ICU Life

This week I have been "rotating" in the ICU. It is quite a change from all other rotations I have completed. The "patient-RD contact" is very minimal. Most of our ICU patients are sedated and/or on a vent. Very few are alert and oriented. Thus, we primarily review the ICU charts and talk with the nurses in order to establish our nutrition care plan. I must admit that I miss the patient contact. I think I like talking with the patients because I feel like, at least to some capacity, I can help them. I know writing tubefeeding orders assists the ICU patient, but it feels so different. Definitely no diet educations in the ICU!

Yesterday one of the patients I was following died. It was a sad story. Consequently, I spent part of the day talking with the RD about staying detached from patients' lives, yet trying to care for them the best we can. Anyhow, the patient had been taken off all nutrition support yesterday when I saw him. I felt useless (and really was useless as far as nutrition care is concerned). Of course I know patients die daily in a hospital. I guess as a health care worker, it is best to emotionally distance myself from patients' personal lives and simple focus on treating them best. Still learning about this. It's a process. Opinions?

Nothing else too exciting. I will be rotating in the ICU the remainder of this week and all of next week. I'll keep you posted on the going ons...

Rachael