Ticking Time

Time....it just keeps ticking....

However, my schedule allows me to enjoy so much.  I realize for the second summer in a row I am able to do so much during the week, on weekends, etc because of the nursing schedule.  I am very fortunate that I make my own schedule.   I think back to Monday, I was able to wake up and overlook a lake with a beautiful golf course and network with many people while my family and friends were stuck in buildings working.  

While my friends are all working 9-5 type jobs during the week I am out enjoying the park, the beach, etc.  It is so nice to only have to schedule myself three nights a week which is even better than days because I can still do stuff during the day and work when most people are sleeping.  A nursing schedule is a gift that I will never take for granted.

Working midnights you learn to live on 2-3-4 hours of sleep.  When I am working I do not know what 6 hours of sleep is.  Therefore, it makes it easier to stay up after work and get things done if needed.  

I always dreamed of working heme onc clinic and there is a position available but I don't think I could ever go full time 5 days a week.  I really enjoy the ability to only work 3 nights a week and have 4 days/nights off!!  

I give so many people credit who work 9-5 because they miss out on a lot of events that happen during the days/weeks.  You guys truly are special people.  

Love makes the world go 'round

Last night I walked into a room to talk to a nurse and one of my favorite babies happened to be in there.  I have been with him a large majority of his hospital stay in the NICU and PICU and he has grown on me so much.  I figured him out and when others couldn't get him calmed down and out of his storming episodes I just cuddled and loved him and he was fine for me.  The nurse let me know that his mom hadn't been up there and that it was almost to the point where courts will chose to let him go peacefully.  I became sad because he's going to die in his crib alone....well not alone but what are the chances that the nurse will want to hold him while he passes or even has time for him?

This afternoon I was talking to my friend and told him I am probably going up to work later to hold my lil dude if he is taken off life support today so that he has someone (honestly I would adopt him if he was going to live) and an idea came to me.

Why not start a group of volunteers who is like an on call service that comes and sits with patients when they are passing away that has no family?  I know there are chaplains and clergy but sometimes they cannot be there or they are overwhelmed and budget does not allow them to be.  I would not need any money to fund this, it would just be people like you and I with hearts who care.

I am so overwhelmed already by the amount of people I know that want to help.  You truly are amazing people and I cannot wait to make this big!  It all starts with a thought.....

Good things come to those who wait

I have never been so excited about work in my life.

The past week I only worked 12 hours because the hospital was at a low patient census (not that many patients).  I was kind of sad because I love what I do.  Sometimes if I feel stressed or my family is being negative work is my getaway and every stressor goes away because of the kids.  Kids are amazing...I do not know how anyone could not like them.  Literally, they say anything, they aren't afraid to take risks, and they just light up your world.  So being away from them last week was kind of hard.

Today I took a shower and when I got out I saw my work number on my phone.  My face instantly sunk and I knew I was getting called off for the 8th day in a row....8 days off..yes you would be excited for that vacation, however I normally get 4 days off a week anyways so Im usually ready to go back.  I called them back and sure enough, they don't need me tonight.

I tried to think positive, and have the mentality that I worked hard in the winter and did some extra hours so if I have shorter paychecks in the summer its alright because its nice out and I mise well enjoy the weather and the money is in my savings from the winter.

After dinner I checked my phone and work had called to tell me that our director of the resource pool wanted me to train as a SpecialWorkAssignmentTeam SWAT nurse tonight.  We had this talk back in February and she had told me to get some trauma certification and my Pediatric Advanced Life Support PALS certification so that I could train as SWAT.  I was shocked because I had only been there a few months and SWAT is a big deal.  They help out the whole hospital.  Main focus is the ED where they will do an admission intake on all patients being admitted and transport patients up to the floor and move the flow of traffic in the ED (which is one of my favorite units) but also to go around to all the floors and assist with IV starts when the IV team is gone, or putting NG's down, blood draws, etc.  My kind of  nursing.  So you can imagine I was a bit shocked because I do not have the experience that the other nurses do.

Teamwork  My manager pointed out that teamwork is the key to a great SWAT nurse and that every floor I trained on tried to steal me out of the float pool.  So I took her words of encouragement and got my certifications.  I anticipated in the fall or maybe next spring when we slow down to be trained, but when I got the call tonight my face lit up.

I don't think I can nap tonight before I go in because I am so excited for this opportunity.  I will have some great nurses training me and I look forward to providing CHM staff and patients some wonderful care and teamwork for many many more years to come.