Dreaming of Miracles

I visited the first hospital I ever worked at today, and it has changed so much. King's Daughter's Medical Center in Ashland has taken over the whole block near the park and then some. It was a wonderful place to work then, and I compare the places I have worked, to my experiences there. I found a poem that I wrote about nursing in my car when I got home today, and thought I would share that with you.

Vent alarms and IV's beep,

it's 2am, I wake up and can't sleep.

My eyes focus, I realize it's just a dream.

I can't get over how real it seems.

I lay there and a million worries

run through my head.

I go downstairs, call the hospital,

and find out my patient is dead.

My heart breaks as I think of this family.

I say a prayer for them and tears overtake me.

Next shift, a new admit, the patient is critical.

The Doctor says, "For this one to survive,

it will take a miracle.

"Let's intubate, put in a line,

and get an Xray stat.

Place an NG, get a foley,

and draw some blood for labs.

Let's start with Dopamine, then if

the blood pressure is still low,

we'll add Levophed and open up

the IV flow.

He'll need a couple units of blood,

and some antibiotics too.

Add the Bair Hugger to warm him up

because he is too cool."

Adrenaline flows and nursing instincts begin.

We all work together to stabilize him.

As I work, I say the prayer that I say each time.

"Lord be with me, and let your hands

work through mine."

Praise the Lord for helping me fulfill my dream to be a nurse, and for being with me each day as I take care of his loved people.