PsychLPN2000

When I do get down time, I like to read, surf the net, or talk w/my coworkers. I work 12 hour shifts so my first 4-6 hours are usually pretty busy so it's nice to chill out for a while before waking everyone up. If some patients happen to get up, I'll talk to them until they get bored or tired and go back to bed. Now that I'm back in school, I love the downtime since I can get my studying/assignments done. I've never knitted at work for fear that a patient would try to take the needles and stab me with them (I don't sit in the nsg. station, I'm out on the unit). It's happened w/inkpens before so I don't press my luck!

Wow you're lucky to get a pine tree on the unit. We have a 3ft fake one that patients are unable to get to. The decorations are lacking. We've had a lot of issues here lately so needless to say a tree is a no-no. We do have a large area on the wall that we covered w/paper and made snowballs for people to write on(goals, names, whatever) and made a snowman w/"snow" made out of tissue paper and cut out snowflakes. For the most part our decorations are few and far inbetween. Most of the decorating has been done in our report room (which patients can't see) and a few things are scattered about in the nsg. station. We try to be as fesitive as possible but most of the good decorations aren't allowed d/t potential hazzard. Very frustrating. What little decorating is done, the patients enjoy it. Gives most something positive to look foward to.