You are NOT expendable. You are not a martyr. You do not need to sacrifice your health and the safety of your patients because the hospital didn’t have a back up plan for this wave of COVID that we all knew was coming.

Take care of yourselves.

Turn off the news.

Stop getting caught up in the social media of people who think it’s a hoax. Don’t give in to the ignorant bullshit that people are saying. One percent of the population of the United States, alone, is 3.2 million people. That one percent is worth fighting for.

They’ve stopped calling you a hero but that doesn’t mean you aren’t one. You’re a hero every single day you’ve shown up to work in this pandemic. You’re underpaid and under appreciated and yet there you are, every day, helping your patients fight. YOU are the reason your patients get to go home.

Do something for yourself on your day off. Wholeheartedly just for yourself. Not something your kids will enjoy, not something for your partner or parents or siblings or friends. You do you. Take care of yourself.

You are so important to your patients and your coworkers. Don’t give up. These vaccines are a light at the end of the tunnel. We’re almost there.

You got this.

(**I didn’t make this artwork, if anyone knows where it’s from, please message me so I can give credit)

I was really trying to give 2020 a chance because I had some good stuff happen last week.

Then I got COVID.

2020 can go choke on one.

whatsyouremergency:

Hey guys, what’s the consensus?

Are we still washing our hair after every shift even if we’re taking care of the non-COVID patients?

Cause I have back to back shifts and I’m tired.

This just in: I did it. I showered and didn’t wash my hair. If I get COVID in the next 4-7 days we’ll all know why.

Hey guys, what’s the consensus?

Are we still washing our hair after every shift even if we’re taking care of the non-COVID patients?

Cause I have back to back shifts and I’m tired.

Happy Nurses Week, heroes.

Thank you respiratory therapists.

Thank you EVS.

Thank you nurse’s aides.

Thank you social workers and case managers.

Thank you unit secretaries.

Thank you pharmacists and pharmacy techs.

Thank you transporters.

Thank you X-ray and CT techs.

Thank you security guards.

Thank you for being there with us and for us.

Nobody signs up for emergency medicine because they have a death wish. We are here because we want to help. We don’t fear stressful situations, we thrive in them. In times like these, when there are so many unknowns, we may question why. Why are we risking our lives for this? Why are we showing up every day when everyone else is home?

We are trained for this. We remain calm when everyone else is panicking. We can help.

Be there for your friends who are scared, your family members who are uninformed. Do your own research and understand the changes happening everyday. Protect yourself at work. Wear PPE. Change your clothes at work before you go home. Turn off the news and social media for a while.

It’s okay to be scared. It’s okay if you panic bought toilet paper. You’re human. We are in this together. We’re all scared. But we’re also all superheroes.

Me and my work bestie when we haven’t seen each other in a week.

Me: Attempting to do one non-work related, time sensitive, thing while at work.

Every single one of my patients:

Do you ever take care of a mentally unstable person who happens to be your age and then realize what if you had matched with them on Tinder/Bumble/match/eharmony/farmersonlydotcom?

What if you had swiped right unknowingly? What if that was you sitting next to them while they LOSE THEIR SHIT because the nurse dare ask why they’re in the ER for the leg pain they’ve had for THREE MONTHS?

Thanks, I’ll stay single.

Essentials

Sometimes new nurses ask me what they should have with them when starting in the ER.

So here’s my master list for those of you who may have the same question…

1.A stethescope because someone has to carry them for the doctors.

2.Trauma shears for getting people naked quickly.

3.A pen light for those neuro assesments on stroke patients who are in hallway gurneys

4.A deck of cards for all the down time you’ll have.

Maureen Walsh can go fuck herself.

“To all the women who silently made history.”

Happy International Women’s Day.

Boss: We only have one secretary today, so you all know what that means. If the phone rings..

My snarky ass coworkers without missing a beat: Let it ring.

A visitor tried to get me fired for not giving her family member a blanket before I could even triage them.

Chief Complaint: Blanketemia

Question: How do you know if you put the nasopharyngeal swab in far enough to get a good sample?

Answer: You’ll see this:

I mean, did the designators of appreciation weeks come together and and say, “Hey, let’s take the two most under appreciated jobs and then put their celebration weeks on THE SAME WEEK! HAHAHAHAA”

We couldn’t get our own weeks?

Seriously?

| Nothing phases the triage nurse

4 years ago today was my nurses pinning in college. 4 years!!! So long ago but it felt like just yesterday.

Now I’m an ER nurse in a level 2 trauma after 3 years of trying to get a job in a hospital.
3 years in nursing homes: 1 ½ years on a long term unit and 1 ½ years on a sub acute unit in another nursing home.
I applied every single month in those 3 years to multiple hospitals but they all turned me down because they didn’t think I had enough experience.
Long journey but well worth it.

Don’t give up on your dreams. Keep trying.

5/6/16

nurselaughsstat:

My first day of orientation in the ER she pushed me right in. I didn’t even know what to do or how to breathe or walk or talk.

4/29/16
Was in the ICU following an ICU nurse today for work. Did CPR on a human for the first time of my life today. Definitely felt the adrenaline rushing through me.
Also Watched a bronchoscopy on another pt. The MD suctioned HUGE mucus plugs from the pts lungs. It was awesome.
Dialysis machines and everything!
Had a lot of my firsts happen in be ICU today! CPR!
Props to all the ICU nurses!!!
I appreciate all the hard work that you do.
Much Love and appreciation!!!!

A pt puked yesterday really gross chunky vomit. I wanted to vomit with him
The tech asked me if I was okay lol
I hate vomit

dr-dre-anatomy:

ALL THE TIME. BUT WITH MY COMPUTER BACKING UP MAD FAST!

What part of the hand/ arm do you like to stick IVs into?
I’ve been sticking them into antecubitals lately. They just pop right up.

Now that I’m an ER nurse, I find my self looking at strangers arm and hand veins when I’m not at work and wanting to put IVs in those juicy arm veins!!!!!
Lolol

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY NEW JOB!!!