The other day I was having a rare, relaxing shift. It was that (I hate to use the word) “quiet” timeframe after you’ve discharged a patient, given morning meds, completed your initial assessments and charting, and you’re able to simply enjoy the calm that usually proceeds the storm.
That’s the thing. You’re never completely subdued as a nurse. You’re always on-ready in case something crazy goes down, so even when you’re sitting back, maybe considering propping your feet up, you still remain alert.
It was in one of these moments that my trusty respiratory therapist decided to use my empty room to test her equipment. I watched her walk in the room, and I knew what she was doing. Yet when that ventilator alarmed I sat up quickly, and my ears tuned in like a German Shepard. I was like Pavlov’s dog. I was conditioned over time, and that sound got my attention quickly. I almost salivated in preparation to fix something.
I realized there are a lot of sounds like that. They get a nurse’s attention immediately. They turn a nurse’s head quickly, and they stop them dead in their tracks. Whether you’re at work, off the clock, in the grocery store, or even if it’s just a test, these sounds will get your attention if you’re a nurse.
1. Ventilator alarm.
Even when it’s not my patient this one always gets me. I can’t just sit there when one is going off.
2. Screeching tires.
Was that a wreck? I wonder if someone is hurt? They probably need a nurse.
3. Monitor alarm.
Nine times out of ten that V-tach alarm is not V-tach. It’s artifact. But you gotta look, right?
4. A child crying.
This is a mom thing too. As both, when I hear a child cry I feel compelled to help them.
5. IV pump.
Curses. I hear you in my sleep. And you’re coming from every direction. Could be someone bending their elbow for that KVO saline, but it could be much needed Levophed. Grrrr. Better go check.
6. The sound of an O2 tank falling over.
If you’ve ever seen one of these shoot across the room then you’ll not only look up at the sound of the crash, but you’ll also take cover.
7. Someone crying “help!”
Is that a citizen in need that I hear? Where’s my cape. I. Am. Batman. I will help you.
8. An ambulance siren.
Where, where?! Could be an MI. Could be a trauma. Could be the common cold. A nurse goes through twelve different scenarios before the siren fades.
9. Code button.
Ahhhh. It’s on! Run. Grab the crashcart. Please don’t let that be mine!
10. Door buzzer.
I don’t wanna hear this one, but I do. Over and over, and over. Sorry, no one under twelve.
11. The sound of a rolling crash cart.
Sometimes we go ahead and grab that cart in anticipation of doom, don’t we? It’s a distinctive sound that gets your attention for sure.
12. Call light.
Yes, I hear you in my sleep also. Coming.
13. A scream.
What’s that?! Run!
Oh, you need your blanket. That’s not the boy that cried wolf at all. Sigh.
14. The sound of the bathroom pull string.
No! Don’t stand up on your own. You have zero venous access left if you pull out that right AC.
15. A police siren.
I’m not in the mood for a gunshot wound. Man, I hope it’s not a gunshot wound.
16. The sound of something, or God forbid, someone hitting the floor.
Please don’t be a subdural bleed! No incident report, please.
17. An overhead intercom.
For real, I’m so conditioned that even if I’m in Walmart I tune in to the overhead announcement just to make sure they don’t need me somewhere.
18. The sound of running feet.
Ahhh. What’s going on?!
Subsequently, try not to run unless it’s an emergency. It saves the nurse a heart attack.
19. The bed exit alarm.
See #16 for details.
20. A helicopter.
Flying in? Or flying out? Is that room clean?!
21. The sound of a Bipap being removed.
Oxygen is our friend. Let’s keep it at a level compatible with mentation, Mr. Smith. (Or we may end up referring to #16.)
22. Someone yelling, “hey!”
I don’t want to answer to “hey,” but I always look up anyway.
Who, me? How may I help you, ma’am?
23. When someone says, “we’re getting a patient?”
Internal battle. Do I go hide in the bathroom and pretend I didn’t hear?
Is it really my turn?
24. The sound of a gurney rolling up the hall.
Here they come. Ready or not. Get your game face on.
25. (My favorite) Y’all wanna order out lunch today?
Uh, yeah. Duh.
I’m certain I’ll hear most, if not all of these on my next shift. I hope I definitely hear #25.
So, yeah, all these sounds will get my attention in a hurry, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. After all, I’m a nurse!
Now where’s my cape? I swear I just heard someone cry out “help” in the distance.
Jennifer says
So funny.
Sally Sutherland-Hale says
You have defiantly nailed the typical daily life of a nurse! I have been an RN for 32 yrs now, (however THAT is possible,bi don’t know!!) most of my years spent in Critical Care, where there are SOOONmany different alarms always going off somewhere in the unit!! Currently, unfortunately, I have found myself on the other side of the bed rails, as I am now a pt. I am having to spend quite a bit of time as the patient, which means the alarms are truly 24/7!!! I’m thankful that at least I can reset my own alarms, switch over IVFs if I’m dry & my nurse is swamped! I have a port, & freq bld draws, we’ve worked out that if whoever is my RN that shift, will leave all the tubes, syringes, ns etc that if necessary, I can draw them for her, as many are timed. Now, I don’t do this with every RN who has me & they’ve never taken advantage of the situation. It’s pretty much our little ‘pact’ as we know some would not allow this or participate & run to administration! So, please understand that! I had wanted to be a RN as long as I remember & have 1st grade papers stating such! I’ve loved every minute of my career, some days more than ever, yet I’ve gotten to participate in ground breaking technology & meet physicians from around the world pioneering in cardiac transplants & implants (in the mid 1980’s, this was huge!!) so now that I’ve become the patient waiting for a liver transplant (isn’t it odd that most of my career was spent in the first stages of heart transplants in the USA, & here I’m needing a transplant myself!! (I have decomp autoimmune hepatitis…. My body is chopping my own liver up!!) It scares me to death that I need a transplant!! I’ve also decided, long ago actually, that every physician and RN (all staff doing pt care) should have to be the patient & have an involved surgery… No appy’s, breast Aug. etc) preferably orthopedic or burns etc. it teaches you SO much! Reality check!!
Last month I spent a week as an inpatient….the night before being dc’d the next evening, I was getting a ‘perk my kidneys & self up’ several units of albumin. I was on my 4th unit…about MN & kidneys decided to scream, NOW!! Didn’t have time to wait, so I unplugged pump, grabbed my crutches (I’ve also had 11knee surg & don’t have patella in rt knee….those are catching up with me now that I’m older, but I’m very comfortable w crutches. Don’t need help. I couldn’t get to BR quick enough & was leaving a stream across the floor…..CRASH, BANG, CUSS, KAPOW!!! Down I went!!! I could use a crutch to reach the BR call light & here comes my RN (who I loved… He’s an awesome RN!!) told him to open door s l o w l y!!! I immediately started apologizing for the incident report he’d have to do, calling house manage, my dr….. So they help me up, there’s a lake of pee (albumin kicked kidneys in!) I wasn’t hurt except for my pride! I return to my bed…he returns w a neon yellow ‘fall risk’ arm band, then a bed moniter…another RN put my crutches where I couldn’t reach them!! By this time, we were all laughing so hard we ALL were wetting ourselves!!! He almost forgot, & returned w rubber mats for beside each side of the bed!!! Talk about punishment!! I’d rather been disaplined by SuperNanny & the ‘naughty corner!’!!! The things we nurses think are so entertaining….nobody else gets us!!!
SO, never planned on writing you a novel here!! Sorry about that! I got a little carried away! But back to your post….I’m pretty sure we will all probably go to our graves with our ears cocked, detecting who’s IV pump is alarming or vent alarms!!!
I’ve never commented before, but I do enjoy your blog! Don’t know when you find the time to sit down and post another!!! You do a great job!!!
Sally
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thanks so much, Sally. And thanks for sharing your story. Praying all goes well with your transplant.
Jennifer says
Love it!
Teresa Julian says
As a night nurse, I drive home in the morning to the sound of silence: I have so many sounds going on in my head from the shift before and it is the only way to quiet them down.
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
I know exactly what you mean.
Carol Siebert says
One of the sounds I’m very attuned to is the “oh no they’re about to puke” sound. The veteran nurse can break the speed of sound as they jump out of the way or grab a basin!!
Cole says
The sound of air getting sucked into an ECMO circuit. I’ve only heard it once in my career but the mere thought of it gives me palpitations.