My Vacation in Neuro Heaven

I got pulled to another floor for the first time last night. You'd think in almost a year I would have been pulled by now, but because our cencus is rarely low and because our staffing usually sucks (usually low), I hadn't had the opportunity.

First of all, no one really every wants to get pulled. For me it occured in the middle of my shift...11pm. By that time I had already done my assessments and charted on my patients and to turn around and get pulled to another floor and do all the assessments and charting again on a whole other team is crappy. BUT....it was surprisingly nice. I was pulled to a neuro unit. There were no drains, no tubes, no surgical incisions...wow. It was like being in Oz. I didn't hear anyone screaming, no Mary alarms....I couldn't believe the quietness that was neuro! I had a pt with a migraine, one with a hematoma on her eyebrow from a fall, another with a stitch to his head and one who'd had a lumbar fusion who was up walking the halls all night like it was no big deal. I passed 3 meds and did 2 chemstrips in 8 hours. Ahhhhhhh.....it was like a little vacation from the jungle that is med-surg.

I'd always heard that a pull from our floor is likened to a vacation. But I never really believed it. You get in your comfort zone on your floor. You have a routine and know where everything is, but what I realized is that it's not much different at all. Maybe they shouldn't let our nurses get pulled, because it may let them see that your night doesn't have to always inevitably suck and the patients aren't all near death. Oh...AND they also had ginger ale! How fancy! They have 2 nourishment rooms, and a lot of computers to chart at, all the paperwork was organized and in a particular place. It was close to heaven and oh so yummy!

Let's face it....no one wants to get pulled to our floor. It kinda just sucks. There is no time to sit around and catch up on the latest celebrity gossip. No time to have your ginger ale with a slice of lime....and you are guaranteed to WORK. Nothing wrong with honest work, but to work your fingers to the bone is another matter entirely.

Anyhow....although it seemed like I had worked two 12 hours shifts, it was ok. My first pull wasn't so bad. Can't wait till I'm pulled again. Maybe next time it will be to another enchanting place. I will keep you posted.