Going to sleep at 12 midnight and waking up at quarter after 4 in the morning is the usual occurrence after my bouts of two to three straight nights duty. Having difficulty going to sleep and staying asleep are some of the events that I am going through right now. It's not that I'm having problems to think of that keeps me awake, it's just that my biological clock is so screwed up.
Graveyard duty is fun (for me though). I get to see the change in mentation of my demented patients. Sun down syndrome is the usual scenario during my night duty. However other routines includes preparing the patient to bed, assisting them with their activities of daily living (ADL), cleaning them up - changing their diapers soaked with urine and/or sometimes (most of the time) with feces for the very sick and debilitated patients, turning patients to sides regularly, suctioning copious respiratory secretions, giving night pills and injections and hanging those essential antibiotics and other IV medicines, getting admissions from the emergency department are some of the usual activities that happens during the night shift aside of course from watching those heart rhythms in the telemetry monitors for the whole night.
Night duty can be rough or smooth depending on how you see things. There are many surprises for the whole 12-hour shift. I have to prepare myself and consider every difficulties, pressures, and emergencies as challenges. I always consider those things as an exciting learning experiences - positive thinking that's where my paradigm usually is. I am only human and of course there are instances that get into my nerves but I do not drown myself in it. There are other patients that need me. What keeps me in focus when I feel things is not going right is that I stop and gather myself together then start anew.
Nurses have these strange multiple personalities as we take care of sick persons, we can't be the same person always when we deal with different patients but of course not to the point of being schizophrenic (right?). We deal with them according to their personalities and needs. Most of the time we set aside our own problems and feelings just to take good care of these people. Truly, nurses are compassionate and selfless people.
Taking care of the sick is an opportunity to touch lives. I may not transform them to be a better person but at least I imparted myself to them. Working for me is not always about money, it is also about giving myself and finding meaning in what I am doing.
Going back to my circadian rhythm - I'm not complaining, I'm just trying to share my thoughts with you about what I do and what I enjoyed doing. This is my nurse adventure. I hope you have yours too.
No comments:
Post a Comment