Pain Management Skillz

Something every nurse deals with on a regular basis is our own pain at work. Since many MANY of us are female, a good proportion of us gets cramps every month, ranging in severity from "meh" to "OH GOD WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO MEEEEE???!!!"
Since this is every month, it's not like you can take work off. Ergo, especially on a busy surgical floor, you can be treating all sorts of people in pain while you, yourself, are in pain. This can lead to issues, and a good deal of frustration. For example:

the person whose surgery was 2 months ago, re-admitted for high ostomy output, demanding narcs and REFUSING to walk "all the way to the kitchen" (a whopping 40 feet) to get their own juice. Because "i have cramps, and it HURTS". You get them their juice, and try REALLY REALLY hard not to say "CRAMPS??? I HAVE THOSE, AND HAVE NOT GOTTEN TO SIT DOWN ALL DAY! GET YOUR OWN DAMN JUICE!"

The narcotics werent a bad idea, since the point was to reduce ostomy output, but narcotics for CRAMPS??? eek! try a heat pack, like the one i just made you, that i wished i could make for myself, and curl up with the juice and the nice hot tea i got for you, and watch a movie. One of us should, and apparently it isn't going to be me! :-p