![ccu[1] copy](https://medicine-matters.blogs.hopkinsmedicine.org/files/2016/05/ccu1-copy.jpg)
A Beautifully Difficult Night: an excerpt taken from an email from Carol Burns, RN, BSN, CCRN in the CCU
“My patient had come to Hopkins at the beginning of this month in hopes that ‘the promise of medicine’ could extend his life a bit longer as he wanted to be with his family as long as he possibly could…
As I managed the IABP on return to the unit, his wife met us in the hallway anxious to see him after the long procedure. The wife then said "we should wait about 45 minutes while you get him settled?" I told her to immediately get her son and spend time with him while I got him settled. Just that little gesture meant so much to the family. They then got to bring in his friend with their daughter—the first time she had seen him since he had all the ‘machines.’ When she walked in he let out a holler ‘My best girlfriend!’ She got shy and clung to her parents. I motioned her over and gave her his hand to hold and she just grinned from ear to ear. The family left for the night feeling like he was in good hands.
I hear that some ICU nurses fear working in cardiac because things can turn bad so fast. Turning bad fast was exactly what happened at 2 am…
Thank you to everyone who helped with a very smooth code...just not successful in the long run. I do believe every staff member who could do compressions took their turn doing compressions - Cathy, Adam, Mike, Esoida, Kate... and the charge nurse - Welcome back Jen Denault!! Even the extra RT took a turn. The only ones who did not do compressions were myself - as I was pushing meds and adding chambers to the tree of drips - and Alex. Alex wanted to do compressions but I wouldn't let her because she was doing such an awesome job documenting and timing all of our compression cycles and epi cycles. As his heart muscle failed him, the CCU staff became his only circulation. I would like to give a special thank you to Dr. Lindsey Phillips who ran this difficult code. She stayed focused, she gave very succinct and timely direction. She communicated well with all caregivers in the room - she listened to and respected every suggestion made.”
Kathleen Wagner-Kosmakos, Robin Lewis-Cherry, Judy Skolnik and Sherrie Byers, all nurses in the DOM, along with Drs. Daniel Brotman and Dale Needham, recently published an article in the Journal of Hospital Medicine entitled, “Promoting Mobility and Reducing Length of Stay in Hospitalized General Medicine Patient: A Quality-Improvement Project.” The team made the following conclusion: “Active prevention of a decline in physical function that commonly occurs during hospitalization may be achieved with a structured QI approach. In an adult medicine population, our QI project was associated with improved mobility, and this may have contributed to a reduction in LOS, particularly for more complex patients with longer expected hospital stay.
For the full article, visit: Promoting Mobility and Reducing Length of Stay in Hospitalized General Medicine Patient
Ayaz AhmedCountry of origin: Pakistan
Sport: Field hockey, cricket
Food/Music: Halwa Pouri, Paaye, Daal Chawal / Classical, Pop, Rock, Rap
Traditions and interesting facts: In the second or the third week of February, people fly kites all day and all night. People not only fly kites, but actually fight kites. The objective is to cut the string of the other person with your string while the kites are in the air.
Sherrie ByersCountry of origin: USA
Sport: Basketball
Food/Music: Seafood and pasta / Gospel, R&B & Pop
Traditions and interesting facts: Eating black eye peas on New Year's Eve for a great year.
Mary Glover
Country of origin: USA
Sport: Football
Food/Music: From my childhood, custard stands out – not ice cream, but thick creamy custard. Also from childhood, Mariah Carey and Michael Jackson dominated music.
Traditions and interesting facts: My family participated in all three phases of “The Great Migration” where Southern Black Americans migrated to the urban centers of the north and west. My mom’s family left Alabama for Illinois and California in the 1920s and 1940s and my dad’s family left Alabama for New York in the 1960s.
Ron Langlotz
Country of origin: USA and Germany
Sport: Lacrosse
Food/Music: Bratwurst/ Rock & Country
Traditions and interesting facts: My family (German) always eats pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s Day. It is supposed to bring you good luck for the New Year.
Kia Perrin
Country of origin: USA
Sport: Soccer, Football, Basketball
Food/Music: Soul food, Mexican, Italian, Caribbean/R&B, Neo Soul, Pop, Jazz
Traditions and interesting facts: My family tradition is getting together on New Year’s Day to exchange gifts as well as bring in the new year together with our resolutions compared to the previous year.
Tonya Pugh
Country of origin: USA, Germany, Italy
Sport: Football
Food/Music: Lasagna and all pastas/all music types
Traditions and interesting facts: Being a German/Italian/American, and my dad being from the south, our New Year’s Eve tradition is a mix: black eyed peas right after midnight for luck and prosperity, pork and sauerkraut at the table for blessings and wealth and each person in the house gets 12 grapes symbolizing each month of the new year. If the grape is sweet the month will be as well, but if it sour expect that month to be sour.
Cherise Scott
Country of origin: USA
Sport: Baseball
Food/Music: Barbeque (beef) meatballs/R&B, Hip Hop
Traditions and interesting facts: Every holiday dinner having barbeque chicken or barbeque meatballs is a must! That’s our family favorite dish.
This looks great!
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