LAST WEEK TO WORK

This is my last work week.   By the end of this week I will have retired.   I have worked 43 years in the career of Nursing.   When I started school eons ago I could have never imagined being retired.

Things has changed so much ever the years and mostly for the better.   We were never taught how to read EKG’s and now they are and how to treat the rhythms.  There are classes required as such as ACLS,  PALS and many other courses to take dealing with newborns, strokes and trauma.

When I first started not every hospital had Intensive Care Units, and and care they receive now was non existent then is most small hospitals.    Complicated surgeries and the advent of laparoscopic procedures were not done for the most part.

Monitors such as ARTERIAL LINES, automatic blood pressure machines and the advanced ventilators were not routinely in use.   It has changed for the better.  

Antibiotics could take care of any infection and now there are infections that can not be cured.   This is probably because of use of antibiotics for every ailment including viral infections (because people insist on them) and  People who do not finish their course of antibiotics.   We use antibiotics in the feed to promote growth of the larger animals.

The antibiotic resistant infections now are most likely the results of the above.   The cost of hospitalization and treatment have escalated. One reason is the cost of defensive medicine.  They need to rule out all possible causes of your symptoms to cover the potential liability.  

I did not publish the above, it was in limbo for a few days while I was busy.   Today was my last busy work day and I did eight cataract cases.   Tomorrow I am free and there is a luncheon in my honor.   I will feel like a queen holding court.   I really, in my life, prefer to keep a low profile and do not like being the center of attention, but tomorrow I suppose I will be.   

I plan to take my camera and go around and take pictures of the cast of characters.    Today was an uneventful day and that is the way I would like to end a career, I suppose everyone would like they finale to be like that.

Actually I would wish my grand finale to be uneventful…and peaceful.