LIVEALITTLE

I've moved over from the private hospital to the public hospital infectious diseases unit for 2 weeks already now. Many told me the busiest ward in the private hospital would prepare me for any work in the public system. Boy, were they wrong! Three patients have died since I've started!
The patients at the public have more complicated ailments, have varying needs and come from more varied backgrounds. The hospital, itself, functions differently as well. Patients are assessed by body systems (YES!), guidelines and evidence-based processes abound for anything you even think about doing and everyone just seeks to make sure the ward as a team is successful. There is minimal time to chit chat, even less time to gossip (YES!) and no one seems to even fathom complaining (AMAZING!).

Just an idea of the different things/people I have met in Royal Darwin Hospital ward 4B:
- man admitted smeared all over with poo
- nursing scabies patients in isolation
- changing nappies 6x for 1 patient in one shift
- patients adamantly and rudely refusing medications
- patients throwing food, bottles around the room
- Code Black call - personal threat - when psychotic patient tries to unshackle self from bed
- Code Blue call - medical emergency - when patient dies from resp arrest while being moved
- patients leaving the hospital on their own without medical consent (absconding)
- horribly sick patients unwilling to stay in their beds and wandering the wards with infectious diseases
- shaving my first patient (note to self: trim with a scissor first!)
- a patient named "Norman Bates"!

We had some good female bonding time as well as some good "that's not the right way" time. This was definitely the best finale of a rogaine ever as the team had to hop into a pool to get to the last flag. We were drenched to the core, but relished its cleansing attributes. I sure hope it was a salt water pool! I can't say if any of these rogaining, metrogaining, pubgaining, orienteering events have enhanced my navigational abilities any, but at least it's also fun to be lost! Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/livealittle/sets/72157608228001709/