A Strong Cup Of Tea

 

The one thing about working night shift as a nurse, is that on one deep dark moment in the wee small hours, you and your colleagues WILL succumb to what is colloquial known as NNH ( Night Nurse Hysterics)

Now, obviously this depends on who you are working with, but if you are lucky enough to work alongside like minded characters, all it will take is a look or a word and giggles worthy of a gaggle of oestrogen filled schoolgirls on heat will ensue. 

This morning , all it took was support worker Cat making me the worst cup of tea this side of the Welsh border and me asking “What the fuck is that? for all three night staff to be reduced to childish giggles.

It’s not rocket science that stress and tiredness finds an outlet in silly humour and banter.

I remember one particularly stressful night on intensive care where seven out of a full compliment of eight patients were sedated, ventilated and incredibly poorly. 

I just happened to be looking after the only awake patient who had just been woken up from his induced coma, and throughout the night he had watched, wide eyed as one patient had been resuscitated successfully and another had been given unit after unit of blood to combat a huge bleed. Aware of every noise and activity from behind paper curtains.

Around 5 am, the nurses took their first proper break which was a grabbed cup of tea behind the nurses station and all it took was a very loud and unexpected high pitched fart from my patient to silence the banter of the eight nurses and one doctor on duty.

In the stillness that followed the doctor , who was not known for his humour said wryly 

“ I believe that was an A sharp”

And the hysteria that followed was long and prolonged and much needed.

Even my patient was laughing, albeit weakly

I remember him saying 

“ It’s not like this on effin’ER”