My First Night Shift

Well I have to say that even though the ride is almost an hour and a half each way, I was so glad to be able to actually see where I was going. No snow, no ice, not dark and it was a very beautiful drive.  So much to look at and once you get out of Flagstaff and down a couple of thousand feet the snow was all gone and you could actually see the terrain. Very desert like for sure.  I am hoping to be able to get some pictures this weekend as I will be off Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

I arrived for my shift at the required time of six thirty and headed to the Pediatrics Unit. I actually ran as I had to go pee so bad that I flew in the unit right past everyone and headed for the locker room!  I have been doing so well on my diet that all the extra water I have been drinking catches up with me when I least expect it.

Tonight I will worked alongside the charge nurse to learn the ropes.  We had five patients all children under the age of 2.  The hardest thing about travel jobs is learning the paperwork, taking care of the patients is not any different where you go.  I hate paperwork. I would rather spend my time given care to the patients and family then spending countless hours writing down what we did, how we did it and what we could not do. I know it is important but just aggravating.

I have found that also the cultural differences here within the Navajo and Hopi are very much different than anything I have experienced and it is interesting to learn of their customs and history. The native language is spoken so gracefully and the families are patient.  As I learn new things I will post them here not only for reference but as to share the knowledge with everyone.

After about half the shift, I felt comfortable enough to just take tow of the five patients we had on my own.  I am a very hands on and visual learner and I needed to do it for myself.  I had chosen a six month old girl with the RSV virus and a two year old girl with pneumonia.  If i did not mention previously, many of the patients we care for in this facility have no electricity, running water, indoor bathrooms or sleep on dirt floors. Many of the families have lung problems brought on by wood burning heat and there is an abundant of red cloy dust that blows everywhere.

The night went by slower than I am used to and I was very tired and my brain was on overload.  The night staff I worked with were locals and they were very nice and lots of fun. Every time another staff member from another department came through I was introduced and they all think it is funny I am from South Carolina... like I am from a foreign country.  It is refreshing that everyone is so kind and supportive of each other it makes that part of the transition to this facility a little easier. The pediatricians are very knowledgeable and care about great deal about not only their patients but to the employees they work alongside. Normally every place you work there is always a doctor or tow that is not the favorite among the staff or is more difficult to work with, here that is not the case and that says volumes.

At the end of the shift, we handed our patients to the day shift and headed out the door.  My evaluation went well and I was deemed very competent with my skills and the plan for the next shift is for me to take an entire five patients as so they can evaluate that I can handle a full load and get the paperwork under control.

As I drove home I was so exhausted I had a hard time staying awake. I am thinking the exhaustion and insomnia are kicking my butt and after a long ride home I walked in the back door, undressed and plopped right into bed only to awake three hours later!

The diet is still going well and although I still cannot stomach lentils or sweet potatoes.  I am still down another 0.8 pounds for a total of 6.4 pounds.

I am very frustrated with the wifi at my condo as it seems to work only when it wants to, disconnects all the time and it makes it hard for me to keep up with things like my facebook, journal and emails.  I may have to look into a Verizon adapter  but they are expensive almost seventy dollars per month. Although I do have the capability to use the activity center but with my schedule finding time to get there during their hours of operation is tough as well.

But can you really put a price on keeping your loved ones and friends close to you?