Feelin' purty good this morning - survived! Again!
Nine months of Hell to look forward to - yes we are expecting! A brand spanking new ED; ALL the bells and whistles! Nine months of torture to endure. I'd rather have morning sickness...
Fast Track has become a regular 'team' as of Monday because we are remodeling. (Oh Goody! Anyone in healthcare knows that pretty = good care; can't wait for our already incredibly high numbers to skyrocket!) We are now blessed with a tech and a unit secretary (yay for the team!) but this equates to higher acuity! Scared me to death to walk in to a stroke in progress in a cubicle on a gyne table and a portable O2 tank (no wall suction or O2 in our area) and a portable monitor. (I hope the family knows how to read the thing cuz it ain't displayin' on no monitor bank nowhere!) A few level 2 acutes and a transfer to Over There University and I was feeling the pressure. I think I did a pretty good job of managing to accomodate myself, the float nurse, a secretary (and her orientee) a tech, the FT PA, a doc, two consulting docs and their 5 combined students all in my computer station/work space that was built to house 2 chairs/2 bodies/2 computers at an 8 foot counter in a 8x10 wide spot in a hall. Got a bit crowded and I must say that my personal bubble was breached more than once. (I really get the creeps when co-workers insist on rubbing my shoulders while I chart!)
Thank God the charge nurse came over to assess the situation and freaked out about the level 2 patients - apparently NOT what they had in mind for the 'higher acuity' that will go to Fast Track. Yay!

Plan B: job app for the big Ortho group on my desk at home; completed.

Last night was mucho better - a steady stream of level 3's sprinkled with a delightful mix of level 4's. Throw in my fave PA and we had ourselves one great evening! And HELP! WOW! I did not know what to do with the lil' darlin's most of the evening. How did I function without a tech or secretary for over 2 years?! Rooms magically cleaned, telephones answered, orders appeared, pts transported (and OMG! ice water for me!) it was Heaven!

The job app for the Ortho guys is officially on hold...