This is my life. · 7:00am Oct 25th, 2012
This is a fucked up world that we live in, you guys and gals know that?
Let me back up a bit so that you can really get at what I'm trying to say.
I really do work as a LVN, a real honest-to-god nurse. I really do work in the medical field, its not something that I made up for Ponyfall or anything like that. I work in both, the emergency room at my hospital and in the children's ward. Now, as a medical professional, I can and do come across as clinical to people who do not know me, and I can be quite dry and technical; hence my response to Twilight in chapter 2.
Recently, I was moved to full-time in the kids ward, to "prevent burnout" as the director of emergency nursing (the DN) told me.
It has been an interesting change of pace for me, almost nothing really has to be done at the same pace to urgency and you're permitted a bit more freedom with the kids. Its my job to make their stay in the hospital, one really fucking scary place, a little more bearable.
and I'm going to try and explain my last couple of days so that I don't break any laws and potentially lose my licence.
So, every now and then, the DN in the kids ward, a different DN from the emergency rooms, likes to be a jerk and evaluate our skills and proficiencies while we're working with the patients. Now the patient in question is a young man, preteen, with a terminal illness on another stay for tests and that kind of thing. It was after one of his test that he was feeling too weak to get himself out of bed and shower, so it became my job to clean him. This kid really has issues with others seeing him, its noted on his chart that there are only certain nurses and people allowed to do this kind of thing. I am on that list. The DN is not. My DN was trying to insist on being present during the show to evaluate me, and I old her to get out. We went back and forth for a few minutes, getting louder and more heated, and before long the kid started to cry, scared out of his mind. Emergency room not withstanding, I can usually keep kids from crying if they're scared.
I lost it and bellowed for my DN to "get the fuck out!" and spent the next hour or so calming the kid down and getting him his shower.
He's a good kid, not the first time that I've met him, I was just leaving the ward the time previous that he was here. He's got a really positive outlook on life and loved to watch movies. He's not into ponies, though he does like to listen to me retell shows or make up short little stories off the cuff.
And he passed away today.
I was on my rounds, checking in on the other in my hall, leaving him for last. I stopped in his room and noticed that his breath was labored and he seemed to not really understand where he was nor who I was. I jammed on the panic call button, but it was too late and he passed as I held his hand. His parents weren't even there.
I hope that no one here ever has to fill out a death certification for a child.
It's gonna take me a bit to get back in the mood to write again, I hope you all understand.
MrBackpack
Take all the time you need
It's people like you that make me think the the Human Race is okay, we're here for you.
Just... Wow... Take the all the time you need.
447520I can only say the same thing. Take all the time you need.
Watching someone die, especially so young, is certainly something that goes on the "NOT To Do List" of life. I know how that feels, so know that you are not alone (Though I guess a nurse would already know this fact well). As the others have said, take all the time you need.
People like you make this world a better place all the time, and for that I thank you. It is hard when anyone passes, especially if you've gotten to know them, and more so if they are so young. Please, take all the time you need. Your story is great and well worth any wait so please don't feel sorry for putting writing on hold.
*takes hat off*
oh geez, I just read this.