a day in admissions nursing

I've now done a full week as an admissions nurse (Sun-Thurs) so here is what we get up to...

8.30-9.00 Prep and devotions

9.00-9.30 Squint in the sunshine (or get rained on) outside whilst identifying patients on the list to bring inside for the days admissions, make sure family members have visitor badges so they are allowed in, talk to people whose operations have unfortunately been postponed and who don't have a phone so we have not been able to contact them to inform of their new date to come in

9.30-12.10 The patients are taken through to the admissions room with a nurse and a translator who have hopefully identified that they are able to speak the language of the patient, although sometimes none of the four admissions translators speak the language of the patients so they have to track down someone else. Patients are all admitted for surgery the next day so that we can make sure they have a couple of good showers, are well hydrated prior to surgery and remain nil by mouth from the requested time. We talk them through their stay, their surgery and recovery, gain consent for operations, give them toiletries (and toys to the children which have been donated), ensure they have enough transport money to be able to return home (which is kept on the ward until they leave to make sure they still have enough transport money!) check their observations, take blood after getting them to drink a few glasses of water as nearly everyone comes to us dehydrated, do pregnancy tests where appropriate and then show them to their beds.

12.15-13.00 Lunch with the boys - I am now appreciating the dining room - just turning up and having someone else cook for us is fab!

13.00-17.00 or whenever we get done - See the rest of the admissions for the day (making sure no one else has turned up since we went out to the dock in the morning as there always seem to be a mixture of people who don't come at all or who don't arrive first thing, such as those from the hospitality centre), make sure the patients have all been checked by a Doctor, give handovers to the wards and file all the admission paperwork so that it ends up with the right person in the right bed. then prepare the admission list and paperwork for the next day.

17.00 Be mum again!!