First night in a new "home"...

I don't know about you, but I hate change.  Actually, that's not completely true.  Let's call it more of a love/hate relationship.  I like the excitement of new and different things, but I'm also a creature of comfort and habits.  So tonight is my first night at the new Children's hospital.  We've been anticipating this move for awhile.  It's an absolutely beautiful hospital.  REALLY spiffy.  The thing is, not only has my space changed - my unit has changed.  I am now working with a different population of patients and a new team. Can anyone say "fish out of water"?  I went to visit my 36 peeps on their new floor -  I literally almost cried.  Not that everyone on my new unit has been AMAZING!!!! I am super lucky to have a GREAT team to work with.  Everyone has been super welcoming and nice!!  I just know my 36 peeps and the patients.  I was super happy when my charge told me I would be admitting a 5 week old with respiratory issues.  It was like going "home". 
All and all it was a good night.  Lots of asking "where is..." or "has anyone seen..." Just change and I don't seem to get along very often.  So come Friday, when I'm back for my next shift - let the growing pains continue.

This is nursing....

so, here I sit at work, only a couple hours to go and let me just say - it's been a long night.  It's been one of those shifts... Of my four patients, I think I've been successful with one, maybe 2 of them. It sucks.  Makes one feel less than competent.  The one patient that was supposed to be my smooth sailing patient, hasn't been and vice versa for my more complicated. "Smooth Sailing" was supposed to go home today after a long stay - however, things happened and now they get to stay at least a day, if not 2. Understandably, they're disappointed and frustrated.  Don't get me wrong, they have been nothing but pleasant and kind to me, I just feel as if I keep failing at being their nurse. I hate that. And "Complicated" has been easy as pie, calls me Miss Nicole and thanks me for EVERYTHING.  Not kidding. Just goes to show that no matter what you think when you look at your assignment or how you feel at the beginning of your shift - you might find yourself at 5:53 in the morning longing for your shift to be over and your head to be on a pillow.  And that my friends, is nursing.






PS - I came in tonight and "Smooth Sailing" was able to go home...