At the end of my shift last night I signed over three patients to the incoming residents. Oddly enough, they all had a complaint of seizure. It's weird how sometimes there is order among the randomness of my job.
This morning at 5:45 I awoke in a cold sweat. My heart was racing. I suddenly remembered there being a fourth patient that I completely forgot to tell anyone about. And worse yet, I had sent her for a head CT and given her a whopping dose of fentanyl (a narcotic) by IV. I could picture her face and remembered a bit of our conversation, but not much. Today was going to be a crappy day, particularly if it was several hours before anyone found out about her overnight. What if she had stopped breathing or had a head bleed that no one discovered for hours? I drifted back to sleep, dreading going in to conference this morning.
Now that several hours have passed and I am awake, I know for certain there was no fourth patient. It was just a dream. The face I'd pictured was one of our nurses. But this morning it seemed so real. I have been a little frazzled lately. I think this is just a manifestation of my worries about forgetting something in all of the rush. It was creepy though, waking up like that.
Oh well, back to work...
This morning at 5:45 I awoke in a cold sweat. My heart was racing. I suddenly remembered there being a fourth patient that I completely forgot to tell anyone about. And worse yet, I had sent her for a head CT and given her a whopping dose of fentanyl (a narcotic) by IV. I could picture her face and remembered a bit of our conversation, but not much. Today was going to be a crappy day, particularly if it was several hours before anyone found out about her overnight. What if she had stopped breathing or had a head bleed that no one discovered for hours? I drifted back to sleep, dreading going in to conference this morning.
Now that several hours have passed and I am awake, I know for certain there was no fourth patient. It was just a dream. The face I'd pictured was one of our nurses. But this morning it seemed so real. I have been a little frazzled lately. I think this is just a manifestation of my worries about forgetting something in all of the rush. It was creepy though, waking up like that.
Oh well, back to work...
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3 comments:
I have dreams like that about my classroom; suppose it's the price of caring. Keep caring, it's what saves your soul in the end.
Oh, wow. That's scary on so many levels.
Well, at least you've confirmed to yourself that you still care....
You know what I hate? When a dream like that happens and I awake with my heart racing.....and I'm at work!
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