It seems like everytime I work its all about me and my glucometer.
This time the patient, who wasn't diabetic but was a transplant patient looked odd. When I entered his room to do routine vitals for new admits and he was sleeping, bundled under about 5-6 blankets. I heard him, and realized something quickly, something I will never forget. There's a difference between snoring (sleeping) and snoring (respirations). His was the second. I quickly left the room and for whatever reason grabbed my glucometer. The nurse stopped me and asked me what I was doing, and I informed her that I felt it needed to be done. She nodded and then grumbled about me as she walked away.
I tried to wake him, and he woke suddenly, but went immediately back to sleep. I took the finger prick and had to milk the blood out, but got the reading. The glucometer beeped frantically and his wife, a nurse came running to see what the reading was. I felt my stomach drop and quickly locked the glucometer and ran to the galley.
I grabbed two apple juices and a grape juice, then notified the nurse that the reading was below what the glucometer would read. The patient downed both apple juices and laid back in bed, falling asleep again. I opened the window to let in some light and turned on the televsion, then returned five minutes later to get a new reading; 52.
Handing him the grape juice I again notified the nurse, who then looked to me with worried eyes. "Looks like we're gonna give him the D-50." She said. "Page his doctor." I nodded and did so, then returned to his room for a third blood sugar; 70.
"You must be good with diabetics." The wife said to me as we stepped into the hallway. I sighed and placed my glucometer on the shelf and wrote down the readings, nodding my head.
"Seems like they are everywhere." I said, looking up to her, relieved that he at least had a reading. "Has this ever happened before?"
The wife shook her head. "No, he was just nauseated and vomiting all day." Stopping, I looked to her, watching her carefully.
"And the ER didn't check it?" She shook her head no and I sighed. A problem and an admit could have been prevented. A note to self was made and I charted his glucose levels, and strict monitoring from me all night.
I swear, I am glued to the glucose cases lately.
3 comments:
Good for you. Nice job looking out for the patient and being aware of his ominous snoring respiration. (I'm surprised his wife, the nurse, didn't come in to reposition his head!)
I was shocked too with his wife, however she stayed calm and out of the way- something we needed her to do!
Paying attention is essential but sometimes difficult as we get swept away with the mundane tasks of everyday patient care. Great job!
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