Night Nurse Haiku

[Kitiger, RN]

Haiku: A form of Japanese poetry with 17 syllables in three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables.

DON'T WAKE HIM UP

Oximeter probe

Wrapped and taped around his toe

That has to come off

Fell asleep at nine

Mom says do not wake him up

He'll be up all night

Assessment finished

He didn't know I was there

Something's going right

Eleven O'clock

It's been on the toe two hours

Something has to give

Silence the alarm

That would surely wake him up

And we don't need that

Warm hands, gentle touch

Peel it off so carefully

He is still asleep

Sore, angry red toe

Easily compressed and burned

He's still asleep though

Silence the alarm

One minute isn't so long

Let's not wake him up

Wrap the probe on foot

Better circulation there

And he's still asleep!