We have had a confirmed case of H1N1, aka swine flu, in our NICU. Ok, so bad, bad news. The reaction of our management? Put all pregnant, laboring and post-partum patients into a reverse isolation where anyone entering their room has to wear a mask. Hello, I'm your nurse, let me coach you through contractions, with half my face covered. Ok, now I am going to help you push for 4 hours, with half my face covered. Here, let me spending 45 minutes helping you breast feed your 37 week baby, with half my face covered.
I am sure that it is going to help our therapeutic communication skills a lot.
It's hard to know if we are being proactive/cautious, or totally overreacting. I want to put up a big sign for patients "Our nurses and physicians will be wearing masks. All of them. All of the time. For your safety. It isn't personal, or anything." And maybe decorate my mask to look like a pig nose.
I had a difficult night a few weeks ago. I was caring for a couple, who was having their 2nd child. They were lovely people, and it was a beautiful birth. But there were moments when I really didn't want to be there, because during discussion, it was revealed that their older child was at Children's with a brain stem tumor. This boy is the same age as Bobby, and I think his prognosis is very, very poor. When the couple was telling me about everything that they had been through in the past few months, I kept seeing my toddler in the ICU for a month, with a trach, and feeding tube. I held it together for the shift, and I would hope, that if anything, I manage to provide even more attentive care than normal, but I had a pretty hard cry on the drive home. I hope that this new baby brings them some joy even in the midst of all the other crap that they are enduring.
After that, I needed the lovely weather that Seattle has been throwing our way. Maybe it's thanks to our polluting ways, but the sun keeps making a comeback here. Many, many perfect fall days, perfect for running, hiking or just chasing a toddler around the zoo. Hopefully my batteries are recharged for my next 3 nights on the job.