the lingo

Today, I wrote a nursing narrative note that went something like this:

Patient tolerated wean to humidified room air, sating in low to mid 90s. Vital signs stable. Feedings restarted at 1300, 40mL/hr. 1 emesis at 0900 with NJ meds. Aunt at bedside, updated verbally.

blah blah blah blah

Now. Ms. Greeno, my 9th grade (advanced) English teacher, would be very disappointed in these boring (and incomplete!) sentences. Someday I might decide to just write a nursing narrative more like this:

When I came onto my shift today there was a sense of good fortune in the air. My patient demonstrated great strength early in the day and I, as his caretaker, thought this was the ideal time to test his pulmonary vigor and turn the smooth, black dial to the "off", removing him from his additional source of oxygen. As I sat and watched this strong young boy take deep breaths in and out, I felt that he was managing the change very well! Oh, the relief we all felt, as this was proof that his disease process was being defeated by all the medical interventions we were providing.

Ok, sorry. I'm not finishing this. I'm bored.