We had this patient since July of 2010. She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. She was readmitted due to fever and productive cough.
At 84 years old, she can no longer perform activities of daily living. She is positive for spastic flexion of the upper extremities and spastic extension of both lower extremities. Never spoke and opens eyes occasionally although she opens her eyes to verbal command at times. She only moans and do not communicate even in words. As such her Glasgow coma scale plays between 9 and 11. Overall, she has been stable and uneventful. Her daughter who lives with her just decided to keep her in the hospital as her daughter is always on flight as a cabin crew. The old woman is rich and has saved money in the bank that her daughter has decided to spend all her money on her hospitalization. The daughter says: it is her money anyway.
Mrs. C, a widow, has her caregiver 24/7. They are the ones performing feeding via PEG, bathing, diaper changing and basically everything. All the nurse does is to take her vital signs.
Being assigned to her the other day, I noticed that she is having skip beats. Although the beats are within normal range, I referred the matter to her attending. The cardio fellow ordered for ECG/EKG test at bedside and revealed premature atrial contractions which they suspect might be associated with electrolyte imbalance. She was then tested for serum potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium which all turned in to be normal.
The cardiologist attending then ordered for 2D echo with Doppler studies to visualize the heart’s pumping activity. It is like the ultrasound of the heart. The results are yet to come in

I am having trouble with my laptop. Well for a fact, I have been abusing err using this gadget for nearly two years already. I think the signs of constant hanging, problem with the audio are its loud means of telling me to start finding a replacement. I am now considering a NextBook that I hope would be at par in terms of dependability.

This is crazy. I am nearing my mid-life but I am still to yet to get my own car. Yet being the operative word is not will be in the next 5 years. I am not fretting though because my long time friend promised to be my constant designated driver whenever and wherever. Being behind the wheel for almost three months, I made her promise to get cheap auto insurance. We have to be sure just in case.

I can’t help but laugh out loud after reading my nieces’ status on her facebook wall. It says that she feels inspired to go on a diet when she sees sexy women in bathing suits. However, her aim to go lighter and fitter vanishes as soon as she steps out her room and see what her mom has prepared on the table. She said that she will never win the battle against food that is why she is thinking of taking adapexin-p to cut down her excess pounds.

I just want to scream in frustration. I have been staying in the ward after my shift for at least two hours. It is because my shift was not enough to fulfil my duty. We have 5 level 2s and so many high level 1s in the ward. To top it all off, the relatives are annoyingly demanding. I know that they want only the best for their loved ones but most of them are already going way over board. You have to make them understand that they are not the only patients in the ward.
I called the ward this after to check my sked tomorrow. I spoke with the then charge nurse and he quickly told me that he will just text me my sked because they were about to intubate one of our level 2 patients. I told myself that level 2 will be lessened but to my surprise. I got a text from my senior that although the said patient was intubate, the patient’s daughter who is a doctor fought her way to keep the patient in the ward.
Hospital and sanitation policy states that intubated patients should be placed in the ICU for close monitoring and it requires the expertise of ICU nurses.
Aaargh…
If someone says that nurse’s work is easy, that person has to be exposed to our lives.