I'll see you in the ICU!

already loving nights

Well, after trying to switch my sleep over to days and life to nights (unsuccessfully!) I went off to work last night at 11 pm and was surprised that I wasn't the least bit tired and the night flew by.

I was lucky in that the patient census is down, so I only got one patient. I was upset that Marie, my preceptor, informed me that I'd have to take the admission if there was one, but from her facial expression, she gave me that it wasn't her decision, that that came from higher sources and that she felt bad about it.

I told her I was feeling like "higher sources" were trying to pressure me to quit by treating me this way, which she denied--I told her I didn't feel I was actually learning anything "acute care" but rather How to juggle paperwork for two patients all day long.

The night crew, as everyone told me, was way cooler, way more mellow, way friendlier, and super awesome. The other orientee, Andrea (a former traveler nurse with 2 years ER experience) was also there and she was very supportive and offered lots of advice. The other nurses were keen on planning thanksgiving eve dinner together, a potluck, and then a celebratory going out together to celebrate my and Andrea's arrival to nights. How cool is that? The other nurses on days purposely excluded me from conversations when I tried to join in. "oh, is that your new place?" I'd ask with interest as one of them was showing another pictures of a living room on the computer.

"No."
(silence)
and then back to talking to the other nurse about the pictures.

Not, "no, this is a place i'm thinking of buying..." or "No, this is a picture a contractor sent me of his work because I'm thinking of hiring him." Nothing but 'get the fuck out of this conversation.'

The night crew was full of opinions about the day staff and all I could do is smile and say "ya know...I....I can't talk bad about people"

But they knew I knew whom they were talking about, or what they were saying.

The day staff came on at 7 and didn't say hello. I left for the day and wished them all a good day and the only person to answer was one of the night staff that still remained.

Good ridance, bitches. Take your strangeness and be gone.
Nights rock.
Now all I have to worry about are the codes.

posted by sketchmonkey @ 4:15 PM