Happy Nurse's Week

Got a call from a doctor. He starts chewing me out because his patient wasnt at his appointment this morning. I said I'm sorry but I don't arrange transport or handle the appointments. He goes off about how this appointment was important and not only that, but that he wrote it and it was a direct order from a doctor. I find myself apologizing to him again when in all reality he should apologize to me and to our transport lady who he reduced to tears. What a jerk.

Mrs. Pill popper has fallen again. 5th time in 3 weeks. She won't call for help when she gets up because it's embarrassing. I have to go console her while she's crying on the floor and make sure she's okay but also get mad at her for not being safe.

Mr. Creepy smells. But won't take a shower. We've talked to him multiple times and he just won't budge. We give up. So later when I come into his room to give him something, he yells at me for my staff treating him terribly and lets out a string of swear words to get his point across. I just have to stand there and take it.

Ms. Hypochondriac wants me to call the doctor RIGHT now for some new problem. But I know the doctor hates her and won't see her. Instead, she calls his office and yells at a nurse. 5 minutes later I get a phone call from said doctor demanding to know why she's so mad and why she called his office. Joy.

Miss Princess calls me into her room. I ask what I can help her with and she begins to tell me how inconsiderate I am for forgetting to put her sock on after I changed her bandages on her leg. I apologize but she rips me a new one for forgetting and being so terrible to her.

Ms. Talker tells me she wants pain pills right in the middle of a million other things I have to do. An hour later my CNA tells me that she is threatening to call 911 because she hasn't gotten them yet. So I drop everything to please her and have to put up with her telling me how I'm not doing my job right.

Mrs. Confused is confused again and doesn't know where she is or where her husband is. I have to break the news to her that her husband died several years ago and she just can't remember it.

I get a phone call from the hospital. "Hey, this is so and so RN from the hospital here to give you report on Ms. New lady." I put her on hold for a second and ask my manager, "am I getting an admit?" "oh yeah. No one told you??" Nope. Last to know.

Miss Tiny lady's blood pressure is super low. I run in to check on her. She's just fine. As I'm leaving the room she says, "thanks for checking on me. It means a lot." she grabs my hand and says, "Can I have a hug? I'm so lonely." I give her a hug and talk with her for five minutes. She tells me how much that helped her.

Mr Cancer returns from his check up appointment. He feels like crap from all the chemo and radiation he had to go through the past three months. I walk into his room so see how he is doing and instead he reaches out to hug me. He cries on my shoulder and then says, "They got it. My cancer is all gone! I get to go home in two weeks!" This time I give him a hug. We cry together for a few great moments.

Some days I wonder why it's even worth it. Without fail something amazing happens that reaffirms why I would ever put up with all this stress.

Happy nurse's week to all my fellow nurses. We amaze me.