Mechanically Challenged

One of our patients went without oxygen for some time because the respiratory therapist forgot to hook the patient back up to oxygen after a treatment. That didn't surprise me; there's nothing unusual about that. What I can't understand is why my coworker took so long to figure out why the patient was blue. She even tried flushing the oxygen tubing (don't ask). Finally, in a flash of brilliance, she noticed that the oxygen wasn't connected.


A few of our IV poles have electrical outlets attached to them which is the greatest idea. In an old hospital like ours, there are never enough outlets. Who knew back when the hospital was built that someday we would have all of this equipment and that all of it would have to be plugged in? The existing four plugs per bed is a joke.

So, although the electrical outlet strip is a great idea, I've noticed one problem. My coworkers keep plugging the strip's electrical cord into its own outlets. With nothing plugged into the wall, none of the equipment works or the re-chargeable batteries die quickly. If nothing is plugged into the wall, where do they think the power is coming from? Sometimes I wonder about my coworkers.