Had been working for 11 days in a row which covered at least 15 shifts. What a dramatic day today, but let me talk about yesterday first. Went down to cover another ward's closed obs for 1.5hour, and I never had any good experience in that ward till yesterday - first time! The patient came out from his room after I sat there for 10minutes or so. Then I was talking to another staff saying I had never seen their rabbits (their ward has pet rabbits!!). So with the staff's agree I took the patient out to the garden and visited their rabbits. Very-the-cute. I heard one is pregnant so I asked which, the patient said "white one, the white one is the chick". That made me laugh (just found that funny). After that I played table tennis with him - never touched that for years! I wasn't playing too bad, though I kept telling him slow a bit because I'm and never be good on it. Overall the 1.5hours obs were good. :D
TODAY! well, after a long and tiring long day yesterday, I was allowed to come to work at 7+,8am today. First thing came in, I took a patient out on ground. Uptill Harefield Close, he started to turned left, I thought he just forgot as he is never well. So I called his name, at least 15-20 times! and get no response :S. Called on radio to the ward for few times, no response either. D: At the end called on C3 reception base, which [finally] someone respond to my call. Briefly said who and what happened on the radio. Then I started hearing unit coordinator started calling all response team to camlet 3. I know I was going to get the support. At the same time being worried because he was walking fast and far, I didn't want to get lost myself, especially I didn't know when radio was going to be out of range. I kept go on radio saying which road we were and towards what direction (morning with sunshine, this is the only time I'm good at direction! thank god!). Up till a place I called him again, he turned back and said "Who are you? go away!" (He sometimes would greet me with a big smile - and they are the same man!) So I could only follow him with a distance. Then we actually walked all the way to town (using a very long route). I borrowed mobile phone from one of two men I saw, which he happily lent me his iphone. When I was reporting, the patient was already very far from me (he's at least 6'3, and he doesn't walk slow!). Charged nurse from the ward asked me to go back, just go back. I replied with "I don't even know how to go back!" no phone, no wallet, not even a coin, no oyster card, no card (if got home key I can go home to get some money lol). So decided to try my luck on meeting a nice bus driver who would just take me to the hospital anyway (I believe everyone would). But upon reaching the bus stop, the response team came in a van! OMG, the whole feeling was just too complicated that I forgot to feel happy that they're finally here, yes I mean I forgot. The other charged nurse from my ward was in the van (sometimes call her mama xx as they all like to treat me like a baby). Then I told them the direction where I last seen him, and we managed to get him. But again he asked who they were (I didn't go down the car, just in case it was my problem) and shoo them away. We called the police. The police took quite sometime to come which isn't really usual (probably because today is a bank holiday - Good Friday). He told the police he wasn't a patient but a law student =.=. But police officers managed to get him into our van. Throughout the journey he kept on talking which.. his speech couldn't be understood. Though he also kept saying 'please stop whispering about me thank you'. (Sometimes we weren't even talking... =.=) Reached the ward, nothing much to note after that.
I think I had done well, and am grateful I had done running in the past (and still doing sometimes when the mood comes xD). Most staff think the same though some think I didn't really have to follow him for that far. Following him up is not necessary, as all we need to do is report what happened then we have done our part. But I felt I could manage, so I didn't choose to give up. :D But then now I think it's actually quite bad if he walked to somewhere I don't even know, and I'm there with no money, phone, identity etc. (I probably wouldn't have gone after him then). Then again everyone saw me would ask how I am / how I feel (they might not be able to believe their baby can take all these xD). They even planned to cancel another patient community leave as I was put down to take someone else to Hyde park and Camden town today - they think I'd done and walked enough. But at the end I still chose to go. And so now I'm knackered.
Overall, good experience, learnt something. I still like my job :D.
(When I typed that last sentence, all in a sudden remember that another patient called me fucking bitch when we couldn't facilitate smoke break. ehmm.. another long story, but then other patients actually tried to comfort me, so I was okay)
