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A week and a half ago I saved someone's life.
I didn't do it own my own, you know. I had PLENTY of help. But the feeling I had was something few others will ever experience.
I'm a nurse, for those of you that don't know. I've only been a nurse for a year and three weeks. I work at a dialysis clinic. I don't get to do as much as floor nurses do, like start IV's or put in foleys, but our patients are pretty unstable. So I get to do alot of other things that floor nurses don't do because their patients are stable.
Right after the new year started, (the day after, actually), a patient of ours coded. The charge nurse had left for the day, and me being the next RN, I was in charge in her absence. We have this particular patient, where every (and I mean EVERY) treatment she passes out. It pisses me off when this happens because even though we know this, it still keeps happening because her nurse won't pay fucking attention to her! (Sorry, but it REALLY pisses me off). Anyway, one of the technicians called me over because she passed out again. Pissed, I went to see the patient. Only problem was was that she was blue. For that patient to be blue, that meant she wasn't breathing. Instinctively, I grabbed at her neck and wrist. I didn't feel a pulse. I turned to the technician, and tried to tell her to get the crash cart. Instead, I said, "Fuck!"
Yes, real professional. But I was forgiven.
After a few more (swear) words, I got her to get the crash cart. Next problem was getting the patient to the floor. This person was 107.0 kg (235.4 lbs), and me and the other tech, being 5'2" (with our shoes on) didn't have a chance in hell of lifting her. All of the commotion got the attention of the clinic, so a few guys helped us get her to the floor. It took SEVEN of us. Trust me guys; lifting someone heavy is one thing, but trying to lift someone's dead weight is something else.
Anyhoo, we got her to the floor, stuck what's called AED pads on her (which are connected to a defibrillator) to get a heart rhythm. The great thing about this device, is that it tells you what to do. It wouldn't shock her, but it prompted us to do CPR, so we started CPR while another technician bagged her (put the Ambu over her mouth for air, like seen by paramedics), and started to give her oxygen. Thankfully, she became less blue. It wasn't too long after that when the EMT guys came and got her the hell out of there. She became conscious just as the EMT's got there, but she could've still gone south afterwards, you know? But I found out a couple of hours later that she had lived and was just fine. I have been walking on air for over a week now.
I can't tell you how often patients have pissed me off to the point where I just think that being a nurse is not worth the shit. I really do. Doctors make me feel the same way. But for the past week, every time I have looked at that patient, and she has looked back at me, I can't help but realize that she is still on this earth because of me and my great coworkers.
That is one hell of a high, man. No drug can compare.