Okay, so, that week off was desperately needed. I hadn't realized, but I was writing a ridiculous amount of verbiage, and it turns out that writing that much was a recipe for burnout.
Plus, I feel like you guys are starting to get the feel for ICU patterns: a little heart failure here, a little COPD there. Unusual things happen sometimes, between the cardiac caths and respiratory failures, but there are only so many times I can explain pressure imbalances or tell you that titrating vasoactive drips is both boring and strenuous.
So here's my new plan: I will post one shift report per week, based on the most interesting shift I worked, with extra coverage for any interesting short bits that happen on the other days. This will give me time to write another post every week-- a story, a piece of patho, or even an extra shift report.
I'll post the shift reports on Tuesdays, and the second posts on Fridays (Thursdays would make more sense except that my work schedule has me wrapping up a major week of work on Thursday nights, and I am usually dead by that point).
And yes, I will write up that one awful story. The first time I wrote it up, I wasn't satisfied with how it turned out-- clean-edged, internetty, and all about the shock value. I would like to rewrite it, and see how a year or two has aged it in my head.
See you all tomorrow night!
Plus, I feel like you guys are starting to get the feel for ICU patterns: a little heart failure here, a little COPD there. Unusual things happen sometimes, between the cardiac caths and respiratory failures, but there are only so many times I can explain pressure imbalances or tell you that titrating vasoactive drips is both boring and strenuous.
So here's my new plan: I will post one shift report per week, based on the most interesting shift I worked, with extra coverage for any interesting short bits that happen on the other days. This will give me time to write another post every week-- a story, a piece of patho, or even an extra shift report.
I'll post the shift reports on Tuesdays, and the second posts on Fridays (Thursdays would make more sense except that my work schedule has me wrapping up a major week of work on Thursday nights, and I am usually dead by that point).
And yes, I will write up that one awful story. The first time I wrote it up, I wasn't satisfied with how it turned out-- clean-edged, internetty, and all about the shock value. I would like to rewrite it, and see how a year or two has aged it in my head.
See you all tomorrow night!