Secret Santa

Yeah, I know it's a little "early" to be making posts about Santa Claus and Christmas, but I just ran across a post from Terry over at Counting Sheep (check her out y'all) that reminded me about something.

You see, I do not observe the holiday, but it sure is important to most of my coworkers.

I have the exact same opinion about this holiday. I'm not a religious person and don't observe any religious holidays - the only holidays I actually care about, for sentimental reasons are Independence Day and New Years...

...And my birthday - well, it's not recognized as a holiday just yet but I'm working on it :-p

But I know how important this holiday (and Thanksgiving) is for many of my co-workers. My experiences with my first job at a Mennonite hospital in a smallish town in the middle-of-nowhere-midwest-America just solidified the whole thing.

So I always volunteer to cover someone else's shift for Christmas and Thanksgiving - even if it's not my turn.

The way I see it: I get paid time and a half and someone gets to stay home and spend that time with their family/loved ones.

It's a win-win solution as far as I'm concerned. :-)

The more I think about it...

... the more I realize what an awesome thing it was for me to push off from "The Toxic Environment" (aka Old Job). The people I worked with were awesome but the job in itself sucked the life outta me.

I sit here nursing a beer, thinking about all the amazing things I've done since I left that job - all the while knowing that I've barely scratched the surface! I sit here thinking about how I'm working a much busier and more intense environment (my feet hurt like they've never hurt before) and yet don't feel as desolate and run down as I used to.

There exists a greater scope for teaching - be it patients, new grads or EMS students - something that I greatly enjoy.

I'm challenged here - both physically as well as mentally/professionally and I'm surprised to find that I like that. More is expected of me and I find that a little exciting.

So yeah, I guess I ought to thank my sister-in-law (was her idea for me to come down here).

Only in the ED?

ER Nursey blogs about "The naked man in the church" and discusses her sentiments about the episode, wondering if her years in the ED (Hey! I'm learning Dr. Whitecoat!) trenches haven't dulled her sensibilities to shocking human behavior.

Her story reminded me of a shift barely 3 nights ago. Along with the rest of the ED staff, I was treated to the spectacle of a drunk busy jerking off despite being placed in a visible room for observation because of 'suicidal ideation'. He knew he could be seen by others but he just didn't care (no, he wasn't that drunk either).

By the end of the shift, drunk guy and frequent-flyer-drunk-screamer-bitch girl in a near by hall close view bed were overheard sharing tips on scoring easy dope and evasion tactics. One of the senior ED nurses stopped and said (in a voice dripping with sarcasm): "Awww! Love is in the air. Those two are hooking up. Isn't that sweet?"

Of course, what I'd witnessed was within the confines of the ED while ER Nursey's was on decidedly more public (and if you wish 'hallowed') grounds. Still, I couldn't help but think .... "only in the ED."