Nonstop Night.

Crazy busy night tonight. It was STAT reg, after STAT reg.

We had some poor 20-yr-old kid brought in who was trying to repair his gas heater when it blew up in his face; he was brought in by EHS,intubated with 70% burns.
Charred flesh has a very distinct smell.
Although, on the news they had him as a 39-yr-old male; it is funny how often they get their facts wrong.

Right before I left we also had some sweet 95-yr-old lady GCS <9, brought in from a care home, who had been given an incorrect dosage of meds; poor gal.

Luckily we were fully staffed, so the load was manageable. Off to bed, so I can do it all over again tomorrow!

A Memorable Night.

Last night in the wait room together were patient's, doctors, nurses, paramedics, all watching in hushed silence Barack Obama's acceptance speech. A sense of history in the making was in the air.

Of course, as soon as it was over, the channel immediately got switched over to the hockey game. I love Canada...and I proceed to go back and deal with our favourite drug-seeking, smelly, belligerent homeless guy, whose last name "Swampy" I find very fitting.

Working the Nighshift

16 hours is a long shift, especially if working overnight.

Last Saturday, I worked my first ever night shift. I got the call from work, as I was heading out the door, that the night clerk was sick and they needed me to extend my shift, although I was hesitant I knew my bank account would thank me, so I accepted.

I came to work prepared with a large cup of tea, and a Red Bull. Everything was as per usual for my regular 3 pm to 11 pm shift. I have to admit it was sad seeing my regular collegues leave to go home at 11pm, knowing I still had another 9 hrs ahead of me, being the lone admitting clerk.

Of course I had to accept to work a shift during the daylight savings time change...so I didn't work 8 extra hours, I worked 9. There is something very depressing about watching a whole hour of work vanish right before your eyes!

For my first ever night shift, it wasn't that terrible. I like the atmosphere on nights, things usualy die down around 3 am, so you get to sit around and talk to the nurses and doctors; also time goes by fast because I always had someone to admit ( being the only clerk). I caught a quick snooze from 2-3 am, on the couches in the hallway outside of CT scan. I had first tried to sleep in the nurses lounge, but a few of them were watching "The Mummy".

By the time it reached 5 am, 7 am could not come soon enough! I was feeling very gruby ( even though I had already brushed my teeth once during the night ). My mascara was smuged, and my hair was doing its own thing, after being slept on!!

Luckily we were fairly busy from 5-7 am. I have never been so happy to see the 7 am shift relief in my life!! I called a taxi home ( there was no way I was taking a bus...I was too afraid of falling asleep and missing my stop).

My delightful boyfriend has woken up early to cook my a hearty breakfast of eggs bacon and toast, which I wolffed down, showered and then promptly fell asleep.

It was nice to know that I am capable of working 16 hours overnight with becoming a total mess, but it is not something I plan on making a routine.