This has been a glorious week!

Of the four days I was originally scheduled to work this week, I've only done one and a half.

I was unexpectedly called on Wednesday to see if I wanted the day off. Hell yeah!

On Thursday, I was given the opportunity to go home after 4 hours. Hell yeah!

And today, I called to see if there was any chance they were overstaffed and didn't need me. Ask and ye shall receive!


Thursday was a fuckwad of a hard day. We only had 4 RNs on the floor because our census was low. According to Papa, that means that we technically only need one RN to be both Charge and Break Relief. I dunno if he's ever tried to do both at the same time, but it is *not* safe.

As Charge, you're the one who does the assignments and works with the house supervisor to figure out beds and nurses for incoming and outgoing patients. As Break Relief, you are to take over a nurse's patients during her scheduled breaks, and care for them as if they were your own.

This is nearly impossible when you've go the House Sup calling you every 10 minutes asking if you have a new bed available. Especially when you technically don't have any nurses to take patients yet, but you will after 1900 when the Night crew comes in, so you have to try to plan for the future. Meanwhile one of the patients is desatting to the mid 70s and the alcohol withdrawal pt with a history of seizure is complaining of a headache and needs pain medication. And the calls keep coming in. 84 year old with syncope from ED. Transfer of small bowel obstruction from stepdown. Pt coming from post-op who had an anaesthesia complication.

I dunno what dumbass came up with the rules, but he obviously hasn't ever tried to do 6 things at once, safely, before.

By the time 1900 rolled around, I was ready to throw my phone out the window and rip off the head of the next person who asked *anything* of me. Technically everyone got their breaks, and the assignment did get done (3 times.... every time I thought I was done, I got the call for another pt coming in). But it was more stress than the extra 5% an hour is worth.


When I got today off, I decided not to be a lazy bastard and went on a 9 mile bike ride with my boyfriend. It was awesome. I think my goal is to go on a ride at least 2x/week. One of the girls at work is 3 months pregnant and still skinnier than me... this must be dealt with.

Wish me luck!