When it gets dark
Trauma Surgery, Asklepios Clinic St. Georg. It is dark and I start my service.
21.15. I’ll be there early, to give me a small Overview. Atmosphere. Not to be late. I don’t like delays.
Since the latest night duty alone. Actually, 44 beds on the ward, but due to a temporary restructuring of 21 beds for a patient lounge. The patients come in the morning from 6.30 PM to your date of Surgery and post-operatively (after the Operation) on their respective Station. The “Lounge” is only used for surgical preparation.
Outpatient and elective shots, that is to say operation preparations orthopedic, angiological, urology, hand surgery, trauma surgery, and ENT patients. Sounds confusing. But it is not.
Now, 23 beds are so left and for that a responsible caregiver. I start the service, as always, with a small tour to show the patient, who is in the service. A little bit of reassurance. To 22 hours of administrative tasks to be done. Started by Planetten prepare and tablets review to the Filing of reports and Consultations.
The Planetten include curves, nursing History, Medication regimen of the patient as well as doctor’s prescription sheets. Designed for a week.
Colossal Bits Of Paper. In the 21st century. Century, and especially in today’s environmentally and economically minded world is actually a pretty sad state of Affairs. But rumor has it that it was already in a state of upheaval.
22 PM
In diabetic patients, is now measured blood glucose, if necessary with Insulin corrected. 23 at the nightly Regimen is to be attached. Most of the patients are still awake and watching TV, reading or just can’t sleep. Which is understandable, since a hospital is anything but relaxing.
According to one or other of the conversation over the course of the day I summarize the predominantly emerging core question: “Is there a doctor on the ward?” My answer is short and honest: “We’re looking for.” ‘ve learned to patients with a sense of humour at the best to calm down.
A short call on the ZNA (Central emergency room) to admit that a new approach is needed, because of this a patient is “Para”, that is to say in the vein of past is gone. Assurance that soon a new one is placed, so that the Patient can get his antibiotic.
The witching hour
Narcotics for the next day. Multiple ring committed. There is not a lot of ringing that night.
All the administration is done. In order to keep me awake, will be disinfected and cleaned up. A little exercise doesn’t hurt. Deck to support ( of course with gloves) and small Exercises with dumbbells of physical therapy. A little food and a Cup of coffee in between.
No operations planned for the following day. This is rare, but happens. Also, no redundancies, which otherwise would have to be prepared.
1.30 PM
Again in the emergency room called and the access to the patients required. Commitment is reaffirmed. You have the on the note.
3.00 PM
I go again through the room. On the one hand, blood sugar measure, on the other hand, the shallow movements of the chest baskets to watch.
Vital signs in the case of a young man with concussion measure. On the question of whether I could close the window, I reply to him with a friendly Smile and ask him for pain or vertigo. He answered in the negative. No longer would he have had the whole day already, and had not previously been so strong. I smile, still friendly, and explain to him the mechanism of the window. It turns out that the copy of the window is similar to the one he has at home. After a moment of Silence, the message has arrived. Surly he closes the window. Satisfied, I leave the room.
5 PM
Multiple ringing due to pain or things. I have documented everything Important. One learns, over time, more and more the importance of careful documentation. I go again through the room. All breathe and most are still sleeping calmly. Also I am thrilled to find that the opening mechanism of the window was the young man. Because when I come into his room, opened the window again. I’m so excited that I would have him pointed out. But I suppress that impulse and not Wake him up.
Soon to come the early. Handover notes are updated, and the black nectar prepared. Coffee. Any operations would need to be woken up by me and prepared. But as already said, today is not planned.
All in all, a quiet night. But unfortunately, this is not always so.
Photo: Fotolia / sudoku1