Some time ago at work someone asked me about the new rules for PCA pumps and where I saw it at. So I told the nurse buddy of mine where to go to find it. It was right where I said it was and she looked at me and said “you are smarter than you look!” I cracked up and my nurse buddies and I have been using this for a while now. Here are a few examples.

Emily texts me about PT check outs today and said she couldn’t find the femoral pulse. I reply its hard to find and you have to push really hard. She responded my teacher said the same thing. I said that’s because I’m smarter than I look.

The recovery room called me to tell me that they had changed pain medication to 4mg of Dilaudid IVP. I said are you sure the doctor didn’t mean either .4mg of Dilaudid or 4mg of morphine? “No” she says, she read it back twice to the doctor and he agreed. So I said to her I will call him when the patient arrives to the floor because there is no way anyone would give that amount. I mean the max I (the one with 10 years burn unit experience) would give is 1mg of dilaudid. So after I relay this to my co-workers of the day, I get a call back saying that said nurse called the doctor back and I was indeed right. Of course I was because I am smarter than I look.

I get a text message picture from a friend of her child with angry hives. I respond those may need steroids. She then tells me that’s exactly what her nurse practitioner friend said. I had to say it, I am smarter than I look.

I had a lot of fun with the new GYN resident whose name happens to be Paul Dixon. I know a guy with the same name from South Africa. I will have to tell that story at another time. I was talking about my sister-in-law and how she can get Best Buy to drop the price down and I said she should have been a Jew. Then I say to him oh if you are Jewish, I didn’t mean to offend you. He said no worries he’s Catholic. I said oh great I am non denominational but everyone else at the nurses station was Catholic. I told him I was a rebel. This was after I had introduced myself and said I’ve been a nurse since Jesus was a small boy so if you have any questions I should know the answer. So he asked me where the bathroom was. I pointed to it and said I know where every bathroom in St. Louis is. Followed by I had Dr. Veronikis surgery three years ago, so it’s no longer an issue. I am sure that by the time he left he was convinced I was crazy. Hence back to the living up to my nickname CR.

One more shift of working and then I am off for four days. It will be rest my swollen foot and even use ice. I am getting adventurous with the ice.