On the first night I had ever worked at a small rural hospital, we had the old Gomco suctions, which deposited all the fluids into a large glass bottle. It was the LPN's job to empty, measure and rinse the bottles at the end of shift. I was charting at the nurses station when I heard the most horrible gut wrenching retching. I ran down the hall, checked on all of our peaceful sleeping patients. Not a one was awake. I discovered my LPN behind a windowless door, her face a lovely shade of green, barely able to stand, she was so embarrassed to tell me that she couldn't do this. I felt so bad for her. thankfully I am blessed with a cast iron stomach and I completed the job for her. she was one of the most caring, wonderful nurses I have ever had the honor to work with. Where are you Wilma Craghead?
I remember those glass suction bottles with the narrow neck that were easily occluded by glops of green mucous. The only way to free up the plug would be to shake the bottle and hope for the best. You are so right about it taking a cast iron stomach. I think every nurse has an Achilles Heal of something that really gets to them. Mine was coffee ground emesis with a GI bleed! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment
On the first night I had ever worked at a small rural hospital, we had the old Gomco suctions, which deposited all the fluids into a large glass bottle. It was the LPN's job to empty, measure and rinse the bottles at the end of shift. I was charting at the nurses station when I heard the most horrible gut wrenching retching. I ran down the hall, checked on all of our peaceful sleeping patients. Not a one was awake. I discovered my LPN behind a windowless door, her face a lovely shade of green, barely able to stand, she was so embarrassed to tell me that she couldn't do this. I felt so bad for her. thankfully I am blessed with a cast iron stomach and I completed the job for her. she was one of the most caring, wonderful nurses I have ever had the honor to work with. Where are you Wilma Craghead?
ReplyDeleteI remember those glass suction bottles with the narrow neck that were easily occluded by glops of green mucous. The only way to free up the plug would be to shake the bottle and hope for the best. You are so right about it taking a cast iron stomach. I think every nurse has an Achilles Heal of something that really gets to them. Mine was coffee ground emesis with a GI bleed! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment
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