Nilknarf Journal

Saturday, 04 July, 1998 08:02

Work.
Last night started out pretty shitty, then it got worse... and worse... and worse.

Our ICU is full, has been all this week. 16 beds, 1 through 17, leaving 13 out. All full of sick sick people. Then... along comes more sick people. Then... move the least sick people to the floors, put the new sick people in their rooms. Oops... more sick people coming in the door.

For me, it was just hard work up until about 03:00. Then, as our ED doctor described it, the cluster-fuck began.

I've mentioned before how everyone responds so beautifully in a crisis... everything just goes click-click-click? Remember that? Well, it didn't happen tonight. Objects of great importance we not where they were supposed to be... the patient didn't respond the way she was supposed to... the whole thing was frustrating for everyone.

And it still turned out all right... just a lot of additional stress.

And the patients kept coming in... all night long.

And I wound up having to do 13 portable chest films in the unit, I think that's a record.

I finally got caught up with my paperwork at 07:30 and headed home. I feel like I've been beaten... and I have to be at work at 19:00 tonight and do it all... over... again.

O'yeah! Have a happy and safe 4th! This greeting is aimed primarily at people residing in the USA, but the rest of you do the same... have a safe an happy 4th, just like you do every other day.

Life is wonderful!