Dimple's Discoveries

"A nurses’ aide (Certified Nurses Aid – CNA) is the unsung hero of the nursing world. When someone asks what you do, never simply say “I’m just the aide”. When we speak of bedside care and we refer to the ‘team effort’ this part of the team is probably the most under-appreciated, yet most needed team member. They are the silent majority. When they are doing what they do best, you sometimes (more often than we like to admit) forget they are there. But, when they are absent it turns your whole world upside down."-Scrubs Magazine

I have a hard time when people get angry at me. I can feel my body shutting down. My throat closes off, I can't think, and all I want to do is run. Although this is my first response, I have to quickly alter that reaction for my own safety and well-being, as well as for those around me. When patients get angry at caregivers, (which is a VERY common occurrence) we have to be ready for anything. I have been hit several times with different objects, had things thrown at me, let your imagination wander. Usually patients are frustrated when medication isn't functioning properly, whether they haven't had it or it isn't working, and staff feel the heat of the anger pretty quickly, and it burns pretty bad. I had a patient this week at one of my facilities that was in agonizing pain, and I called the nurse to administer Percocet to her. I watched the patient intake the medication, and then went in about two hours later, and she complained of a headache. Again, I called for...

There are many reasons for grieving and hurting in this life-heaven knows we have all experienced some pain on varying degrees, whether it be a dull aching pain or a stabbing agony, we have all felt some sort of discomfort. It's a part of life-a necessary part, however hard that lesson is to learn. Over the years I have watched thousands of family members deal with some sort of frustration when it comes to a loved one-from the frustrations of a parent who refuses to shower to the loss or crippling illness of a beloved family member, I've seen it all. Psychologists have decided on five steps people go through when grieving in some way, it's called "The five stages of grieving" (go figure) In a psychology class I took they showed us a youtube video that has always helped me remember these stages as well as laugh in the process. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_Z3lmidmr In all seriousness however, grief is real. I'm going to list the five stages of grief, as ...