Shift 72

Whoa.  What a shift.  Busy, busy, busy.  Started out steady, and got busier as the hours went by.  And it never stopped.  Around 1:15am, it was nearing the end of my shift, my charge nurse went on break because once I left, it was only going to be her and the 2 night nurses (we were short 1 nurse once again).  Fire rescue calls on the radio that they are on the way with a patient.  Fire rescue #2 calls on the radio.  Then, fire rescue # 3 calls on the radio that they, too, are on the way.  I was the only nurse with rooms open and I also had one patient to discharge to go home, so it made sense that I would get all 3 rescues because why give the other nurses more patients when I have hardly any and they have 4 each already.  Well, they all came within a 5 minute time frame, and the very last one that came in was a code.  That means, everyone had to drop what they're doing to come help in the code.  Meanwhile, my charge nurse is on break, and me and one of the other nurses are new ER nurses, so I started freaking out internally - ha.  However, all went well as far as handling the code, but unfortunately, the person didn't make it.  It took me until nearly 4am to catch up on my other fire rescue patients, finish the paperwork for the patient that didn't make it, and discharge one of the my patients.  It was so busy that while I normally take a break during night shift when things slow down a little, it was so busy and I didn't even get a break.  My charge nurse came back from break and wanted me to take my break, because technically, we have to take a break no matter what, but there was no way I could take one at that point, I was trying to play catch up as it was.  But its alright, I won't get into trouble for it, and if I do, not much trouble.

Anyway, I survived the shift and it was nice that I had 6 days off to follow a hectic shift like that (even though at this point, I have only 1 day left off).  I guess its the price to pay for several slow nights.

Well, thats all for now, until Wednesday.  Then I have 2 days on, 1 day off, 2 days on, 1 day off, and then 2 more days on.  It will be a busy 8 days. At then end of that crazy 8 days, I will have officially completed my first half a year as an ER nurse.  Very cool.

Until then.....