Days off and Skin Clinics

Well l spent Saturday and Sunday being very lazy all day. After 5 nights the worst anyone can remember for ages it was so busy. Full to the brim with very critical cases not counting other inpatients, phones and clients as outpatients. We were short staffed for 2 nights. Having no auxiliary may not seem much but it is like loosing your right arm.
One night l got no break, the other 4 nights l took about 10 minutes total break/night. Added in 3 lates (23:00 finishes) l was ready to crawl into a corner some place by the end of it all.

I was so tired by my second last night l spent ages trying to put a needle onto a syringe. Finally the message sunk into my brain that the needle "felt funny", l looked down and realised l had 2x 2ml syringes l was trying to ram into each other.

I forgot that my books had to be back at the mobile library on Saturday. Thankfully they do not fine you on mobile librarys as they carry no money, and they know l will be around to borrow more books as soon as l can get there.

I had one short burst of energy on Sunday, homebase and a propagator (on sale) and a packet of tomato seeds with luck l will grow my own tomatoes this year. There is also spuds chitting on the window ledge to go in once the weather is safe enough. I am told that they are good to break up the ground. I looked at the seed onions but it said well drained soil and we have heavy clay.

Today l went with my folks to my Dads skin clinic. He has skin cancer and has been under treatment for years. The Dr. is very pleasant, the main problem is she has a high pitched voice and my Dad has no hearing at her voice range, despite hearing aides but my Mum and l bellowed out what was said and we muddled through.

I asked her to check my fathers leg. He has a varicose ulcer, l know not unusual in elderly. At the moment the ulcer is infected and they are awaiting swab results. but with all his skin troubles. Confirmed today some major skin flare ups and possible plastic surgery in the next few weeks. I just wanted it checked as we were with the consultant.

A nurse came in and without gloves removed the dressing, wiped the ulcer area where some bloody serous fluid was running with tissues out of the box on the window ledge and she had no gloves on.

The Dr. came back in and confirmed it was as thought and no part of his skin cancer, then sent back in the "nurse". I had to nip to the loo but came back as she was placing a large padded allevyn over the wound.
The allevyn had been cut with non sterile scissors. With apparently a swab under it in/on the ulcer. The "nurse" then picked up some micropore tape off the floor and tore off a strip placed the tape on the floor again, and wrapped the torn part round the leg and dressing. She did this about 6 times again no gloves and placing the tape onto the floor between each go.
My Mum and l were bug eyed. At one point my Mum muttered that she had put the swab onto the floor before placing it directly onto my Dad's leg, under the allevyn.

I was restrained, my parents do not like fuss. I felt that my urge to let rip at the "nurse" was well controlled. I just zipped up my mouth and glared.

I stopped at my house on the way to drop the folks at home and grabbed some hand gel (antibacterial anti mrsa ani general nasty)Once at their house l gave myself a good hand wash and through gel then gelled some disposable gloves.
Using my Dads dressing that my folks take when he goes to the skin clinic. I swooshed the ulcer with a container of sterile water, placed a better dressing on his leg. As he is awaiting antibiotics (post swab earlier this morning at the ulcer clinic before the skin clinic) he should be ok.