It's February! We're getting closer to Spring and seeing a little more daylight too. As I usually do, I'm sharing how I spent the first day of the month with you.
February 1 was a work day for me so I was up at 5am. I start the day with 30 minutes on the treadmill.
After a shower and getting ready for work, I had some oatmeal for breakfast.
6:35am - on the road. It snowed the night before so the roads were covered and it was a bit slippery but I made it to work without trouble.
I start at 7, get report from the night nurse, get my med cart stocked with fresh water, applesauce to give meds with for those who have trouble swallowing, a nutritional supplement for some people, along with items needed for checking peoples vital signs. By 7:30 I am usually ready to start my morning med pass. This is one of the longest tasks of the day. Most of our residents take quite a few meds and their am meds are ordered for 8:30. The state regulations say the meds have to be given within one hour before and one hour after that time. It usually takes the full two hours to do the med pass. We have a shorter med pass at noon.
I took a break from passing meds to take this picture through our patio door. We saw something that hadn't been seen much in our area - the sun! As a matter of fact, our area was declared the most cloudy place on earth last week, because prior to the 1st, there had been zero sunshine for a week!
I can't show pictures of residents, but here is something else that I spent time with. This is a feeding tube for someone who is unable to swallow. Behind it is equipment for suctioning and a humidity system for a tracheostomy. Some of our residents have sad stories.
Others things I do in the day are treatments, dressing changes, updating families and lots of charting! Our Physician Assistant was also in to admit and see some residents which means orders to put in the computer and print. That's a bit about my day.
We have been dealing with a real shortage of nurses lately and I was scheduled to work 12 hours on this day. I was all set for this and had soup in the crockpot for Bob when he got home. However, I had a nice surprise. A nurse that just works occasionally showed up! She had agreed to work, but hadn't got put on the schedule. I had some things to finish, but got to leave at 4:30 instead of 7, which was very nice!
I took this pic when I got home to show you what the sky has usually been looking like around here. It was back to being cloudy and gray. It was nice to see the sun in the morning, if only for a short while).
Bob came home from work and we had the veggie soup I had ready in the crock pot. (I'll share the recipe on Thursday)
After supper, Bob went to a meeting at church and I worked on the Bible study our ladies from church are doing. It's a study on Gideon by Priscilla Shirer. I really enjoy her studies.
Then I worked on a menu plan for the next few weeks, and made a grocery list so I could get groceries after work on Thursday. I've been menu planning like this for years and it really makes my life easier, in knowing what I have to get ready before going to work or knowing what I am going to make when I come home.
After I got that done, I relaxed with a little tv and computer time. I lit this candle in the living room - it always seems cozier on a cold night when a candle is lit!
It's 11:15 - time for bed! It's another work day tomorrow!
Thanks for spending the day with me.
17 comments:
I always enjoy these posts. All your duties sound so familiar to me.....not that I have ever done them, just heard it a lot when I was working :)
Wow that was a long day, I'd expect you to be in bed at least an hour earlier. The slightly longer days are nice aren't they? Instead of getting dark at 4.00pm it's now gone 5.00pm which is good. My mother takes loads of meds too, I'm amazed she still remembers what she needs each day.
I don't know how last until 11 pm, Mari...I only have two classes three days a week; 8 am and noon...by 8:30 pm I am ready for bed, lol. I just don't think spring will be sprung anytime soon, sigh...giggling
Your days are certainly stressful and packed. So happy that you were able to go home earlier than expected. I look forward to you sharing the soup recipe. As you know, that candle fragrance is one of my favs.
As an old nurse I know how busy your days at work must be and I so admire all you geriatric nurses!!
A full day for sure but I love how you handle them:)
I enjoyed spending the day with you, Mari! I like that you have a book for the menu planning and making out a grocery list. It has given me the idea to use a small planner that I have. I'm glad I hung on to that! :-)
Your work is something a lot of people don't understand; and often nurse go unappreciated. I salute you, Mari, for all you do!
Now, not only are you a busy nurse, a wife, mother, grandmother and so much more, I completely "get" using a menu plan. And, sharing recipes with us. Win-win for you, and your readers also.
I'm glad you were able to see the sun if only for a little while.
xoxo
I'm inspired to, once again, get back to menu planning. Always enjoy these posts. You have such a positive outlook about life, Mari. It occurred to me when you said how cloudy the days have been. Through your photos and your words, life is beautiful. What a blessing you are to the residents where you work:)
Wow, that was a long day! How glad you must have been to be able to finish your shift earlier than you had expected. Your soup sounds lovely!
You do have long days with lots to do for sure. I can totally relate and understand. You are so wise to plan menus and follow them. I dont know if I could do that or not....but I do have one daughter that does and they love it. I look forward to the soup recipe.
Menu planning makes so much sense! Can I do it, though...just no discipline to get past planning a week. Your veggie soup looks so good! God bless you and all nurses for working so tirelessly for your patients. There really is a special place in Heaven for all of you.
I wished we had had a cold winter. All we got was the gloom of rain and gray skies. I wanted snow and because it didn't come, I am so ready for Spring. I want to do some planting, grass especially but granddaddy always said to wait until the week after Good Friday.
I know you find fulfillment in your work. Your view from inside-out is beautiful. I have a friend who has Lou-Gerig's disease and she is in end-stage and chokes on her own salvia. So very sad. She's a distant relative but I get knews from her nieces. Heartbreaking what you see in health care but so rewarding making their days pleasant. I miss healthcare...sometimes.
Thanks for sharing, Mari. I'm trying to get some reading done.
BTW. You will love the study of Gideon. I need to go back and do again.
Hi Mari - you get up early like me. I'm always up on 4:30 a.m. pm work days. Good for you for exercising right off the bat! You are an angel to take such good care of your patients. Nurses have a tough job, but I know you do it with love and kindness. That veggie soup looks sooo good. Will look forward to the recipe! Thanks for sharing your day! Maybe I will share one of my days this week too! Have a good one.
I always love these posts Mari and following you about your day. ;) And I always feel nostalgic on the working days!!
Blessings on the rest of your week. xoxo
Once again, I enjoyed following you around today. Your menu making skills amaze me. I used to be a lot better at it when I worked. I guess pressure is good sometimes.
I'm amazed that you can get up at 5 and be on the road by 6:35 with half an hour of that time spent on the treadmill. I take way too long to get myself ready in the morning.
I used to do menu planning religiously. I think I've gotten off of that since I cook for Anthony and Lori and always get groceries for them before cooking a meal. It's just easy to get myself some groceries too - several times a week. So I don't need to do as much planning ahead.
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