My last night at work was stressful. No, I didn't have any stat ICU transfers, the kind where four of us kick a wobbly bed down the halls against the walls, slamming into things, on the way to the unit.

One of our patients became confused. Not a big deal, but the nurse assigned to her is pregnant, so I went in there to assess whether my nurse was still safe, or if I would have to switch assignments. The patient seemed relatively OK -- knew her name, where she was. Very polite with lots of "please" and "thank you"s. I didn't think anything about it.

Five minutes later, my nurse comes into the office. She's crying.

"She kicked my baby."

Apparently, the patient had allowed the nurse to administer IV medications (Haldol), and when my nurse started to turn away, she reared her leg up and thrust it out and kicked the nurse. Not a glancing blow. It made solid contact.

I sent her to the ER. She was reluctant but she certainly wasn't staying on duty after that, and I really wanted her to get checked out. Four hours later, she's dc'd from the ER with a negative ultrasound.

I couldn't walk into the room for the rest of the night. I checked with her nurse -- I picked a large male nurse this time -- to make sure things were ok. But I couldn't go in there. I was just so angry at her. I know, she's confused, and how could I blame her for her actions? But I did, and that's why I decided I couldn't go in there. I tried to be Maria for an hour, then decided I just couldn't. She was confused, but part of her knew what she was doing. She was GLEEFUL that she had kicked the baby. And I am weak and just can't get my head around that.

Later that night, I'm walking down the hall past the elevators. Our next admit from the ER was arriving, an elderly man in for periodic fainting spells.

What caught my eye were all of the guns. Black metallic guns holstered. Seven guns in all, all attached to the hip of a federal guard. Hmmm, no one mentioned to me my patient was a prisoner.

Each of the guards wore a bullet-proof vest. Black. They matched the guns. Many of the guards held their hand casually on the gun grip. Are they poised for combat? or maybe that's how they always stand?

I checked with the nurse to see if she was aware of the situation, and, God Bless Her, she was totally fine with it. Even the guns didn't throw her off. But the patient care was weird. Two to four guards in the room with the nurse at all times. No privacy. Guards answered all the demographic questions.

Once, the IV pump beeped, and I just sauntered in there to clear the line. I guess I threw the guards off because I just walked in there, like some sort of charge nurse, or something. As I cleared the alarm and checked the patient's arm, I exchanged a few generic pleasantries with the patient -- a jovial friendly man, no blood on his hands. No Hannibal Lechter with the weird face-mask, enjoying someones liver with some farver beans and a nice chianti. Just an old guy with dizzy spells. As I left, I only partially registered the metal chains between his wrists and the bedframe, and between his legs.

As I walked out, I finally took in the four guards, who had slipped into the room behind me. Hands on their holsters. My goodness.

I'm off for three days.

Comments

[Maria]

Oh, Eric. ;) Several things:

1. I love your description of the ICU transfer; I can TOTALLY see it in my mind's eye. It's so dicey to see that person on the vent with four nervous-looking nurses teetering along with the gurney. YEESH.

2. Stop it with this "I tried to be Maria" crap. You're NOT weak; you're human. I'd be totally pissed, too, if a patient kicked a pregnant nurse. It's okay to be pissed; it's what you do with those pissy feelings. And since you didn't go kicking the patient again and again, it sounds like you did okay. ;)

3. I take it you don't work at the county hospital. Prisoners (and their guards) make for interesting patients. But the constant audience is a bit unnerving at first.