This month brought me to Glenaire, a retirement community that has 3 levels of service, independent, assisted living and skilled nursing (nursing home). Since I always thought I would like long-term care I was looking forward to some experience in the field. I wasn't expecting an experience like this though...
Our "office" which I will be reffering to as our closet (because that is what it was before it became the clinical pharmacy) is very small. In it fits Dr. Peoples, my preceptor, and two other students, Keri and Crystal. The closet is located at the end of one of the skilled nursing halls. One day I came back to my office to find one of the residents seated in my chair. This resident has dementia and is usually not all there if you know what I mean. So I decided to go get a coke and hopefully she would be gone by the time I got back.
Upon my return she was still there chattin' it up with Crystal, Keri, Dr. Peoples and two nurses. They were all trying to convince her that she needed to go back to the lounge. So when I showed up they used the excuse, "BJ needs his chair." This actually worked, however, as she was on her way out of the closet the nurse asked her, "Do you know what BJ stands for?" I was bracing for the worst as this isn't the best question to ask some people but her reply made us all roll with laughter. She looked at the nurse with contempt at having been asked such a silly question and replied, "It stands for Bull S*@%!" Needless to say that story made it around the whole facility and has become the theme of the month for us. Dr. Peoples and the other students like to come up with other things that BJ could stand for such as, Big Stinker (where they got that one I don't know) and other such nonsense. This makes for a fun game during our down time (not that we have down time).
Despite the unusual meanings that have been suggested for BJ, I have really enjoyed working in this long-term care facility and think I might look into this as a career. Old people are on a lot of meds and it provides many opportunities to teach them about their meds as well as suggest changes that can greatly improve their lives. 2 down seven more to go.
4 comments:
I am confused. It is BJ not BS. Am I missing something? I can understand the resident making that mistake but your coworkers?
Woohoo! We found your blog! Hilarious story, by the way. I wonder if swearing comes with dementia...I volunteered at a nursing home back in college, and let me tell you, those were the most "colorful" games of Uno I've ever played.
i understand this has nothing to do with the post- i am a dork for not calling you when i was in NC- but it was a crazy trip the first week i spent either in a hospital or dr. office, ending in a small dose of chemo. once the throwing up stopped i had a great last 5 days- and shouldn't be needing anymore chemo. ugh though! i really should have called you. i was in jacksonville- you know the USMC base? it was weird- every guy there was really in shape. i kept telling my sister in law, "it is so weird, there are no fat people like in texas." i do love texans though.
yes- my father now gives out navy pens (he calls them flag pens) and two dollar bills- you could be making bank if you were to run into him.
is that some cheese i see hanging off of bj's beard in "the patriarch" picture.
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