How I became assistant dialysis nurse/tech :)

[RichardMEL]

No, I don't have a new job.

Well I do.. sort of!

Long story trying to make short - we have a patient in my unit who has a bit of a sleeping problem - in that he falls asleep in the chair and can't be woken. Now sleeping is fine and dandy except that this fellow sleeps on his side and more often than not lately has been falling asleep on his lines causing problems. His a large fellow so is difficult to move, and because he's so sound asleep he usually rolls back over onto his preferred side anyway.

So what does this have to do with me I hear you ask?

Well for the past few weeks what has happened is that when the patient falls asleep and rolls onto his side this causes the machine to alarm on a very regular basis. I'm talking every minute.. sometimes less.

So the nurses had resorted to sitting by his machine and hitting reset etc each time. Well that's fine (apart from being boring) but they have work to do etc and this was causing so many issues that in the end they would take the patient off early thus having him missing out on valuable treatment time.

Well today I was seated next to him and I said to the boss nurse who was dealing with all this and getting frustrated that look I can hit reset as easy as anyone else... the machine was on the right side for my free (right) arm, so if I was closer I'd be happy to do the duty for them if it helped them and gave the patient more treatment time which he so badly needs (I know you are wondering why he isn't woken up or stopped from sleeping in the first place - I won't get into that here).

So well yes... they wheeled me over (and my machine) so I wound up surrounded by 2 machines and doing the "reset" thing for about 2 hours. I also let them know when the saline was low, and whatnot. Learned a few things and had the nurses saying I did a good job

And you know what I felt very productive to actually do something during my treatment to help someone else.

So, that's how I became "assistant" nurse/tech for the day

Eventually the patient woke up but he didn't seem too happy. I didn't even get a thank you... but I don't mind... karma will come around and I know I did a good thing plus it was kind of fun in an odd sort of way.

[KR Cincy]

Don't you think that involvement in the process...even someone else's process...is regaining a bit of control over a situation that is, often, horribly out of control?

I know doing home hemo was big for me - I'm a bit of a control freak I've been told - and I think anything you can do to avoid being a passive participant is a great thing.

Good for you Richard, and yes, karma will come back to that big guy!!

[paddbear0000]

That was so nice of you. I wish everyone was as considerate as you! 

[Bajanne]

That was so nice of you - you sound like a IHD person - caring and sharing!

[KT0930]

That's great that you could help out and get involved in the process a bit. I believe that helps you, as well. To understand a little more, and in the karma department. Thanks for being such a good person, Richard!

[Sluff]

You have a heart of gold RM. 

[MyssAnne]

I can understand the having fun in an odd sort of way!!!

Karma will gain you something!!!!

As KR and others say, this gives you control, too, you are not being passive, being administered to!

 

[okarol]

As long as you don't get power happy and start pushing all the buttons, you'll make a great tech in training!
Those warning alarms seem to be ignored by everyone at dialysis, kind of like car alarms, no one really takes them seriously anymore, there are so many false alarms. I wonder why they don't make them better.

[Adam_W]

It's kind of funny, one time when I was in-centre, all of the staff had to have a meeting during our treatments, and for about 20 minutes, there was only one staff member, a nurse, on the floor. We were talking, and she kind of joked about me taking care of any alarms for both myself and the patient beside me. She wasn't serious, but she did ask me if I could keep an eye on the other patients near me and flag her down if I saw any problems either with the machines or the patients themselves. There were no problems, and if I remember, the only alarms during that time were my own, and I always took care of them (even though some of the staff didn't want me to). I'm glad you were able to help out.

Adam

[kitkatz]

RichardMEL to the ER please, we have patients waiting for you.

[paris]

RichardMel, you are such a sweetheart.  I am sure the nurses all love you.  You have a very kind heart

[MyssAnne]

And he is so cuuuuute!!!! Soooo adorable!!!!!

[petey]

RichardMEL, thank you, thank you, thank you for what you did for that guy!  If he didn't appreciate it, please know that I do.  I would want someone like you to do something like that for someone like me or Marvin.  You're a good guy, and I believe the good deed you did will come back to you.

[Ang]

hey  richardmel,


on  your  off  days  could  you  come  over  to  the  western  suburbs,  i'm  looking  for  a  competent
person to  help  dialyse  me,majority  of  the nurses  are  useless,so  why  not  a  patient  who  understands  what  we go  thru.
best  i  can  offer  is  a  sandwich  and  a  glass  of  anything,  thats  all  they  offer  me.

[mysty]

Yay RichardMEL...!!..
You did good and did good for the guy..
its ok he wasnt appreciative.. you did it cause it's who you are..
I love people that just do things cause they want to and for no other reason..
Those are hearts of gold.. and you are golden.

[Romona]

 
You are such a sweetie! You will be rewarded some day!

[RichardMEL]

Thank you everyone for the kind comments *blush*

I didn't really do it to be rewarded though... Several reasons:

1> I am there anyway doing next to nothing - so why not do something useful that helps both the patient and the staff who i really like and want to help?

2> To the folks that commented on getting a bit of control back - that's a good point which I didn't really think about so much but it makes sense. Not that I want to control how the other patient lives or has his treatment but I got some satisfaction out of helping and knowing that in my own small way I helped his health just a little bit by ensureing he took off all of the 5 kilos he needed. The nurses remarked when he came off he hadn't been at his dry weight for so long it was a miracle.. and I know if it had not been for me helping out he would have gone out maybe 2kilo over.

3> I really liked and apprieciated that the staff were willing to let me do this pretty simple thing.. but to HELP.. and take my offer seriously rather than think I was trying to be a "smart arse" etc - I guess they knew since I've been in the unit 18 months that I know when the saline's empty or the deal with the venus and arterial pressure etc. I felt proud they trusted me with another person's treatment - not that there's much i guess I could do to screw it up if I wanted to(which of course I didn't) but still..

I am not sure if this will happen again but I am more than happy to put my hand up. I feel for the patient in question as he really has no control over what happens when he sleeps and is unaware of everything going on (I wish I could sleep in those chairs! LOL)...

Sorry not going anywhere near a machine on my days off... I have a day job to go to!! But my thoughts are there

I just bought some nice easter eggs to take for the staff tomorrow... Mr sleepy patient is a diabetic so alas none for him... but then again he's doing a morning shift tomorrow so he can go to the footy tomorrow night (his team plays mine... COME ON TIGERS!!!!! I NEED A WIN!) so he will be done around when I get in so no assistant job for me... but that's ok I will be too anxious about the game to do a good job!!

[rose1999]

Just caught up with this and wanted to say that what you did had rewards all round.  The nurses will have loved you for it, you felt useful (and we all need to feel useful) and even if he didn't thank you the other patient benefited from what you did.   And now you're taking in eggs - what a lovely man you are, I bet those nurses wish all their patients were as kind and generous. Big hug for you 

[del]

So nice that you could help richard. Always makes people feel good when they know they have helped someone.   Hubby usd to be the "eyes " lots of times on his unit. He would call out to the nurses to come fix people's alarms or he would see them starting to get sick and call for a nurse!! 

[st789]

You know in your heart you did a good deed for that particular day.

[RichardMEL]

That's exactly it - I love that I have helped someone (well and the nurses too!) and that makes me feel good. At work (I work in IT) I love to help solve problems for people and a good outcome is when someone is happy because I did something to help.

But hey I'm also doing it for the nice big hugs from the lovely IHD females!!! *grin*

[mel75]

Hey! not to change the subject but I like your screen name. My husbands name is richard and mine is mel so I used to use richmel until I wore it out. Anyway just a thought. Reminded me of better days.

[Psim]

But hey I'm also doing it for the nice big hugs from the lovely IHD females!!! *grin*

  (That's RichardMEL in the middle.)

[RichardMEL]

Mel75... aww isn't that sweet... actually the MEL in my nickname refers to MELbourne (Australia, not Florida ) where I live, but hey it all works. I happen to have a minor crush on a Mel(issa) if only she'd change her mind about me someday maybe the nickname COULD fit!! hehe lol.

Just an update on this thing... I saw the patient again yesterday(Thursday) as our shifts overlapped by about 30 mins. When I came in all he could do is say something like "oh here's the guy who will be crying later tonight" (referring to the football)... and of course no "hey thanks for what you did the other day" *sigh* so I got a bit annoyed with him and just said flatly (not rudely I hope) "look it's not a very good look to be so arrogant before the ball has been bounced so can you give it a rest please?" - he was quiet then until it was time to leave when he was about to walk out.. I decided to do the "right' thing so I beckoned him over to my chair (I was on by then) and shook his hand and said "Hey mate enjoy the game. I hope the best team wins" - and he answered with "we will!" (sigh)

Well I just want to report... karma does indeed come around.... and Tamara, if you read this... I know you were there(thanks for the SMS lol) and you follow the Blues.. but WE WON!! WE BEAT THEM AGAINST THE ODDS!! It was so freakin' sweet I cannot describe it to you all... we were down and out before half time, but came right back and fought it out and won so wonderfully...

But I *refuse* to be an arrogant SOB and gloat when I see this guy tomorrow at the unit because that would stoop to his level.. but it will be VERY interesting to see what goes down attitude wise. I doubt he'd be man enough to apologise or say anything nice about my team... indeed he'll probably whinge about something or other.... but all I can say is "RICHO!!!" (Tamara will understand and the rest of you can wonder! LOL). So you will have to all forgive me for a slightly smug expression on my face when I go in *smile*

I think I may just have to wear my scarf to the unit tomorrow... well it might be chilly.... (and if I can't get any live IHD female huggles that's the best I can do hehe)

[rose1999]

Absolute Karma!! Oh yes DO wear that scarf, you must  And I'm sorry it's only a virtual hug, (I'm too far away in the UK) but let's make it a big one