First "night shift "charge....

[timonrn]

They can't hurt me anymore!! Anyways, tell me if this sounds familiar to you charges out there--NEVER been oriented to noc charge--just 7-3 and 3-11. Goes like this: Start with 4 pts of my own; start assinments for days with 5 staffing holes already; assign two new ob pts (one who promptly faints upon transfer); help another floor set up our breast pump (the suction goes where?)to a staff member who speaks little english; get ER admit who needs to be fully admited-take her myself; AM c/s comes in at 0600 to be admitted; L&D wants to bring out their pt to us but the room is dirty and housekeeping is all down in the first level moping up a major sprinkler break at the moment; (guess how many times L&D called me if the room was ready yet--if you said 8 you were close--);listen to the fire alarm ring for a full five minutes due to aformentioned sprinkler break, waking all of my pts at 0330; build new-style care plan inplemented by some one with not enough to do; take my first ill call-a preceptor of course, so now I have 6 holes AND now a newly oriented nurse w/o a preceptor; change their assignments--yes, I'll take the NA to help the day staff atleast stay afloat w/ vitals, etc. (then lose NA, of course--someone needs her more); thank my lucky stars that at least we have nursing students who will each take one pt from each of the staff; track down a pt that one of the students swears she followed the day before (no such name in the whole hospital)and by the way, wonder if I was so anal as a student that I was at the hospital at 0530 for my clinicals--AND finally, fill 4 out of my six holes and to be told "there is no more staff for you--do what you can". It just doesn't get any better than this--all for one extra dollar an hour, YEAH, BABY!

[Iris in the morning]

And we do our best, and keep coming back for more because we love what we do, and know that the patients need us.

God bless you and keep you focused on what really counts.