Who's in charge here???

Pretty much most of my life I've known I wanted to be a nurse. (And with how long school takes, I apparently wanted to be a nurse BADLY!)

I normally work in a pediatric unit, where I have everything from child abuse cases, to post operative to cancer. But part of that means I'm also trained to work in the NICU. Tiny newborns where I get to spend my night keeping them stable. Syd was a NICU baby so I feel especially proud when I work there.

There's a hierarchy to nursing, I've been a nurse for only a few years and when I don't know what to do it's okay because next to me is someone who's been a nurse for 20. It's truly been something that in crisis has made me feel safe knowing I'm surrounded by so many other people who know what to do.

I started working in cardiac, I was sure that "when I grew up" I was going to be an ICU nurse. I had an instructor that told me I was destined for Peds, I blew it off but long story short that teacher was right. But having the background I do I have some advanced adult training that I have kept current on just cause I can.

I worked in the NICU last night, I was excited because it's honestly a lot easier to work there than Peds. I spend an entire shift feeding babies and putting my feet up.

The fire in Colorado Springs has really been bad for people with asthma and most of the night the other RN who I was working with kept coughing. I asked her a few times if she had an inhaler and to take it. Then as she gets up to walk somewhere in the middle of the night she looks at me and wheezes " I can't breathe!" The charge nurse is also near so she comes running over as I sit her down. We get oxygen as a bunch of other nurses come running over as well. Theyre all yelling contradictory different things to do while this nurse is still wheezing and fighting to get air in. I suddenly realize being surrounded by only NICU nurses...

 I'M THE ONLY ONE WITH TRAINING!!!!

Seriously all these years of experience nurses have no idea how to deal with a person larger than 6lb in crisis. I'm a little proud with how after this realization I just start taking over and telling everyone what to do. Such as....

NO you do not lay someone flat who is having a hard time breathing!

NO she IS breathing (and talking) which means we DO NOT need to call a code!

Just someone freaking call the Emergency Team, put her on oxygen, get respiratory therapy, get her an Albeuterol neb find a wheelchair and GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM!!! 

Yikes, living in a world where I'm the most knowledgable person is a little scary... 

Something good... I now get to go to sleep
K