sick

Why You Should Tell Every CNA How Great They Are

~ themunchkinnugget ~ Leave a comment

I’ve never liked the term “nursing assistant”.  Some places call them PCT (Patient Care Techs).  That makes a little more sense.  While CNA’s have certainly “assisted” me with wound care, blood draws, and catheterizations, they are so much more than a “nurse’s assistant”.  CNA’s are the heart of nursing.  CNA’s are really the original nurses.  Before medications and paperwork came the old school one-on-one just plain old taking care of sick people.  If you want to know what your loved one ate today or whether or not they’re feeling good, ask their CNA.  There is no closer a relationship than that of a patient and their regular aid. Continue reading →

Why It’s Totally Cool To Have A Meltdown When Your Child’s Forehead Is Hot (See what I did there?)

~ themunchkinnugget ~ 1 Comment

Every time Jack has even a low grade temperature, I go into panic mode.  As a nurse, I know that fevers are actually a good thing.  They are your body’s way of getting rid of foreigners that are trying to take over.  By increasing the body’s temperature, organisms that don’t belong are (in a nutshell) heated to death.  The nurse part of me says, “Becca?  What’s your frickin problem?  He’s fine.  Take a chill pill and go to bed.”, but the mother part of me says “No. Way.  We CANNOT rest until the tiny human is back to normal.  It is your JOB.  It is YOUR fault if his temperature increases to 104 in his sleep.”  The mother part always wins.  Any other kid and I would give them some Tylenol and check on them in the morning, but Jack?  Jack is MY kid, and the only way to get any sleep is to sleep in his room and listen to him breathing. Continue reading →