Another day at work- not for the faint of heart.

What a fun day. Arrive to work. Resident's family member waiting at my office door. Spend 30 minutes trying to explain why she should not worry that her auntie was wandering around in other peoples rooms last night peeing on their carpet. Probably just a UTI... we won't panic until the culture comes back. Come to find out, I am now 30 minutes late for an assessment at another community. Drive fast over to the other place and complete the assessment. Return to work at noon. Get poop sample from another resident. Talk with that resident's daughter through the shower curtain ( she was showering... not me) explaining why I did not send her mom out to ER last night when she had just pooped 3 times.... Daughter will take mom to ER. OK, find cooler go to kitchen for ice...package cup of poop in cooler give to daughter to take with her. Run down 32 steps to man who has blood sugar of 32... call EMS... run up the 32 steps to check on Mr. L.. find he has fluid overload and swollen legs up to groin. Wet lungs... Call EMS. run down 32 steps to copy chart and meet EMS. Run up the 32 steps to meet them in the room. Send Mr. L. to ER. complete the mandatory med tech training... get out of that and go down 32 steps to Julie's office. Told there was murder on Duke St (two streets away..police shot suspect who got away) Prepare for lock down. Run up the 32 steps to tell Mary, other nurse, she needs to leave now so she can get home to her son and she won't end up in lock down. Do stand-up with staff and explain the new nurse just quit. run back down the stairs to Julie's office to discuss new nurse quiting. Staff comes in and says Mr. W is not breathing. Run up 16 stairs into his room. Physical therapist doing chest compression..no one doing breathing. No mouth guard. I start breathing... sputum coming out his mouth... gag... breath...gag...breath... yell for mouth guard. Continue doing breathing with every expiration of air out of lungs more sputum comes out of mouth. Trying to wipe my mouth on my sleeve with every breath. Finally EMS comes... they will bag... now have to take turns with compressions. Do compressions in team of three for 30 minutes. Run in to call daughter to tell her her dad's heart has stopped. Resuscitation unsuccessful....EMS there, Fire department there, police there. Luckily they put body up on bed. ... Start to shave his face before daughter arrives. Daughter arrives. Stay with her until she is ready to leave. Prepare body for funeral home. Cannot send unclean body. Take off brief... YUCK.... scrotum goo... penis goo....... Go get Dawn dishwashing detergent. This takes away all icky goo and leaves a good smell.... clean rest of body...Start to my office... Ms. E. now has blood sugar of 600. Doctor on phone. Unable to take verbal order. Will send out to ER. Police helicopters still circling building and area looking for shooter. Go down 16 steps to get something to rinse out mouth.... Sprite or Diet Coke which has most antiseptic acid??? go for diet coke. Heading to office to leave. Mr. C. says his "butt is bleeding." Mr. C tried to hit care staff this morning. Staff won't go in without me. Go to room with Mr. C to check his butt. Poop in butt. clean him off and find diaper rash. Slather on A&D. Go call his niece... listen to 20 minutes of ranting from her. she needs someone to rant at. Hang up phone. Go down 16 steps to office. Get purse. Desk looks like a bomb went off on it. Police helicopters not flying anymore. Take purse go down 16 steps. Hearse outside and mortuary people coming off elevator. Go into Julie's office. She is ready to go also. 8:00 PM walk out door.

5 EMS ambulance's, 2 large fire trucks, 2 police cars, police helicoptors flying overhead, and one hearse later the day is done.

Exhausted. but thankful for a job.