[elizabells]

So my unit is way over census and understaffed. I've had an utterly ridiculous assignment the last few nights; you know, the kind of shift where when 0700 rolls around the fact that you and all your patients are still alive seems like a victory? Yesterday morning I arrived home just beat. My legs felt like the bones might shatter any minute, my lips were puffy (a weird thing that happens when I'm overtired), my hands were shaking and I just felt like hell. I went to brush my teeth, as you do, and after a few seconds I realized that something didn't taste right and my mouth felt really sticky. I looked down at my sink and discovered that I was not, in fact, brushing with toothpaste. Turns out that Crest Vivid White and Eucerin Plus Intensive Repair Hand Ointment are packaged in tubes of almost the exact same size and shape. That'll learn me to keep them next to each other on the counter.

So dish: What's the silliest thing you've ever done after a wretched night at work?

[Emmanuel Goldstein]

Pretty much anything that has to do with shopping. When I'm that tired, I've learned to drive straight home and not stop at any stores along the way... even an innocent foray into the grocery store will yield some amazing results. I awoke once to find a frig lined with those little plastic lemons and limes (the ones filled with juice). I suppose it seemed like a good idea at the time.

[VivaLasViejas]

I literally fell asleep in the bathtub. It wasn't until I slid under the water and snorfled up a noseful of it that I realized I'd totally conked out in there.

[Kirsti1181]

Originally Posted by elizabells

I went to brush my teeth, as you do, and after a few seconds I realized that something didn't taste right and my mouth felt really sticky. I looked down at my sink and realized that I was not, in fact, brushing with toothpaste. Turns out that Crest Vivid White and Eucerin Plus Intensive Repair Hand Ointment are packaged in tubes of almost the exact same size and shape. That'll learn me to keep them next to each other on the counter.

So dish: What's the silliest thing you've ever done after a wretched night at work?

My mom called me once worried because her hands were yellow and she was worried that something was wrong, even though she wasn't jaundiced anywhere else. Turns out she had been using a sample tube of tanning lotion instead of her regular hand lotion. Luckily she figured it out before going to the doctor.

[Emmanuel Goldstein]

I take showers, but have perfected sleeping standing up lol.

I would stop at the gym on my way home, and frequently fell asleep while riding the bike. Scared the crap outta the staff too.

[NurseyBaby'05]

Originally Posted by mjlrn97

I literally fell asleep in the bathtub. It wasn't until I slid under the water and snorfled up a noseful of it that I realized I'd totally conked out in there.

I do that all the time when I've been up all night. Sometimes even holding a converasation when I've been up over 24 hours yields such interesting results. Giving report or getting an evaluation is always fun. I'm sure if I hadn't been @ work all night people would assume this :biere: was how I spent mt night.

[philosophical]

I've put the milk for my daughter's evening cereal away in the pantry and the cereal in the fridge. The pantry and fridge are right next to each other. I caught myself though!

[Angie O'Plasty, RN]

Unfortunately, I was still at work.

I borrowed a Sharpie from the Tele monitor to date a 60 cc syringe for a tube feeder, my last task of the day.

Ten minutes later, I'm turning the place upside down because I cannot find the syringe.

The monitor tech found it. When I put the Sharpie back into the drawer, I threw the syringe in with it.

[Ms Kylee]

After being pulled to the stepdown unit twice in 3 days, and hating all 16 hours on that floor... (I really despise that floor)... I stopped at the mall and bought 5 pairs of Crocs....

[Jessy_RN]

I am new to nights doing 12's which turn out to 13-14 becuase understaffing. On my 4th night in a row, I came home and fell asleep against the steering wheel. I was mortified when someone woke me up to make sure I was alive. I am still embarassed but I bet my neighbors thought I was partying all night. Ugh, if they only knew..........lol