I often hear non-medical people say " You ONLY work three times a week ". As I hear this statement, I usually try to put in mind that they would never understand what we are doing because normally, ordinary people only see a fourth of what is really happening in the medical field. I have been a nurse for years. Recently, I have been assigned in the Burn unit. A unit where we take care of patients who are severely burned or wounded. As soon as a patient enters our floor, pain medications, electrolyte replacement, intravenous fluids and all other medications and care for the patient SHOULD be given ASAP. On top of what is mentioned which other medical services don't do is to medicate, dress a burn or decrease the bleeding of a wound. These are only the things a nurse will do right? Well, wrong. If imbalances of these things would occur, we should inform the doctor right away and follow his orders to keep the patient alive. And then we chart, we document everything we ...
my thoughts, my words, my solace