Friday, August 31, 2012

The Joker, ideal murse or disgrace to murses everywhere?

Just about any murse you talk to has seen "Batman: The Dark Knight" one of the most memorable things about the movie was Heath Ledger's portrayal of the joker. But, one of the things that is often overlooked when reminiscing about the movie is that the joker had a very important couple of scenes where he impersonated a murse. Lot's of people have artistically broken down Heath Ledger's performance, but I don't think a single person has looked at how well the character of the Joker did in pretending to be a murse.  So I will be grading the following clip in three categories giving the joker a score of 1-10 in each category and averaging those scores together to see if the joker could cut it as a murse, remember 73% is a pass!!!

The categories are as follows:

Murse-ness: Murse-ness can be hard to define. But, it is essentially the unique qualities that set the murse apart of the common nurse. For example, a patient complains of severe neck pain. A nurse might gather more info or give a PRN med, but a murse (realizing the severity of the situation) quickly hits the emergency call light and starts compressions while singing "Another one bites the dust" at the top of his lungs. For further reference on murse-ness see the previous blog post "The Mursing Code"

Classic Nurse Skills: Just about everyone knows what these are how will did he do things like follow contact precautions and communicate therapeutically *yawn*

Faking it till you make it: Ahhhhhhhh a classic category for any good mursing student, how will did the joker pull off pretending to be a nurse and convincing those around him he knew what he was doing


Here's the scene, lets get to analyzing


Ok so we have four different sections to break down: cop scene, in the patients room, leaving the hospital, and outside the hospital

Cop Scene: Alright so pretty quick scene gonna be a quick breakdown. Now the Joker is obviously going over patients records is this scene and everyone knows that the #1 rule to mursing is ALWAYS FOLLOW HIPPA. Therefore, the fact that the cop burst into the room un-announced means he kinda had 2 to the chest coming to him. Also, the joker did have a mask on but no gloves. I think those two things cancel each other out skill wise (we don't know if there was a reason for the mask maybe he had a cold, maybe there was some mrsa going around WHO KNOWS). Finally, the cop A. thinks the joker is a NURSE B. Refers to him as a her. Great faking it if you ask me. Lets move on.

Patients Bedside: Ok there is LOTS going on in this scene. So right off the bat there are a few things going on.

  • we see that the PT has wrist restraints which raises severeal questions. Is there a standing order? Is the patient a danger to himself? etc etc
  • The joker again has on a mask but no gloves, again hard to judge without knowing the situation
  • The hair is definitely a little long for the professional environment and shaking it out bedside is not hygienic
  • Pretty good example of therapeutic communication here. Definitely on the patients level and very real. Absolutely teaching the patient to captain his own ship by giving him a gun
  • Good empathy as far as communicating sorrow for the patients loss
  • Taking the wrist restraint off is poor nursing judgement gonna get deducted for that one
  • One of my favorite things about this exchange is that the joker is really letting the patient decide his direction of care. Patient centered care is crucial and he NAILS IT
  • Not much in the way of faking it till he makes it, the patient realized he wasn't a murse pretty quick :(
In the hallway: 

  • Good hand hygiene
  • Blowing up the hallway seems extreme at first, but we dont know there could have been a serious SARS outbreak and the joker might have been just trying to stop the spread. Tough to judge
Outside the hospital:

  • Again blowing up the hospital is definitely a boss move but its tough to jusdge the nursing rationale behind the idea
  • The TV people seem to think he is a murse which is a plus
SO LETS GRADE THIS

Murse-ness: Starting score= 5
  • +3 for protecting HIPPA by any means neccessary 
  • +1 for making the patient the captain of his own ship and giving him a gun
  • +1 for eliminating a potential SARS outbreak (remember safety first)
  • +2 for destroying the hospital (again SAFETY FIRST)
  • No deductions leaving a final score of 12/10. Absolutely a great role model for aspiring murses A+ job a true murse among men
Classical Nursing Skills: Starting score= 5
  • +1 protecting hippa
  • +1 face mask
  • -1 No gloves
  • +1 therapeutic communication
  • +1 Empathy
  • -3 No gloves coming into contact with patient
  • -1 took mask off
  • -1 Hair hygiene
  • +1 patient centered care
  • +1 hand hygiene when leaving the room
  • -1 didn't sound fire alarm or use RACE protocol with fire
  • Final score 4/10 FAILING. Definitely needs to review contact precautions that really knocked down what could have been an excellent score
The score so far is 16/20 he's passing but it all comes down to if he can fake it till he makes it (just like mursing school)

Faking it skillz: Starting score= 5
  • Fooled the cop into thinking he was a murse and a woman +2
  • Didnt fool the patient -1
  • Fooled the bystanders +1
  • DIDNT FOOL ME -1
  • -1 white coar, classic noob murse give away
  • Final score 5/10. A good actor, but not a great one. Definitely could tell he was still a murse in training
After a great start he comes back to earth with a 21/30 or a 70%. Time for some remediation




What should we call mursing VOL 2

When another student asks me how they should study for their community mursing test


Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Mursing Leadership: A Reflection

Often I ask myself: "Am I the sort of leader I want to be?" in these moments of doubt I look to my idol (Darth Vader) and ask myself "If the lord of the sith was in my position what would he do?" (also known as WWDVD). I reflect and act accordingly. This tactic has never failed me and to this day people find me not only an inspirational leader, but an effective motivator

When in doubt follow this example


Tuesday, August 28, 2012

What should we call mursing VOL 1

My first day of obstetrics rotations


Mursing Courses VS Auburn's 2012 schedule

The most wonderful time of the year is right around the corner thats right CLINICALS!!!!!!

But seriously kickoff is Saturday and to commemorate this glorious event i'm gonna compare the courses at my mursing school to the 2012 Auburn Tigers (NC) schedule!





VS #14 Clemson= Pharmacology

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2012/05/reports-clemsons-sammy-watkins-arrested-for-unknown-reason/1

'Nuff said

W 27-24

@ Mississippi State= Leadership

MSU is one of those teams that everyone is constantly trying to tell you "NO THEY WILL BE REALLY GOOD THIS YEAR". But in the end you can just coast and be fine, sure there may be a few bumps along the way (uhhhhhhhh group paper anyone?) but the outcome was never really in doubt

W 38-20

VS Louisiana Monroe=EBP

Looked at the schedule and said to myself "Space filler", seems about right for EBP

W 56-14

VS #3 LSU= Pathophysiology

Huge early season test that could either: set the stage for a great run or completely derail the season just like patho. Les miles is kinda crazy, our pathophysiology teacher is kinda crazy and she also might have partaken of some grass back in the day

L 35-13

BUT NEXT SEASON WE GET TO DROP ALL OUR OTHER GAMES AND PREPARE FOR LSU ALL SEASON AND WE SQUEAK OUT A 21-20 WIN!!!!!!!!!!

VS #10 Arkansas= Med Surg

Always sneakily tough. The Arkansas games remind me of med-surg tests. No matter how much I studied for those tests my results always were extremely similar. It seems like no matter how good Auburn is supposed to be this is a tough game

W 24-23

@ Ole Miss= Evidence Based Skills

Watching Ole Miss play is almost as excruciating as having to put in a catheter for the first time. Both give me nightmares.

W 31-0

@ Vandy=theoretical concepts of nursing

When I think of vandy I think of really smart arty people saying abstract smart things that confuse me. Theoretical concepts of nursing consisted of a woman with red hair telling me things like "WELL THEN THE PLACENTA IS IN THE DRIVE THROUGH WINDOW" and "THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION IS WHO WILL CAPTAIN THE SHIP OF EBP IN YOUR ARTICLE" I didn't understand a thing but survived

W 38-33

VS Texas A&M= Preceptorship

Really have no idea what to expect with TA&M since its our first match-up. Just like no one has any idea what to expect with preceptoring.

Also both will probably include lots of yelling


I found these guys really funny for some reason

Anyway W 28-21


VS NMS=  Leadership round 2

Most people that attend this game while be completely zoned out in the first quarter, exactly how imagine that class will go

W 55-17

VS #6 Georgia= OB

Both Georgia and OB make me wanna vom. I spent most of OB trying to avoid seeing things I wouldn't be able to forgot, which is exactly what I do when UGA fans are around


L 27-13

VS Alabama A&M= Community

Completely pointless game.

W 10493043-0

@ #2 Alabama =Critical Care

Lets see both are lead by a controversial figure that has inspired rumblings of  "evil" both are at the end of long schedules and in both cases you will be seeing lots of red

L 31-18

The essence of nurturing mursehood


The Murse Creed


The Murse Creed

Recognizing that I volunteered as a Murse, fully knowing the hazards of my chosen profession, I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor, and high esprit de corps of the Murses.
Acknowledging the fact that a Murse is a more elite health care provider who arrives at the cutting edge of the hospital by land, sea, or air, I accept the fact that as a Murse my country expects me to move further, faster and nurse harder than any other health care professional.
Never shall I fail my comrades (fellow Murses). I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be, one-hundred-percent and then some.
Gallantly will I show the world that I am a specially selected and well-trained health professional. My courtesy to superior Murses, neatness of dress and care of equipment shall set the example for others to follow.
Energetically will I meet the enemies of my hospital. I shall defeat them on the (sterile) field of battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might. Surrender is not a Murse word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the (unwashed) hands of the enemy and under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my country.
Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to heal on to the Murse objective and complete the mission though I be the lone survivor.
Murses Lead The Way!!!