I know, I know.  I should know better.  The grocery store two days before (insert holiday here).   I am not hosting Thanksgiving this year, so I didn't need much beyond bread and milk....and coffee creamer...and lettuce.   I try not to be in a hurry.  Hey, I'm retired.  When it's busy, whats the point? Many are trying to race around, I know it's useless and wastes energy and pisses people off.   I wait patiently for the folks who are taking too long right in front of the canned goods I want, say excuse me (pleasantly) to the individual having a cell phone ..read more

 I've been watching "Hamilton".  I have not been in France.  I don't understand why Mr. EdNursesauras and my daughter hated it, I don't like rap but I thought it was brilliant.   As my friend Cath (who retired last month) says, "I've been remarkably busy doing remarkably little".  But there is routine.  Get up when you want.  Enjoy my morning coffee while I wake up, in no rush to get anywhere most days.  Get out walking.  Spend quiet afternoons enjoying my sewing turret planning and completing projects.  Have a firm lunch date with Mr. EdNursea ..read more

I started this blog a long time ago with a post about my husband's experience with his cardiac stent.  A bit over a year ago, he underwent a 4 vessel CABG by way of some mild chest pain and shortness of breath while bicycling.  AFTER we cavorted around Italy.  He has healed quite well, thanks, although not quite up to his own ridiculous standards of physical activity for a man 73-going-on-55.  For anybody else who routinely does not hike mountains and do strenuous bicycling, he is a superstar.   I have always said as long as I still need the money find humor in the jo ..read more

The purpose of a triage interview is to gain pertinent information about the patient as quickly and efficiently as possible.   It is best to let the person triaging direct the questions.  It saves a lot time.  It helps when it is actually not painful. In truth, it is acutely painful at times. While I was watching the Wizard of Oz recently, it occurred to me that explaining how the triage interview works can be compared to the tale of how Dorothy comes to be present in Oz.  I leave out the Tin Man and the Cowardly lion due to time constraints. Me: "Why are you here?" Pa ..read more

I wrote the following before two things happened:   1. Covid, fortunately mild but with a cough and exercise intolerance that lasted weeks  2.  Renting a house down south for the month of February, a new experience for this North of the Arctic Circle girl.  It was winter when we arrived, now it's a little spring-like, and nice at the beach.  For an hour or two.  With a sweatshirt and pants.  These southern people embrace it though, so there's that.   In my retirement I have enjoyed belonging again to  an athletic club and have been doing l ..read more

 Sometimes the past kind of hits you in the face, even if you are wearing a mask.  At a routine Dr. visit,  I encountered just such a blast from the past.  As we were talking about what I was retired from, the nurse disclosed that she was also a former ER nurse, albeit management (*cough*bullshit*cough)  turned infection control.  As we played the six degrees of separation game, it occurred to me that it was this very nurse Then I laughed for a half hour ..read more

The staff-reduction-cost-saving measure is to have only one nurse in triage when there isn't enough staff for the rest of the department.  Truthfully, we could actually use 2 nurses and a dedicated tech most of the time.  We routinely run at about 114% capacity with a 4 hour wait. My third shift in a row being alone for 87% of my shift was a steady stream of complaints such as rash, febrile kids, and chest pain.  With a couple of weak and dizzy and a rapid a-fib or two along with frequent flyer depression/suicidals.  We use a language line for the non-English speakers whic ..read more

This post was originally published on the 10th anniversary of that awful day.   10 years ago I was working as a school nurse for the sixth graders' annual 5 day Nature Camp trip.  This was always a fun experience for all, and highly anticipated by those of us fortunate enough to go.  The week was carnival time for faculty, a "Get Out of Jail Free" pass, Wonka Golden Ticket.  It was five days of  not sitting in a classroom.  The kids were our responsibility for three meals and overnight, but otherwise they were herded like sheep from activity to acti ..read more

Now that I am no longer required to don any type of conformist herd clothing, I have been reflecting on the uniforms I have worn over the years.    What is it about uniforms that I loved as a kid, and hated as an adult?  I suspect it is because the hype never lived up to the reality, so uniforms were vastly disappointing.   I attended public school, so no uniform.  In my church, only the parochial school kids were allowed to sing in the church choir, no lovely angelic white robes for me.  No altar girls back then either, sort of when I cut ties with religion on t ..read more

I used to work with a doc who would continuously refer to the Rules of the House of God.  This was a novel, written in the 70's.  You should go read it, if it's still in print, it's doubtful it would be published in this day and age.  For non-jaded health care people, it's dark and full of scurrilous behavior. This doc always used to say that it should be required reading for anyone who works in an ER.  The House of God outlines a set of rules that are still occasionally referenced by people old enough to remember it. Here they are: 1. Gomers* don't die. 2. Gomers go to g ..read more