Everywhere I go, people are calling me doctor or "doc". It's probably the fact that I'm white and wear scrubs, and that I can usually be seen with my stethoscope around my neck (sorry Prof. Patterson, yes you did teach me better). On the street, in the hallways, on the unit when they don't know me, everyone says, "hello Doc". I was helping to lead a resuscitation today due to the fact that the GMOs who were covering the unit at 4pm had no clue how to resuscitate a newborn (they were handbagging with pressures and rates used in Adults). At one point, I said that based on all my assessments, the baby needed re-intubated. They looked at me and said, "You can go right ahead, we don't mind". I told them that I was a nurse, and that while I had intubated many mannequins at home due to teaching NRP (neonatal resuscitation program), it was not in my scope of practice and that they would have to do it themselves with my assistance. When I said I was a nurse I thought their jaws almost hit the floor. That's right, I'm a nurse. Not only can I multitask and prioritize while doctors/nurse practitioners are barking out millions of orders per minute, I can explain complex medical procedures and diagnoses in a way that families understand and I can lead a code with nothing but the knowledge of a protocol. Oh, and I can do it all while starving with a full bladder and a smile on my face (well, ok, maybe a half-smile...). While the doctors get all the glory because people see them swoop in and "save the day", it's usually the nurses who notify the doctor that they need to save someone in the first place. We're there all day, many days per week, taking care of patients and watching their vital signs rise and fall. It may be tempting to bask in the glow of being called doctor, which generally implies authority and brilliance, I think I'll hold my head up high the next time I correct someone and say, "actually I'm a nurse, and I love it."
Randy assisting and educating Nurse Smith on how to give vibrations with an aerosol treatment
Baby under phototherapy- yes, the goggles are a face mask with tape in the middle
The multiple books that are kept in the NICU...this is only a sampling. No wonder no one ever knows what's going on- the organization is a nightmare!
"What are you doing lady? Feed me already!" Priscilla with Asha
Just love her!
Rain storm outside NICU room 4
Our present from the CEO...new Oxygen saturation monitoring cables! Now all monitors have the appropriate neonatal cables and holders...woo hoo!
Ventilated patient with a heat lamp (no radiant warmers here)
Cait and Infection Control Nurse Thompson examine the ambu bags- the PCAs are cleaning them, but they're not reusable so water and bacteria get trapped inside. We're looking into getting reusable ones that can be disassembled for cleaning
Frog friend outside Project Dawn
The giraffe is back! Xray time in the NICU
Randy and Priscilla with Rajohn and driver Teyon- one of their many shopping trips!
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