Chalk one up for the nurse!

We have a patient that is on chemotherapy. With chemo your blood counts have to be at a certain minimum level to proceed with the cycle of chemo. If they fall short, the chemo treatment is delayed and blood work repeated a week later. If the counts are good, the chemo goes ahead. If they are still low, it's delayed again.

We have one patient that has been delayed by a whole month because their platelet count has been low. The levels had been going up, but very very slowly. At the rate they were coming up, it would have been some weeks more before this patient could have chemo.

A couple weeks ago I made a suggestion to the doctor about a medication that could help the patient's platelets recover but it's not typically used in chemotherapy for that purpose. I was told that it wouldn't work. I asked if giving the medication would harm the patient. I was told no. So I asked what the harm was in trying. The worse thing would be that it didn't work. The best would be that it did and this person could have their chemo.

So he and the pharmacist reluctantly decided to try it. Today I looked at the patient's platelet levels. They have more than doubled. Chemo is scheduled for Friday!!!

So us nurses do sometimes know things!

Any good doctor will admit that if it wasn't for nurses and cna's they would not be good doctors because we are their eyes and ears and we do the direct care the doctor sees them for 15 minutes and in my case I see them for 12 hours of the day and sometimes multiple days and even in a clinic setting the nurse sees more of the patient than the doctor ever does and I guess some doctors need to learn that, so I am glad you schooled that doctor.

Haha! Good for you!! There are many times I trust a nurses opinionwithout question! Usually when I call my pediatrician I end up talking to the nurse; who is just fantastic! Not that I dis-trust the doctors; it's just I know how hands on they often are with patients and that helps them get to know their patients and see things the doctor doesn't always get to. I've worked for doctors; so I know how hectic their day can be sometimes and how they can get pulled in several directions at once. So why bother the doctor if I can get the advice I need from her nurse? I do love the doctor too and when we are there she is great for answering questions; but I really appreciate that she has good staff!

I've even spoken with my Aunt about things instead of calling or going to the doctor for myself!! And then there was the time DH got bit by a dog and I posted the pic of the wound on Facebook for all my nurse friends to see.... hehe.... it worked! Got good advice on how to treat it!

Glad it worked. Hopefully this spreads the word. My mom had issues with chemo and certain foods/supplements did help. So did this certain shot, I forget the name. I hate cancer.

My sister is a nurse, so I know how valuable you nurses are. Nurses have a lot of the knowledge that doctors have, AND the actual personal connection to their patients.

My dad passed away from lymphoma a couple of years ago, and the most wonderful people in the world during his illness were his nurses and his NP. He was in the ICU for a week or so at one point, and I will never forget the nurse who was on duty when I stayed overnight with my dad. She made sure I had what I needed, that any questions I had were answered, and she even came in at 7am to say goodbye to me when her shift was over. Nurses are angels.

Good work, Linda!

I hear stories like this from my Mom, who is also a nurse, all the time. Good job! Nurses very rarely get the credit they deserve!

Nurses rule!!

Good on you Linda!

My mom is a retired nurse, I hated all the safety lectures as a kid, but it really did all sink in, I'm great in an emergency and I know enough of triage to at least be able to assist after an accident while waiting for EMTs.

After two weeks ago, it was better than great.
My dog is 13 and was abused as a pup, and I thought I knew all of his fear triggers, turns out I missed one, and he bit me pretty good, twice.

He does not get rabies vacs because of reactions, and I knew that if the bites became infected I'd have to see a doctor, and I didn't want my baby quarantined.
She had my hubby soak the scabs off twice a day and thoroughly clean the bites, then dress with a triple antibiotic , leaving the dressing on just long enough for it to be absorbed.
My butt and shoulder survived, no infection, just itchy healing now.

I really need to find his vet rabies waiver.

The world is run buy corporals, secretaries, and nurses.

Learn it, live it, love it.