Well, obviously I'm not very good about posting on here as much as I should. I was actually telling my BF the other day that I really needed to start blogging again. This was at the end of a major vent session that ended with him just giving me a hug and handing me a beer. One of the many reasons I love this man.
So, I've been working at a hospital that is working towards improving its trauma level designation. It would be helpful though I think if the ER staff actually had true trauma experience. It's great and all to go through TNCC but when you can't apply basic information/knowledge to patient care, it doesn't do a damn bit of good. For example, we had a walk-in from a motorcycle wreck. I walk in the room to find the guy with a hard collar on (not an adjustable c-collar) that is a medium when he needs a large collar. (When they can easily move their head side-to-side and up-and-down, it does NOT fit appropriately!) The pt was laying on top of a sheet that was on top of a backboard, with the straps not secured, and he's being moved randomly, except for when they did do a true logroll. *sigh*
So.... moving along, the xray tech is in the room to get a chest xray. I asked if he wanted me to lift up the board so he could slide the plate under the board. He and two other RNs in the room looked at me like I was a complete moron. I was told by ALL of them that "you can't do a xray through a backboard." Ummmm, it's even labeled "xray translucent" on the sides of the board... So the other two RNs grab the sheet, lifting the guy's head and shoulders up off of the board while the tech tries to slide the plate between him and the board. During this, the pt is just going this way and that way. Of course, he's also screaming because he has right shoulder pain and his right arm is just flopping around.
I seriously wanted to do a *facepalm* standing there. I had to turn around and walk out of the room. I was at the point where I knew if I said something, it would end up getting me called into the nurse manager's office for a "conference."
This is only the beginning. Many more to come!
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Been a while
Oops, so it's been a while. What can I say, life got busy.
Sooo, in the past year, I've finished nursing school and have FINALLY found a job as a RN. The job search was a real bitch, quite frankly. For the area I live in, there are so many nursing schools, especially at the multiple community colleges, that the area is saturated with new graduate nurses. To add to this, most hospitals will only consider an RN with a BSN for a new grad position. Sooooo... yeahhhhh..... More than a little frustrating.
I'm still planning on working as a paramedic, just get to share stories from both sides of the ER doors. :D
Sooo, in the past year, I've finished nursing school and have FINALLY found a job as a RN. The job search was a real bitch, quite frankly. For the area I live in, there are so many nursing schools, especially at the multiple community colleges, that the area is saturated with new graduate nurses. To add to this, most hospitals will only consider an RN with a BSN for a new grad position. Sooooo... yeahhhhh..... More than a little frustrating.
I'm still planning on working as a paramedic, just get to share stories from both sides of the ER doors. :D
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The dining story continued.....
On our times out together, my boyfriend and I have been to both Hooters and a local seafood company, where we had issues at both.
I understand that the Hooters in my area has been losing business to, and lost some employees to, another restaurant nearby (Tilted Kilt). We went in for dinner the other night at Hooters.
All we wanted was some good cold beer and awesome wings. When we walked in, we were told by one of the girls walking by to seat ourselves (this varies day by day, if they have a hostess or not, and if there are any special events going on such as wrestling of football). So we found a clean table and sat down. And sat.... and sat. After 10 minutes, we stopped a server walking by and asked her if she knew who are server was, and if she could please let her know we wanted to order. After another 5 minutes, our server came over, saying that she was busy with a big party and apologized for not seeing us. This wouldn't have been a problem, except the big party was in a whole different part of the restaurant, so she couldn't visualize our area from where she was also handling the big party. No biggie, we just want to order.
So we order our beers, app, and entrees. She dropped off our beers and told us the app would be out soon. Another girl delivered our fried pickles (yes, I know this is how food is run here). Then somebody else delivered our food. When the food runner dropped our food, I asked her for another beer for each of us. She nodded and said she would let our server know. 10 minutes later.... no beer and we haven't seen our server. We flag down another server and ask her if she can either get us another beer each or our server. Our server ends up coming over and asking what we need. Um beer. Our glasses are empty and we are sitting here with food that we don't really want to eat when we have nothing to wash it down. Beers are finally delivered and she walks off. Never asks how our food is, etc.
When it came time for the check, she drops it and says she can take it after we are ready. As I'm pulling out my wallet, she says "oh, just put it on the table. I will be back in a few minutes." and walks off again. *sigh* About 5 minutes later, she walks by the table, picking up the receipt and my card as she went. Drops it off a few minutes later and tells us to have a good night. Um no. We've spent over an hour and a half here. We have talked to you only a handful of times and had to request more drinks repeatedly, then you don't even ask how our food is.
We ended up talking to the manager that night. Turned out it was the General Manager. We didn't realize this until after we were done talking to him. No, we didn't insist on free food or having our dinner comp'ed or anything like that. Just let him know that he had an issue that needed his attention. I fully understand having a big unexpected party come in, but that's no reason to neglect other tables. Maybe they should have split up her previously assigned section so that she could just take care of the big party. I understand now though why a lot of customers that were Hooters fans are now going to Tilted Kilt instead. Apparently a lot of the senior servers at Hooters went over there.
The second place was at a small locally-owned seafood restaurant near us. We went there for a nice dinner out since we would both be working a lot the next couple weeks, so this would be our "date night." We were seated by a hostess at a table that was near the windows, with one other table seated nearby shortly after this. We then proceeded to sit there for over 5 minutes while a server came up to the table beside us, set down a bus tub and proceeded to roll silverware. We noticed that neither our table or the one nearby had been greeted yet and nobody had drinks. Okay.... where is our server? We attempted to ask the server next to us if he knew who our server was. Instead, when we said "excuse me, sir" he turned so his back was to us and started humming. Really?! My boyfriend went to the hostess stand and informed her that neither of our tables had been greeted yet and asked if we were sat in a closed section. Yup, turned out we were. How did we find out? When we then got a pissed off server for the rest of our dinner. Apparently she was supposed to have already been cut but then had to take the two tables that were sat in her section. It was a joyful time for all!
On our times out together, my boyfriend and I have been to both Hooters and a local seafood company, where we had issues at both.
I understand that the Hooters in my area has been losing business to, and lost some employees to, another restaurant nearby (Tilted Kilt). We went in for dinner the other night at Hooters.
All we wanted was some good cold beer and awesome wings. When we walked in, we were told by one of the girls walking by to seat ourselves (this varies day by day, if they have a hostess or not, and if there are any special events going on such as wrestling of football). So we found a clean table and sat down. And sat.... and sat. After 10 minutes, we stopped a server walking by and asked her if she knew who are server was, and if she could please let her know we wanted to order. After another 5 minutes, our server came over, saying that she was busy with a big party and apologized for not seeing us. This wouldn't have been a problem, except the big party was in a whole different part of the restaurant, so she couldn't visualize our area from where she was also handling the big party. No biggie, we just want to order.
So we order our beers, app, and entrees. She dropped off our beers and told us the app would be out soon. Another girl delivered our fried pickles (yes, I know this is how food is run here). Then somebody else delivered our food. When the food runner dropped our food, I asked her for another beer for each of us. She nodded and said she would let our server know. 10 minutes later.... no beer and we haven't seen our server. We flag down another server and ask her if she can either get us another beer each or our server. Our server ends up coming over and asking what we need. Um beer. Our glasses are empty and we are sitting here with food that we don't really want to eat when we have nothing to wash it down. Beers are finally delivered and she walks off. Never asks how our food is, etc.
When it came time for the check, she drops it and says she can take it after we are ready. As I'm pulling out my wallet, she says "oh, just put it on the table. I will be back in a few minutes." and walks off again. *sigh* About 5 minutes later, she walks by the table, picking up the receipt and my card as she went. Drops it off a few minutes later and tells us to have a good night. Um no. We've spent over an hour and a half here. We have talked to you only a handful of times and had to request more drinks repeatedly, then you don't even ask how our food is.
We ended up talking to the manager that night. Turned out it was the General Manager. We didn't realize this until after we were done talking to him. No, we didn't insist on free food or having our dinner comp'ed or anything like that. Just let him know that he had an issue that needed his attention. I fully understand having a big unexpected party come in, but that's no reason to neglect other tables. Maybe they should have split up her previously assigned section so that she could just take care of the big party. I understand now though why a lot of customers that were Hooters fans are now going to Tilted Kilt instead. Apparently a lot of the senior servers at Hooters went over there.
The second place was at a small locally-owned seafood restaurant near us. We went there for a nice dinner out since we would both be working a lot the next couple weeks, so this would be our "date night." We were seated by a hostess at a table that was near the windows, with one other table seated nearby shortly after this. We then proceeded to sit there for over 5 minutes while a server came up to the table beside us, set down a bus tub and proceeded to roll silverware. We noticed that neither our table or the one nearby had been greeted yet and nobody had drinks. Okay.... where is our server? We attempted to ask the server next to us if he knew who our server was. Instead, when we said "excuse me, sir" he turned so his back was to us and started humming. Really?! My boyfriend went to the hostess stand and informed her that neither of our tables had been greeted yet and asked if we were sat in a closed section. Yup, turned out we were. How did we find out? When we then got a pissed off server for the rest of our dinner. Apparently she was supposed to have already been cut but then had to take the two tables that were sat in her section. It was a joyful time for all!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
What is wrong here?
Recently, everytime the boyfriend and I go out to a restaurant, we get either mediocre or shitty service. Granted, twice has been with a large group of people (different groups). Twice though has been with just us. I don't get it. We don't run our servers, we are polite, and we normally are pretty quick in deciding and give our orders as accurately as possible to limit the amount of questions the server has to ask.
Group A dinner was at a medium priced corporate steak house. At one point, I ended up with 4 empty glasses sitting by my full glass. The BF and I each had an adult beverage and a regular drink (tea or soda). When the server came to give us refills on our regular drinks, he brought new glasses and just left the empty ones in their spots. Okay, I realize it can be hard to clear from the table that you just served if you still have other stuff on your tray and I don't expect it. So, I moved all of the empty glasses over to my side of the table, since that was the easiest place to reach them (on the other side were multiple other tables, so everything was being served/cleared from my side). These sat there for over 15 minutes. Seriously. During this time, our server took bread plates from the table, but continued to leave empty glasses. Finally, one of the dads at the table with two boys spoke up and said "maybe we should just put them in the middle of the aisle. They'll get picked up that way." The server ended up clearing 9 glasses total from the table at this point. Service was slow, even for a busy Saturday evening, the bill was messed up twice, and most of us had incorrectly cooked steaks (not even worth it to try to send them back). We ended up being at this restaurant for 3 hours! Totally ridiculous. Also, it was a kiddo's birthday that we were going out to celebrate. No, I don't expect free dessert. I have no problem buying dessert, especially if it meant you would have sung happy birthday to her. When you bring the tray over to show the desserts AFTER giving us our checks, it is pretty well going to be a "no." Instead, we got offered to buy a $25 company rewards card "that next year they will give you a $25 credit for the cardholder's birthday." Um no. We get shitty service and you expect us to pay more money AND come back again next year? No thanks! Of course, an 18% auto-grat is added due to the large party.
Group B dinner was at a medium-high end seafood place (for an adult's birthday now). She had brought her own cake due to food allergies. We had to ask for refills repeatedly. Drinks, both regular and adult, were forgotten repeatedly. We had been seated for 8 minutes before our server finally approached and told us that he would be right back with waters for us (we all were wanting to order alcohol) before walking off. He returned about 5 minutes later to ask what we wanted to drink (with no water for us). Ugh. It took a while to finally be able to order. When we tried to order apps as he was taking our drink orders, we were told "I'll be back for those in a little bit. Let's just do drinks now." Drinks are dropped off and he runs off. When does he ask about apps? When he comes back to take our entree orders (about 25 minutes after we have been sitting there waiting with no bread or apps). Of course, it is a large party, so there is an 18% auto-grat on it. He brought the cake out, took it out of the box, put it on the table, put a tray of spoons down with plates for the cake. Then he pulls a candle out of his pocket and hands it to the birthday girl. One of the women at the table asked "do y'all sing happy birthday here?" He told her "no, we don't have our singing group here today. There ya go!" and walked off. Seriously? I understand being busy and all, but shit. This is ridiculous. I know our total bill for the table was over $300, but it's too much trouble to sing happy freakin' birthday?
I'll go into the other two later. It just amazes me how people can act towards the patrons of their restaurants.
Group A dinner was at a medium priced corporate steak house. At one point, I ended up with 4 empty glasses sitting by my full glass. The BF and I each had an adult beverage and a regular drink (tea or soda). When the server came to give us refills on our regular drinks, he brought new glasses and just left the empty ones in their spots. Okay, I realize it can be hard to clear from the table that you just served if you still have other stuff on your tray and I don't expect it. So, I moved all of the empty glasses over to my side of the table, since that was the easiest place to reach them (on the other side were multiple other tables, so everything was being served/cleared from my side). These sat there for over 15 minutes. Seriously. During this time, our server took bread plates from the table, but continued to leave empty glasses. Finally, one of the dads at the table with two boys spoke up and said "maybe we should just put them in the middle of the aisle. They'll get picked up that way." The server ended up clearing 9 glasses total from the table at this point. Service was slow, even for a busy Saturday evening, the bill was messed up twice, and most of us had incorrectly cooked steaks (not even worth it to try to send them back). We ended up being at this restaurant for 3 hours! Totally ridiculous. Also, it was a kiddo's birthday that we were going out to celebrate. No, I don't expect free dessert. I have no problem buying dessert, especially if it meant you would have sung happy birthday to her. When you bring the tray over to show the desserts AFTER giving us our checks, it is pretty well going to be a "no." Instead, we got offered to buy a $25 company rewards card "that next year they will give you a $25 credit for the cardholder's birthday." Um no. We get shitty service and you expect us to pay more money AND come back again next year? No thanks! Of course, an 18% auto-grat is added due to the large party.
Group B dinner was at a medium-high end seafood place (for an adult's birthday now). She had brought her own cake due to food allergies. We had to ask for refills repeatedly. Drinks, both regular and adult, were forgotten repeatedly. We had been seated for 8 minutes before our server finally approached and told us that he would be right back with waters for us (we all were wanting to order alcohol) before walking off. He returned about 5 minutes later to ask what we wanted to drink (with no water for us). Ugh. It took a while to finally be able to order. When we tried to order apps as he was taking our drink orders, we were told "I'll be back for those in a little bit. Let's just do drinks now." Drinks are dropped off and he runs off. When does he ask about apps? When he comes back to take our entree orders (about 25 minutes after we have been sitting there waiting with no bread or apps). Of course, it is a large party, so there is an 18% auto-grat on it. He brought the cake out, took it out of the box, put it on the table, put a tray of spoons down with plates for the cake. Then he pulls a candle out of his pocket and hands it to the birthday girl. One of the women at the table asked "do y'all sing happy birthday here?" He told her "no, we don't have our singing group here today. There ya go!" and walked off. Seriously? I understand being busy and all, but shit. This is ridiculous. I know our total bill for the table was over $300, but it's too much trouble to sing happy freakin' birthday?
I'll go into the other two later. It just amazes me how people can act towards the patrons of their restaurants.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
PSA for the day
If you don't care much about who you get.. um... "serviced" by... you should probably make sure to wrap your willy. When you call because you think "I feel really bad and I need to get checked for venereal disease" is a good reason to go to the hospital, you should know that you will more than likely be scoffed at. If not by the crew of the truck, then the firefighters who came out because you called and said you were having a hard time breathing. When we ask what kind of symptoms you are having to make you think you need an STD check, it is NOT necessary to attempt to undo your pants and show me your junk in the front yard of your apartment complex. I do NOT want or need to see it. Also, you will go to jail for public indecency if you don't pull your hands out of your pants and stop trying to pull them down to show me (just like that nice officer informed you). A simple "it hurts when I pee" or just a general "discharge" is all you have to tell me. No, I don't know why your mouth hurts also.... unless you aren't very careful with what you do with your mouth or you've been sticking your hands in your mouth after playing with your junk. I am also NOT impressed by you telling me "there's so many, I can't really count them" and grinning when I ask how many sexual partners you have had in the past 6 months. At this point, I'm more concerned about how many people you possibly spread your nastiness too... NOT on scoring with you. I know, I know... that's hard to believe... you are obviously a big stud muffin to get all that action from some of the lady entepreneurs of the night out here.
So, don't be a prick, wrap your dick. Don't be a fool, wrap your tool. There's more, but I think that will suffice.
So, don't be a prick, wrap your dick. Don't be a fool, wrap your tool. There's more, but I think that will suffice.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
History? History? History? Anybody?
A bit of an interesting call today- unconscious male, possibly having a stroke. Okay, no prob.
Get on scene to find at least 12 people in this house with a very conscious man who is looking around but not saying anything. He will follow commands but just isn't speaking.
He has a hx of stroke, but on which side? About half say on the left side, about half say on the right side, and there are a few in the middle who say that he doesn't have any deficits at all.
How active is he? Some say he does everything but walk and he totally takes care of himself, some say he only is able to feed himself, and some say that it depends on the day.
How much does he normally talk? Some say full conversations, others say not at all "we just scream at him sometimes to ask questions and he will only look at us and nod or shake his head", while others say that he talks a little but some days he can go a whole day without saying a word.
VERY HELPFUL! *sarcasm* Seriously, how do over 12 family members all NOT agree on the patient's normal status??!!?? I can see if I was perhaps asking two parents "how much of a vocabulary does your child have?" and one is a stay-at-home parent and the other works 80 hours a week. I would expect at least slightly different answers. This was just plain foolishness!
Get on scene to find at least 12 people in this house with a very conscious man who is looking around but not saying anything. He will follow commands but just isn't speaking.
He has a hx of stroke, but on which side? About half say on the left side, about half say on the right side, and there are a few in the middle who say that he doesn't have any deficits at all.
How active is he? Some say he does everything but walk and he totally takes care of himself, some say he only is able to feed himself, and some say that it depends on the day.
How much does he normally talk? Some say full conversations, others say not at all "we just scream at him sometimes to ask questions and he will only look at us and nod or shake his head", while others say that he talks a little but some days he can go a whole day without saying a word.
VERY HELPFUL! *sarcasm* Seriously, how do over 12 family members all NOT agree on the patient's normal status??!!?? I can see if I was perhaps asking two parents "how much of a vocabulary does your child have?" and one is a stay-at-home parent and the other works 80 hours a week. I would expect at least slightly different answers. This was just plain foolishness!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Respect.....
- ... Everybody deserves it, at least in the beginning.
- *a non-EMS rant*
- An afternoon a few days ago, my boyfried (who is also a paramedic) and I went to a local Mexican restaurant that we both really like. The restaurant is part of a small chain locally and we have never had any problems getting good service and great food there. We were seated and our server, Katrina, approached quickly, introduced herself, and started to take our drink order.
- During this time, DB is busy talking with the table next to us, with three women and two small children, with another server standing nearby also talking to DB and the table. The table left some cash for the tip, which we could overhear them say "this is for you and Katrina", so DB calls Katrina over after she has served our drinks and queso. He makes a point of pulling off two $1 bills and handing it to her, but keeps the $10 bill that was left as a tip and put them in his apron. She smiled, thanked the table, and turned back to us to take our order. Now, I don't agree with this. If it was a matter of the table saying "this part is for you and this part is for her" and wanting to make sure that they each got the part that was designated for them. It irks me when somebody purposefully tries to put someone "in their place" in front of customers.
- When we talked to Katrina as she was refilling our drinks, we asked her questions such as how long she had been doing this, etc. Turns out, this was her first serving job and only her first day on the floor.
- I don't see any reason to physically grab somebody or pull them around. This is an adult, trying to do a good job, not a toddler who is throwing a tantrum in a store and has to be picked up off the floor. This was pretty much the icing on the cake for us. We are both FTO's at our jobs and would never do this to somebody we are training.
- Yes, we ended up tipping him (more because I didn't want him to be blaming her for him getting a shitty tip). We found a manager on our way out and explained the whole situation, and how much it had pissed us off to watch somebody be treated like crap. I've been a restaurant hostess before and as part of that we did have to go through quite a bit of the server training at the restaurant I worked at, in case we had to work as server's due to a shortage. Treating somebody like crap that you are supposed to be training is completely uncalled for, in my opinion. The manager stated that he didn't know that was occuring with this trainer and trainee and that it would definitely be addressed. We made sure to praise Katrina and told him that she will do wonderfully, but that the issues with the trainer needed to be addressed.
- Sorry for the bullets, I'm having issues getting paragraphs to form.
- Promise to be back to EMS stuff soon.
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