No, seriously.
Let it Pour.
Oh, that sweet, dark, caffeine filled drink.
I definitely slept 12 hours last night.
After working 2 back to back night shifts.
48 hours - only 8 of which I slept.
My body was making up for lost time.
And today, it's thanking me.
And I have not gotten out of my pajamas.
yet.
For my last 13.5 hour shift - with 4 patients - 2 that didn't feel the urge to sleep the night away - kept me jumping from one task to the next.
Oh, yeah!
And I forgot to mention I was on my own; sans preceptor.
We were short a nurse. My preceptor had to be the charge nurse too.
It made me feel awesome because they told me, "we feel like you're self sufficient enough to be okay on your own and if you need help, you can ask anyone".
That's big.
I jumped right in because some of them needed immediate care.
Then I got all my meds till about midnight.
Passed out meds and did assessments on everyone.
It was a busy night.
Not overwhelming, but steady.
And I was never completely left to my own - there was always someone there willing to help and answer my questions.
It was a great experience for September when I'm officially off orientation.
Adventures of a night shift nurse ;)
I love the night shift.
I love the atmosphere.
The semi-darkened, empty halls.
The quiet stillness of people sleeping.
Looking out the windows of a patient's room and seeing the night -
and here lately, the steady rain falling in rivulets down their windows reflecting the lights out front.
I love our night nurse techs - and so far, all the nurses I've worked with at night have been so great.
I really lucked out.
Good floor.
Good people.
Good hours.
Great opportunities ahead.
I'm learning so much and starting to feel better about the things that I do.
I love people. I love working with people.
Even when they are not in their right minds, and when they're hurting so much, all they can do is pant and chant the same things over and over again. Even when I'm running from their rooms to the med room every hour or two to keep them comfortable. Even when they save all their wants and needs until that one moment I stick my head in the door to check on them in the middle of the night. Even when their family members hover and insist and control their parents/children/significant others.
I'm their advocate.
Because when they say, Thank You for all you've done {and even if they don't}, I know that I've done things for them that they couldn't do for themselves.
That is my job.
This is what I chose to do.
And this is what I will continue doing for as long as I can.
And to think... I never said, "I want to be a nurse when I grow up"
Never, not even once.
So until my body adjusts to being up all night.
And sleeping until mid afternoon.
I'll drink coffee during times when normally it would keep me up all night.
Because that's actually what I'm hoping for.
i like this:
Let it Pour.
Oh, that sweet, dark, caffeine filled drink.
I definitely slept 12 hours last night.
After working 2 back to back night shifts.
48 hours - only 8 of which I slept.
My body was making up for lost time.
And today, it's thanking me.
And I have not gotten out of my pajamas.
yet.
For my last 13.5 hour shift - with 4 patients - 2 that didn't feel the urge to sleep the night away - kept me jumping from one task to the next.
Oh, yeah!
And I forgot to mention I was on my own; sans preceptor.
We were short a nurse. My preceptor had to be the charge nurse too.
It made me feel awesome because they told me, "we feel like you're self sufficient enough to be okay on your own and if you need help, you can ask anyone".
That's big.
I jumped right in because some of them needed immediate care.
Then I got all my meds till about midnight.
Passed out meds and did assessments on everyone.
It was a busy night.
Not overwhelming, but steady.
And I was never completely left to my own - there was always someone there willing to help and answer my questions.
It was a great experience for September when I'm officially off orientation.
Adventures of a night shift nurse ;)
I love the night shift.
I love the atmosphere.
The semi-darkened, empty halls.
The quiet stillness of people sleeping.
Looking out the windows of a patient's room and seeing the night -
and here lately, the steady rain falling in rivulets down their windows reflecting the lights out front.
I love our night nurse techs - and so far, all the nurses I've worked with at night have been so great.
I really lucked out.
Good floor.
Good people.
Good hours.
Great opportunities ahead.
I'm learning so much and starting to feel better about the things that I do.
I love people. I love working with people.
Even when they are not in their right minds, and when they're hurting so much, all they can do is pant and chant the same things over and over again. Even when I'm running from their rooms to the med room every hour or two to keep them comfortable. Even when they save all their wants and needs until that one moment I stick my head in the door to check on them in the middle of the night. Even when their family members hover and insist and control their parents/children/significant others.
I'm their advocate.
Because when they say, Thank You for all you've done {and even if they don't}, I know that I've done things for them that they couldn't do for themselves.
That is my job.
This is what I chose to do.
And this is what I will continue doing for as long as I can.
And to think... I never said, "I want to be a nurse when I grow up"
Never, not even once.
So until my body adjusts to being up all night.
And sleeping until mid afternoon.
I'll drink coffee during times when normally it would keep me up all night.
Because that's actually what I'm hoping for.
i like this: