The hospital industry might just be the most unpredictable of any industry in the world. Of course I'm saying this as a person who works in the hospital industry and hasn't done much of anything else.
Yet, so far this year, Shoreline Medical has gone from extremely slow, to swamped, to slow again. And I can tell you something with utter honesty: when you go from being swamped to all of a sudden being slow, you appreciate every moment of slowness. That's a fact I won't back away from.
Normally my work doesn't effect my home life, but we had a three month rush that was so bad here I had no energy to do anything at home. If there were dishes sitting out I might just leave them out and let the wife gripe at me because I'm sitting around doing nothing but watching TV.
And, with children at home, that's saying a lot. When you have kids, and your wife is watching those kids for five straight days while you work long hours at night and sleep all day, she becomes weary eyed and very eager for an adult conversation and some help around the house.
Yet, after five days of hell at work, the last thing I want to do is anything more than the minimum when I'm on my days off. It's hard. It's the hardest part of this job as an RT. I would hate to work at a larger hospital that is THAT busy all the time. To come home every day with achy feet and weary head would make for a long life.
The last two days, however, were so slow I basically sat around and talked all night, or read books, or surfed the net, or blogged, or cleaned out my locker. It was nice. And, trust me, I appreciated every minute of sitting around. Not for one second was I bored.
I think one of the reason I appreciate it so much is you know -- in a heartbeat -- the good times could end. In a way, the way I felt the past two nights was not unlike a marathon runner in the moments following the race -- relief, joy.
So, for the first time in 12 years, I get to take a scheduled night off tonight. Even while I slept until 5:00 p.m. as I would if I were to work, I think I'm going to go to bed at a regular time tonight, which is right now: 10:16 p.m.
Have a great night
3 comments:
I totally relate even if it's all relative. I DO work at a larger hospital that's busy all the time (average of 15 RT's every NIGHT) but then there's OMG busy where all you can dream about is the booze you want at 7am. So when it's "slow" and you actually get a lunch and a chance to say more than "wTF?" to your coworker friends, it's beautiful and wondrous.
hope you enjoyed it! Our census has been low around my hospital too. It is eerily strange but I know it does not stay that way for long!
My husband has weeks (or months) when his work life is so hectic he has nothing left for his home life. I'm so glad that I am able to stay home with our son so I can take up the slack when that happens...however, I know how your wife feels about needing some adult conversation. Thankfully those busy times are the exception rather than the rule.
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