Well, bidness is bout to pick up. Last week I got the license I needed to take the job I got a while back, and they held it for me. I'm starting a month later than planned but whatever, at least I got it. It's PRN so the hours will vary a lot, but I'm assuming it will be the end of free time for me. Hell, if it isn't then I'm not getting enough hours and need to look for another job. It's a float pool job, so getting adjusted may take a while, but some of the experiences I've already had volunteering in the ER really have me looking forward to it.
The vast majority of the patients in the ER are just normal people with normal problems. Chronic and new illnesses, minor accidents, or a sick relative that they are sure is dying but really just has indigestion. They are often scared, usually confused, and always extremely grateful. This is the group that leaves you with that warm fuzzy feeling when they leave. With this being the norm, it's easy to understand why most of the nurses I know have such high job satisfaction.
On the other hand, you get the crazies. Now, they aren't always separate from the normal group, they are often just as friendly and easy to work with. The difference is the more extreme behavior and/or circumstances with which they come in.Some of the nurses dread these cases, like others, I thrive on them. They are the most intriguing, exciting, and sometimes funniest cases you see. I don't know why, but there seems to be one every night that stands out.
My first night was the kid who got high for the first time. His parents were afraid he was dying, and the kid alternated between laughing at everything to freaking out. All tests showed that he was fine, no toxins, he just needed a little time. Truth be told, there were probably a half dozen other people in the ER that were just as high, but this relatively harmless hijinks made the evening.
On another night we had a patient who was very combative, especially with the female staff. I have no clue what ended up being wrong with him, I just know at this time he was quite a handful. After he threatened one of the female staffers I went over there, told her that I could watch him, and gave her a chance to get away. He immediately threatened me, saying that if he wanted to leave he would go right through me, and if I tried to stop him he would get me fired. I just answered, "sir, I'm a volunteer, I can't get fired". A passing doctor stopped and affirmed it, saying "yeah, it doesn't matter what he does we can't fire him". The man then quietly sat on the bed, folded his hands, and didn't say another word until security showed up to watch him. Later on in the night I checked up on him and found out he was quite possibly the most passionate football fan alive, even if he didn't know what team he liked.
Couple weeks back was a little old lady who had emphysema. She was cooky and funny, and I honestly can't say if she was completely with it or not. She was either half nutty, or extremely clever and liked to mess with people. I suspect the latter. At one point I was talking to a medic as she was passing by in a wheelchair, I told the medic "this one put up a good fight." To that she hit wheel lock on the chair, shocking the hell of the guy pushing her, stood up, put up her dukes, and started humming Eye of the Tiger.
I could understand if you lived with one of these people, or had to deal with the same person for the same problem on a daily basis that it would get old. In the situation where you are only around one of them for a short time, I think it makes your day. Even the combative angry guy who threatened me, but even he was very fun and lively in the end. It certainly gives you something different to deal with, and you never know what's next. I think it must be a good sign though, that the cases that push some away from the profession are the ones that are propelling my enthusiasm.
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