Tooting My Own Horn

Not often do I write much about my job, but today I am going to.  After a potentially horrible night last night, I left work feeling amazingly refreshed and validated. 

First, for some background.  The night before last night was hell.  I wasn't there, but the report on all the kids was not good.  There was a yelling match in the hall that could have let to a fist fight.  There was a seclusion and there were 2 episodes of restraining kids.  One of whom stayed in restraints throughout the entire night.  Beyond that, the potential of several of the other kids to "go off" is quite high as well. 

So report, where we get our assignments for the evening, was stressful and uncertain.  We were starting out our shift being two staff short and another staff working only from 3-7 and this staff had never even worked on our floor before, so basically we were 3 staff short.  Our charge nurse was in charge of the whole unit, passed out medications, was answering phones, and would have had to deal with any admits had we not been able to divert them elsewhere.  Two other coworkers were assigned 1:1 patients so their primary duty was making sure their patients stayed in control.  That left me with the daunting task of making sure the evening programming and patient care went as smoothly as possible.

In addition to that, I had 4 patients assigned to me, but it really was more like 7 since the other staff left at 7:00.  This was a heavy load even on a regular day, but this is my assignment on a double.  Actually it was my eighth shift in only five days.  The night could not have gone more smoothly.  Teamwork was a must, and its nights like this that I appreciate every single person I work with.  The kids were pretty decent overall and groups went without a hitch.  I must say that throwing in a movie out of laziness and using the excuse of being short staffed did cross my mind, but I didn't even do that.  In fact, I did a group involving scissors which is always a gamble when working with teens who cut.

By the end of the night I felt good about my group topic (anxiety/panic attacks), my group project (collage), and my patience when dealing with all of the soul sucking kids we have on the unit right now. 

Then the coolest thing happened.

At the end of the night, the teenagers said some very validating things to me.  One said, "You know what I like about it here?  I like that we feel cared about". 

Another said, "Yeah, and how do you work so much and still stay perky and happy?  How come you aren't crabby?"

And another said, "You work a lot.  You must like your job if you are here so much".

It was so validating that the very people I work so hard for took notice.  Not always do the patients take notice of  how much I really do enjoy it.  Its nights like this that I remember why I do what I do and it makes one whole week of hell all worth it.