Terrace grown

I’ve had a school day and managed to wrap up some assignments too. 


So yesterday was a great day at work. I was at the farm and paired with someone I’ve worked with previously at the ward. Also we were both substitutes, so we were more equal team. I did all the running around, which I think she appreciated as in 10 days she’s having major hip surgery. She’s just one of those who has difficulties to say they are too ill to work. 


Anyway she told me that she’s done working at the service home where "the ward” is. She says she feels physically sick there. As do I. Or did on Monday. 


Monday I did get positive feedback from one of the residents at the 2nd floor. I was calling A for help when resident K heard my voice over the phone. She immediately asked why I was there but not on their floor. Love it! 


Why I was calling A for help. We only had 2 with medication license. One who was working alone at the floor and A who was working with a first-timer who had not realised that the ward is filled with people who need help for everything. It does state that when you take the gig. 


So hard situation all over the building. 


I was working with a young person who gratuated last spring. She’s been working on multiple floors, and such a nice young woman, but not brave enough to handle hard situations. Not easily going out of her comfort zone. 


We had one resident who had surgery today. He was very ill. The pain going in waves. We needed pain medicine for him. Twice. He needed attention a lot. 


Then one resident started to have seizures. I was timing him, He was going out and back. I consulted A. She came to check after 4 short seizures, but decided that he was having after waves and did not medicate him. I checked on the other one (in pain) shortly and came back and the seizuring resident was screaming face covered in blood. Seizing again. I called the other with the medicine licence as A was already so behind on her workload on her own ward. The night nurse had luckily just arrived to work and she then came to help us. (She was not happy about that I can say, but not my fault.)


While he was seizing and covered in blood and I was trying to help him and was timing his seizure, he manage to cough his blood on my face and my mouth. As I was alone waiting for help, I only registered that happening. When the night nurse came I just helped her. After the resident was calm, (it took us both to be able to give the medication, at least I knew where to look for the medicine, she did not and she should, the place was different than previously) I cleaned my face. 


I talked to the public health care guidance that evening. They finally called me back after 10 pm and then I used the following morning to notify the agency that I work through, that I’ve had a job safety accident. I talked with a doctor twice and with one insurance person. And I called the manager of the service home. They will now draw labs on that resident to see if he has any blood diseases and then we’ll go from there. If he has, I need to be check now and after 3 and 6 months. 


I was not able to sleep after all that. I started to shake when I was in bed. 


Where was the other nurse on that ward you might think. I think she was putting one resident to bed and the door was closed. 


I know that these types of incidents teach me to be better. But the fact that it’s just so understaffed that we can’t get help, is horrible. It’s a known fact as the government has shut down a lot of the funding. But also again we were 2 substitutes at the floor. There should be one who knows the residents well and is able to medicate them. And it would be nice to learn with a professional, not like this. 


I have promised (like a month ago) to go there again this Friday. After that I don’t think I will take shifts unless I’m going hungry. The minute I walked in, I felt such anxiety about the atmosphere. I like working at the 2nd floor… and 6th. But this…