Scheduling Wars

I was hired years ago at the hospital as an 'evening' per diem. Meaning, I let the scheduler know my availability, I am schedule me the days I am needed, not necessarily all of the days I list. In my initial interview, the nurse manager assured me, in response to my concerns, that almost never would I be required to work later that 1930 (seven thirty p.m. for you non-military time types). I was open about my late evening fatigue and distractedness, a by product of injured muscles and Fibromyalgia.

For the years since my hiring, I am home by 1830, often by 1630 or 1730. Suddenly, after a few nurses took maternity leave or, in one case a leave of absence, in another outright resignation, the per diems have been tapped to fill the gaps. Two of us are suddenly scheduled for late starts (afternoons) and late endings (2200, often). Evenings? Suddenly, that is looking a lot like nights. And, I can tell you, my 50+ year old body doesn't like it. In my younger days, I tried late shifts several times, and never could hack them. Well, that ain't gonna change now.

Additionally, from four day weeks, I have some five day weeks scheduled, against my wishes.

Okay, what to do? I have to look out for myself and my health. So, for the first time, I have become a 'circle the wagons' employee. Use me once, shame on you. Use me again, shame on me. So, I simply put down fewer available days. I would be willing to come in more, but not when I work for a unit that can rearrange my days by six or seven hours without speaking to me or regarding the schedule I have come to expect, based on a precedence of years.

I hate that I have to think like this; to find a way to protect myself, to resort to checks and balances, to end games and punishment. But, as an older and wiser person, I accept that it is what it is, and will look out for me and mine. Another team player goes down in disillusionment...

Nurses Are Understanding And Tolerant

We have to be. We get told the most incredible stuff. We are expected to do the most intimate and icky stuff for people. We are expected to deal with folks at their most vulnerable, grumpy, juicy and unlovable and still treat everyone the same, with dignity and respect. We are yelled at, hit, treated with condescension, and mistaken for maids or waitresses.

But, we keep doing our jobs. Because we know what some of our patients don't. We know that nursing has evolved over the years to a complex, thinking, analytical career that places us where the real eyes and ears of patient care belong, and where the first catches are made that head off impending doom, and that is the bedside. We know that the knowledge in our heads and the assessments we make from the moment we lay eyes on our patient can and do save lives.

I have wondered if education in advance of planned surgery or hospitalization would help change the attitudes and behavior of those that are disrespectful and rude to nurses, something like a patient education note on 'how to interact with your health care professionals'. I think some people just see nurses as 'helpers' to the doctors, not realizing that we have entirely different scopes of practice and areas of expertise. In fact, doctors often ask the nurses for not only their opinion and help, but for any orders the nurse can think of for the patient to complete their care, orders that the nurse will carry out. Meaning WE often tell the doctors what we will need to assure thorough, safe and complete care. Bet most folks didn't know that.

And I bet most folks coming in for a surgery don't realize that the nurses that care for them after the surgery are considered critical care nurses, some of the best, most skilled and educated in the business. That those nurses are some of only two or three units of nurses in the hospital that can and do administer vasoactive, paralytic and sedating drugs at their discretion. We have a broad standing order base that allows us to give prompt, complex care for unstable patients.

So, I think a 'please' or 'thank you' or smile would be nice once in a while. Remember:

Your nurse is here to save your ass, not kiss it!

Stop being an ass; your nuts are gone...

My horse is acting like an ass. So much so I don't even feel like riding him.

You see, I was nice enough to get a friend's horse to come here to stay with him so he would have a pasture buddy, and wouldn't be alone. The friend brought a mare, a dominant, possessive, snippy little 14 hander that rules the roost. And poor dumb Cruz is beginning to act like a stallion, screaming and snorting when he is away from her. And he has no 'nads, zero, zip, de-macho-ized. Criminy, can the memory of long ago baby testosterone be enough to make him a jerk? Apparently so.

'Course, she is screaming and snorting and pounding along the fence in a fury to ..."get right back here, you hear me?" He is not even worth riding in this state.

I have always been irritated at the folks who show up for rides and horse functions with poorly behaved, snorting, asshole horses, and yet, this is what I have right now.

My plan is to get the mare back to her home, and allow Cruz to be alone, with just me for company. I will work on the interdependence, the friendship, and respect. Then, I think our new relationship can get off to a new, nicer start. Cross your fingers...