Peds floor. Four-year-old who has screamed every single time I walked in the room for three days. Not crying, screaming. Hiding under the blanket. Mom apologizing constantly.
Tonight I walked in and she held her arm out for the BP cuff before I even said anything. Then she told me the cuff was 'giving her arm a hug.' Mom's eyes got a little watery and honestly so did mine.
Nothing about it will show up in a chart anywhere. But that's going to carry me through the rest of this week. What's the tiny thing that's been carrying you lately?
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Post replyOur child life specialist taught me to let them put the cuff on a stuffed animal first, then on themselves. Most of the screaming is about having zero control. Give them a little and it changes everything. Also stealing the hug line.
Love this for you. Meanwhile my tiny thing this week was the Pyxis not jamming once in a 12. That's where the bar is on my unit right now.
Did you do anything different that day, or did she just decide you were okay? Asking because I've got a 3yo on day two of the blanket fort routine and I'm running out of ideas.
LTC here. Resident with advanced dementia hasn't said my name in months. Tuesday I walked in with her 0600 meds and she said 'there's my girl.' She probably thought I was someone else. I don't care.
Gentle pushback on the 'won't show up in a chart' part. Put it in your notes. Something like 'pt now cooperative with VS, calls the cuff a hug' tells the next nurse exactly what's working. Night shift on peds would kill for that kind of handoff.
The cuff is giving her arm a hug. I am not tearing up at the nurses station, you are.