Last night, I HAD to stay awake watching my twitter feed to catch the "first" picture of Angie and Todd's baby Charlotte. It may be pathetic, but true, and I didn't turn my phone off until midnight...and she is super cute :) (I talked to Angie back in October when she was here and with a quick little math, I suppose that means I "met" Charlotte then too...I like knowing that :) ) Since I was scheduled to work today, I knew it would be a short night, but decided I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing there were going to be cute new baby pictures coming if I could just stay awake a LITTLE later than usual!
Well, I didn't realize HOW short of night it was going to be! My phone rang at 4:45 to let me know it was my turn to stay home again. Unbelievable! In case you are counting, today is May 20. I was called off last Friday, the 16th. That was a tough day! I also got called off ten days before that, on May 6. While I was able to go to the zoo with my sister and nephew, it was still tough. I was forced to stay home at least three other times this year...not fun at all!
However...
there was a catch.
A hospital in the same "health system" as my hospital just opened its doors on Monday. Since it was a brand new place with many new nurses to the system, they needed some extra people to help "hold hands", "be cheerleaders", and calm the frustration that can come from computer charting, bar code medication administration, and new work-flow. For the past two days, nurses had been given the option to go work there instead of being forced to stay home and have it count as their "day off". I was supposed to be there at 6:30, but I was ALL for that option. So, even though I was very tired as I got ready for work this morning, I was counting my blessings that I was given the opportunity to work today, even though I had no clue what was in store for me.
I actually had a really good day. I found my spot in the Emergency Department and spend the day there helping the unit clerk put in orders, discharge patients, and occasionally help with work-flow issues (I was supposed to be there for computer issues only, but it was hard not to speak up about different processes and the way we do things on my floor.) I have never spent time in an ED, so that was really interesting! It isn't a "trauma center", but we did have three or four patients arrive by ambulance. A couple patients went to the ICU, a few to the floor. There were some pediatric patients, a patient who left AMA, and a patient who decided her desire to smoke was worse than her abdominal pain (it is an entirely smoke-free campus). It was definitely a different kind of day, but I enjoyed myself and the people in my area.
Mid-to-late day, I found out that today would NOT count as my "day off", so it seems there is a strong possibility I will be forced to stay home at least once before my vacation. The previous nurses were also misinformed which stinks, but it is what it is...and I'm glad that I had the opportunity before they "changed the rules". (By the "new rules", I would have been forced to stay home from work today using the last bit of my PTO with no option to get hours somewhere else.)
I felt completely out-of-the-loop today, though, because where they built the hospital does not have a nearby tower for my cell phone provider yet. So, my phone had zero service in the hospital. I didn't have access to my email, twitter, or text messages all day long. I worked from 6:40-7:45, so it was a LONG day! I did call my work a couple of times trying to get things figured out and also called to talk to my mom this afternoon, but that was about it.
It was a nice change of pace, although I DO miss "my people" from my floor (it feels like it has been a REALLY long time since I worked three shifts on my unit!) I offered to go back to this hospital tomorrow, but it all depends on how they decide to do things tonight/tomorrow. I may go work a few hours on Saturday there (with any "luck", that will be much appreciated overtime!) and if I get forced to stay home on Sunday, I may try and sneak in a few hours over there, even though that may not be "kosher".
Well, my short night (and the first day of working all week!) is catching up to me and I'm super sleepy. I think I pulled a muscle in my neck during my softball game, but it is starting to feel better, thank goodness, but resting should help that too. (I tried using a heavier bat to see if I could hit the ball farther...not so much when you can't get the bat all the way around...ha!)
Time to sleep.
Good night.
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