Bad nurses

I got a sleep room again last night.  I didn't ask for one.  But about 10:30 the nurse asked if I wanted one because they had 3 empty.  So I said sure.  There are not a lot of kids in PICU right now.

Her bp stayed low during the night and finally at 5 AM they started the dopamine back up.  It is at 5.  I'm thinking...she made it all the way until 5...couldn't you just wait maybe another hour or 2 until she wakes up.  Her systolic (is that the top number?) they want to be above 80 but at 5:00 it had dropped to 70.  That doesn't seem like that big of a drop to me.  I wasn't there so maybe it was worse than I think.

Then they did a spontaneous breathing trial at 5 AM while she was still asleep.  Let's think about this...she has sleep apnea...she doesn't breathe while she is asleep...so lets stop the ventilator and see if she breathes...Frustrating.  Of course she didn't breathe.  Then they tried again at 6 while she was still asleep with the same results.  Hello!?!?!?!

Needless to say I'm not very happy with people this morning.  But the good news is that I get to go to church down here.  It is always great.  If only it were next week when it is fast and testimony meeting.  I'm not kidding if you are ever feeling like "poor me"...or you need a boost of the spirit...or for whatever reason.  Attend sacrament meeting here on the first Sunday of the month at 10:30 on the third floor.  You will not regret it.

I usually brag that PCMC ER nurses and PCMC PICU nurses are the best there is.  They are quick, kind, knowlegable, and level headed as a whole.  But for some reason the last two I have been stuck with have been duds.  They sit there doing nothing.  (nothing for Ellie).  For example yesterday she was supposed to get two breathing treatments.   The respiratory therapist hadn't come by 3 PM to do even the first treatment.  I say " respiratory hasn't come by yet".  The nurse says "yeah you're right".  Then keeps sitting there.  At 3:30 I say "maybe we should page respiratory to see when they are coming".  The nurse says "OK".  And she does and they come.  It's not that she was doing something wrong...but you need to follow up with things and listen when parents give hints.  Anyway...lets hope for a great, helpful, task oriented, proactive nurse.

I had one nurse the other day that was great.  The doctor was ordering some labs (bloodwork).  And asked for it at a certain time.  The nurse says "we're doing her blood sugar an hour earlier, could we do them together?"  The Dr. says good idea.  That is the kind of nurse I want.  That is smart and proactive and doing what is best for the child.