said that ‘that didn’t work either’. I of course thought he meant his ahem..privates and blustered that we couldn’t really do much about that side of things. He didn’t. He was pointing at his catheter bag!

Episode 339: Nurses Are The Best!!!

May 23, 2015/Judy E Martin/28 Comments

Last night I went out for a meal with work colleagues as one of our Sisters was taking early retirement. It was a bittersweet occasion as, although it was lovely for so many of us to go out together (about 40 of us), it was sad that nearly half of the people who came had either retired or left the ward to work somewhere else.

When I started on the ward, four years ago, there were only 15 patients to look after! Many of the staff had worked together for years and they were a very close-knit group. I was nervous when I started, especially as I didn’t know any of them, plus I was undertaking a new role which nobody understood!

Well I needn’t have worried as they welcomed me with open arms, and gave me all the help and support I needed over the two-year training period, which certainly went a long way towards me qualifying at the end of it!

After only a year of working there, we had to amalgamate with another ward which led to a lot of uncertainty. Staff left, some deployed elsewhere, and we gained others, so that in the end, we had 27 patients and more than a few disgruntled staff. some of whom did not ‘sign up’ to work on an elderly ward!

We had a lot of ‘us and them’ situations as well, before we became a cohesive team that sorted out the differences and found a way to work harmoniously. Added to that a load more staff leaving, more uncertainty, changes in ward management, staff being used to cover other wards, and chronic shortages of staff in general, and it became quite a stressful place at times.We had enough to contend with due to the type of patients we looked after, especially as many of them liked to try to escape or wander off!

What I love about working there though is the kindness, professionalism and compassion of those nurses, They are all so dedicated to their jobs, and we have still managed to have forged a great team. Certainly for me, having had to have time off when I have been particularly unwell, coming back to their hugs, well wishes and concern makes me realise how lucky I am to work there.

Working for the NHS, us nurses get a lot of negative comments in the media who love to bring us down. Yes, there have been a few incidents that have been highlighted of appalling care and mistreatment of patients; however, those people do not represent us all. The majority of us do care, and are dedicated to looking after our patients.

Last night made me realise how proud I am to be part of the nursing community. I am only sorry that for one reason or another, we are losing so many wonderful nurses who are disillusioned with the lack of support,lack of staff, and increasing workload (paperwork) that means that they cannot carry out what they joined up to do!

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Episode 338: Not A Positive Outcome!

May 21, 2015/Judy E Martin/42 Comments

I have read quite a few inspiring post lately about staying positive, focusing on all the good things rather than the negative. I am not too good at this but decided that it was time I turned things around and concentrated on the bright side of things.

Today was quite busy at work, and I was back to looking after my ladies again. It is a lovely day today and extremely hot and stuffy on the ward. Add to the mix a plastic apron and latex gloves (which are more often on than off) and it can get rather sweaty! (I should be a good couple of sizes smaller due to all the running around and sweating I do, but hey, I am not supposed to be negative)! Oh, and don’t forget to throw in the fact that my ladies get cold, so there are no windows open for longer than a nanosecond to let any air in either).

Anyway, a couple of ladies were upset due to an incident overnight, and I spent quite a lot of time talking to one of them to listen to her concerns, and give her some reassurance (Sister spoke to the other one). She seemed happy with what I had told her, and at the end of the conversation asked if it was ok if she could ask me a personal question. I of course, told her that it was, and she said,

“So when is your baby due?” Great! I have spent the last TWO MONTHS hula hooping trying to whittle myself a bloody waist, and that is what I get! I was mortified (and so was she when I told her that I was not in fact pregnant). I am trying to find a positive to this, and the only thing I can come up with is at least she thinks I am still young enough to have a baby!

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Episode 298: Leading By Example!

April 21, 2015/Judy E Martin/15 Comments

A bit of good weather and the prospect of a day off tomorrow with a bit of peace and quiet us just what I need at the moment. The last couple of days have been pretty busy getting back into the swing of work and school etc.

As we have been pretty short-staffed for ages, we have finally got a couple of new staff that started this week. To ease them into the madness, they have been doing slightly different hours to the rest of us, but it is nice to see them when they turn up and of course it is wonderful to have their help.

As most of you know, I am not the most graceful of people, and one of the nurses I was working with today, calls me ‘Calamity Jane’ at times (very unkind of her, I know and not in the least justified)! Anyway we had a lovely new lady start with us yesterday who I worked briefly with, and she was in again today.

I went into the Bay where she was working to do some observations, which she was going to watch, and record for me on the handheld system. As I went over to take the patient’s blood pressure, I tripped over the power cable of the big floor buffer thing one of the domestics was using. I saw my new colleague giggle. as the domestic tried to kind of flick it out of my way which only resulted in me tripping again, as I stepped the wrong way to avoid it.

A bit later, I needed a Bair Hugger (a kind of electric heated blanket) for one of my patients who had a low temperature. There was one not needed in the bay next door where our new colleague was working. In her haste to help me, she hurried to unplug it, but caught her foot on the edge of the bed and went flying! She did a few kind of slow-motion leaps to keep her balance, which of course set me off laughing as well.

I think she and I are going to get along just fine, although I don’t know if we will be safe to work together!

Episode 268: Hot Cross Edwina!

April 3, 2015/Judy E Martin/14 Comments

What a busy week it has been, I normally only work 4 days per week, and what with one thing and another, I have not done my usual hours for a while. However, this week I have ended up doing 5 days and shattered! I know many of you probably work a lot longer hours and more days, but I am just finding it tiring getting back into the swing of things.

Anyway, today was my last day at work before the Easter holidays. Miss Hap broke up from school yesterday, and as me and Mr Grump were working, got to spend a lovely day with her Nanny.

Work was of course busy as always, but we had a great team on shift. The patients were all treated to a hot cross bun this morning with their mid morning hot drink, which went down rather well. (It would have gone down even better if they had been given a bit of butter with their buns as they were rather large and quite dry-looking)!

I did go to the kitchen and grab a load of spreads and butters, but by the time I went around with them, anyone that was going to eat them had already done so! Still, they cheered up a bit when the Easter eggs were being dished out. A local charity had donated loads of Easter eggs so that every patient got one.

Two of my ladies in particular, had started tucking into theirs straight away. I jokingly told them that lunch would be served any minute and I would not be happy if they ate the chocolate and not their meal. It was so nice to see them laughing and happy, enjoying their unexpected Easter treats.

When I got home Mr Grump was here having finished early, and Miss Hap came home soon after. Now i could relax and enjoy my two weeks holiday from work. Only problem is…my throat is prickly.. and my nose is blocked up….I’m all hot and cold! Typical! I always feel rough when I am on annual leave!

Episode 264: Snail’s Nails

March 30, 2015/Judy E Martin/35 Comments

Doing the job that I do, you have to have a pretty strong stomach at times, It is quite ironic really, as I have always been pretty squeamish! I even have to look away in horror and action movies when there is too much blood and gore, regardless of the fact that of course, it is not real.

Mr Grump is totally the opposite, He loves it. He enjoys a good ‘fly on the wall’ hospital documentary where someone is having half their head drilled, or sawn off before a surgeon delves in and started poking about, pulling things around, or talking bits out. He is thrilled to see broken bones sticking out of skin, and blood pouring out massive wounds, he nudges me to draw my attention to it, but I don’t want to know.

However, when I am at work I can deal with blood, pus,puke, poo, festering wounds and horrible scars. As much as they can be pretty unpleasant at the time, I deal with it, then cringe about it later!

I might have mentioned before that I do not like feet! We have this poor old lady in that had probably not had her toenails cut for well over 10 years. They are so bad that the big toenail is all curled over and ridged, All the other nails are long too and dig into the adjacent toes although the patient says they do not hurt her.

Anyway, yesterday I was helping another member of staff to wash her, and as the patient turned over, she let out a squeal and complained that her toe hurt. Sure enough it was bleeding slightly, We got some dressings quickly and dressed the toe. The huge nail had completely come off in one piece.

Once we had finished I looked in the sheet. There was this huge chunk of nail, almost like an empty snail shell…except that it had a bit of skin still attached to it!…I felt a little queasy!

What makes you squeamish?

Episode 261: In The Summertime……

March 29, 2015/Judy E Martin/12 Comments

British summertime….long hot, balmy evenings, beautiful blue skies, shorts, and little dresses….no chance of that yet! Yes, although British summertime officially began today, it has been a grey old day around here with a good dollop of rain chucked in for good measure as well as a howling wind!

Last night we were to put our clocks forward an hour, to welcome in summertime with an extra hour of daylight in the evening. Now I had to work today, and was worried that my phone (I use that for my alarm) would not automatically update and that I would get up an hour late. I needn’t have worried.

It blasted into life at what was effectively 4:15 this morning! I was groggy eyed and quickly groped for my wristwatch to make sure of the time before cursing and muttering, and dragging myself out of bed.

The night staff were understandably thrilled to be leaving an hour early, but the tired and drawn faces of the rest of the day shift belied the fact that they too had struggled with the loss of that important hour’s sleep!

Anyway, the shift itself was the same as usual, short-staffed and extremely busy, but in my case, peppered with yawns, as I just couldn’t seem to shake of the tiredness, which is silly really being as I went to sleep early to compensate for the ‘lost hour.’

Isn’t it great that due to it being ‘summer time’ now, I get to see another hour of dull grey skies and pouring rain before it gets dark. Things don’t get any better than this!!!!

Episode 210: Sitting On The Sidelines.

March 10, 2015/Judy E Martin/15 Comments

Isn’t it funny how you present yourself to others, or actually how they perceive you. A change of clothes or even a hair colour can give off totally different impressions. Our ward at work has been chosen for some research work to be carried out. A few of us staff are part of the project, and on occasion, we have been asked to carry out some observations. Today I was going to going to be interviewed by the researcher before we did ours.

In order to disassociate myself from being ‘at work’ I changed out of my uniform and left my hair down. Now I was ‘in civvies ‘ I would be able to sit quietly observing, without anyone distracting me. Not much chance of that…

As soon as I trotted onto the ward in my kitten heels, it felt weird. A few of the staff didn’t recognise me either! Anyway, I got myself settled into a chair ready to write my findings. I found it strange ignoring the buzzers, and not getting involved in anything, I did have a relative come over to ask me some questions about his mother and instead of going to find out myself, I directed him to someone else.

When we had finished, myself and the researcher went to a ‘quiet’ area of the ward to talk over our findings. She also commented on the dress that I was wearing. (It was actually one I had made myself that only has a few mistakes)! She complimented me on my ‘interesting choice of fabric’. Oh yes, it was black with white skull and crossbones all over it. Just the sort of appropriate garment to wear on a ward full of frail, elderly people!

Episode 204: Patience With Patients!

March 7, 2015/Judy E Martin/20 Comments

One of the things us nursing staff get told a lot by some of the relatives is that,

‘you have the patience of a Saint, I could never do your job’. It is strange how much our patience varies depending on who we are dealing with and what the situation is…..

On Thursday and Friday I was working in my normal Bay, and one lady in particular was pretty ‘vocal’ . Now she is 97 years old and extremely deaf (the hearing aid she wears has a flat battery I think) so she talks at FULL BLAST. Now she had been a moved to my bay from a side room as she did not like to be on her own.

I was checking that each patient was eating their breakfast when I noticed she hadn’t even got any. So I asked her why not. After repeating the question several times increasing the volume until she could hear me she replied

” I DON’T LIKE ANY OF THAT MUCK YOU SERVE HERE, IT’S ALL A LOAD OF RUBBISH!”

Fair enough , but she had to eat something so I asked if she liked bacon which she did, Great, good start. “Sausage?”

“NO I DON’T BLOODY LIKE SAUSAGES!” Fine. “Eggs?”

“I ONLY LIKE FRIED EGGS, NOT ANY OTHER KIND”. I assured her that I would get her some bacon and fried eggs and trotted off to phone the kitchen.

Now there were two of us in the Bay and only five patients at this point as one of the beds was closed and we were not able to take any new ones in. Luckily most of the other ladies were either feeding themselves or being helped by the other nurse.

I placed my order with the kitchen and in due course one of the staff appeared carrying a tray. I was disappointed to see that there was scrambled egg with the bacon that I had ordered even though I had specifically asked for a fried egg. I tried my luck with my patient anyway!

“WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT? I TOLD YOU I DON’T LIKE THAT SORT OF EGG. WHY DON’T YOU LISTEN?”

I tried to explain about the kitchen sending up the wrong egg and I would change it but no, she was not having it. I tried offering a bacon sandwich, Nope. She was not having it and I was severely berated for my incompetence for good measure as well.

Annoyed with the kitchen I phoned the help desk again (yes we can’t phone direct, everything is through the helpdesk). I explained what had happened and they told me that as the meals were pre-prepared it may not have been possible to have a fried egg due to their not being enough staff to make one.

Fuming, I was muttering to myself about how I could go down there myself and cook the bloody egg. How hard is it to cook a fried egg for Christ’s sake?! It’s not as if it takes long.

Anyway, my patient was mad now, and refused to eat anything. I knew this was not going to bode well at wash time – and it didn’t! She had come in with no toiletries so I had put some of our soap in her washbowl and brought some disposable wipes over to wash her with.

“YOU ARE NOT COMING NEAR ME WITH THOSE! WHERE IS MY SOAP AND FLANNEL?”

I explained that they were at home and that I would have to use our stuff for now. She was not happy but did finally agree to let me help her, and also get her dressed in her own clothes that someone had just brought in for her.

“WHERE IS MY VEST”?

“It is just here”

“GET OUT OF MY BLOODY WAY , I WILL DO IT”

“Ok. here it is”

“TIGHTEN MY SHOE”. NO NOT LIKE THAT, WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?. THAT STRAP IS NOT LEVEL.”

“Sorry, let me try again”

“NOOOOOO, I SAID TIGHTER!”

This went on for a bit until I got it right. She did have a sandwich an hour after the failed breakfast attempt, but when a visitor came, she told them she had ‘nothing to eat, and her hair wasn’t brushed’ (actually it was because I did that wrong and suffered her wrath for it). She also told the visitor how much worse she felt since coming into hospital because of the appalling way we looked after her!

Now I know that by the end of a very long two days (I have amalgamated them into one so you get the gist) my patience was wearing a bit thin, but it is my job to look after my patients, and actually as gruff and crabby as she was, we did actually get her to laugh, and I got a lovely hug from her!

Now if Miss Hap had tried any of that kind of talk with me, things would have been very different!

Rhyme and No Reason!

Blogger, author and rhymester who likes to find the humour in life.

Tag: hospital

Episode 356: Dirty Mind!

Episode 339: Nurses Are The Best!!!

Episode 338: Not A Positive Outcome!

Episode 298: Leading By Example!

Episode 268: Hot Cross Edwina!

Episode 264: Snail’s Nails

Episode 261: In The Summertime……

Episode 210: Sitting On The Sidelines.

Episode 204: Patience With Patients!

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Blogger, author and rhymester who likes to find the humour in life.

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