This ER shift I made for myself lasted from 5:30 until 9:30 or so...actually until 9:45 when I completed the task I set for myself. I love being a volunteer because I can finish my task whenever I want and cater to patients or whatever else needs to be done. In short my multitasking is enhanced and utilized as well as my hearing and memory. True I don't get paid for anything but a $6 meal, but I am at liberty to talk to whomever I want when I want as long as I want. Though most patients have family with them.
Today I was able to see how Doctors interact with patients close up. Almost as if I were shadowing them. I still feel awkward around them, but I flow. The doctor has such compassion and really stays engaged listening to the patients; letting no sign of boredom, dividedness, or annoyance show. I waited with an older woman, whom I discovered is the same age as my dad. She was watching Glee and it interested me to see why she would be watching a younger show. The woman was doted for being patient waiting 5 hours for a room. In reality many patients there in medicine wait an entire day before getting a room. I thought I'd talk to her because she looked like she was expecting something. She asked me about myself and what I wanted to do. I asked her why she was watching Glee. We watched parts of it together. I told her of how I came to fall in love with Ella Fitzgerald. She now knows my goals to sing some of her songs at Scat. She described to me what sort of work she used to do in marketing before she semi-retired to a paraprofessional position at Arlington. I told her I was hiding from the other nurses and PCTs for I would rather wait for her until she got a room. She finally did get a room soon after Glee was over. But before she left Cassy came in to give her her painkillers. Cassy spoke with such compassion making the patient feel as if she had argued on her behalf for a room. Cassy spoke very assuredly in a manner I can only hope for at this point. I am learning though how to speak professionally as possible.
I was proud of myself today for I tended to a patient who apparently had a bit of a diarrhea problem. He could hardly speak, was older, and had only one good eye. I was stupid and thought he wanted to watch the baseball game. Really all he was wanting was another bedpan or something. Some sort of relief. I refused to keep myself out of the room for fear of the smell because I knew anyone no matter what condition deserved attention. Above all we are all to be treated humanely in this wonderful nationally acclaimed ER. So I braved all despite my cautiousness though I failed to provide him any more comfort than I felt. The experience made me wonder whether PCTs do what they do out of forced placement or if they initially had this dream to be helping people meet their immediate needs. I think of how beautiful it is to say I want to serve in a Third World country, yet why feel a need to go so far away from home? Afterall we are just people. I could go a year working in the ER not seeing the same person twice. They are all the same...bodies in need of fixing and upkeeping. Sure it's gross, but it's the basic need. Anyone anywhere on earth is just as needy as someone somewhere else.
I get in this zone once I've been in the ER for a while. I don't focus on what time it is. Merely on choices. I make choices to push myself into that smelly room. To talk with that odd patient. To learn about how to relate to patients best. To manipulate my speech into soothing and doting tones. Like I said before, my multitasking has a place. And my pace is what I want it to be.
Well after all that I took a break in the nurse's breakroom for William had come out with a cup of coffee I had only smelled in his breath and finally seen. He told me he spruced up the drip with cinnamon. I just had to follow him to taste for myself. But it was too hot, so I went to clean beds and restock the rooms--a task which took an extra 20 minutes. My coffee was finally cooled. I drank while watching Tosh.O and listening to the nurses comment about habits they hate their significant others doing. One woman had 2 children and wanted another. The other vowed she never wanted more than one kid and is stopping there. The younger one at 24 announced she could never marry anytime soon because she likes her life by herself. Three completely different women at completely different levels doing the same work. All kinds come together in this mini-city. In the end we are just regular people living our regular annoying lives, but by trade we are super-heroes of a different sort.
Note to self. Megan works as a Trauma nurse. She'll be graduating soon.
Another anecdote. Someone got arrested today for walking away while inebriated.
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