Lately I have seen a lot of articles about nurses. They highlight the sacrifice and hard things about the profession. Nursing does require long hours, caring for difficult patients and families, multi-tasking and great time management. That being said, nursing is such a rewarding career. More often then not, I care for sweet appreciative children and families. I have great co workers that pitch in and make the shift go as smoothly as possible. There are many perks including only working 3 days a week and helping patients and families adjust and deal with a stressful situation.
Over Christmas I was able to be off for 5 days without taking any time off. Upon returning I went to work 3 in a row while my husband went out of town for business. The first few days weren't bad because I was at work or sleeping all day. He was only supposed to be gone one more night when his trip was extended. I ended up having 2 nights in a row without seeing him (that's on top of the 3 I didn't see him while at work). Anyways, it got me thinking. Everyone talks about the sacrifice nurses make for their jobs. I started thinking about the sacrifice the husband, wives and families of a nurse make. As I sat eating cookie dough and missing my husband, I experienced what he has 3 nights a week for the last 2 years. I stayed up almost until the sun came up because the empty bed did not look very inviting.
I am a night shift nurse through and through. I am a night owl by nature. I love not ever having to wake up early. I sleep so well during the day. I love my co workers on the night shift. I enjoy the fact that night shift (not always) tends to be less chaotic. While I still keep busy, I am not bombarded with admits, discharges, doctors, procedures, visitors, meals and so much more. I have worked day shift but found that I do not enjoy my job as much. This leaves my poor husband alone and feeling what I have been feeling the last few nights without him. Sure he enjoys having his alone time and finds things to keep him busy, but 3 nights a week he goes to sleep without me by his side. Working nights means starting every vacation right after a night shift to maximize time. My husband has experienced a wife falling asleep at sporting events, in the car, on subways, and even during a Broadway play. Walking around big cities all day can be exhausting on a normal amount of sleep. When done on little or no sleep in can make for a cranky tired girl. Vacation can be tough on someone who is used to being most productive at night. Vacation is often the only time I have to wake up early and to an alarm.
Then there are the lovely holidays. Unfortunately people don't stop getting sick around the holidays. As a nurse it does stink to be expected to work holidays. However, when I picked my career I knew what I was getting myself into. The families and spouses are affected too. My husband gets most holidays off. He finally gets 3 day weekends and breaks from his 5 day work weeks. This Thanksgiving was spent with a wife that slept the day away. We may get New Years Day off but I am going to need to sleep in to prep for work and leave him alone at 6. Weekends are frequently interrupted by my working or sleeping. The time he is guaranteed off, I am often working, preparing, or recovering from a shift.
During the week its a battle of getting too much sleep or not enough. After my last shift I have to try to balance how much sleep I get. If I sleep too long I am not ready to go to sleep when John is. If I sleep too little, I am falling asleep on one of the few nights we get together.
Then there is the dreaded, "Hey babe, my work is having a Christmas party in two weeks are you off?" This is a frequent occurrence. There is a party, event or game that my husband wants to attend. If he doesn't ask 2-3 months in advance (because that is how far my schedule is set for) its probably not going to happen. Statistics will tell you there is a 57% chance that I will have that night off. Experience will tell you 100% I work that night. It will be near impossible to get off. Many social events are passed up on because of my schedule. Often the invitations to do things stop all together because you are known as the couple that never comes anyways.
I don't know what the purpose of this post is. Really it is just a result of me missing my husband. The last few nights have given me a glimpse of the sacrifices that he makes with me being a night shift nurse. I appreciate his patience with his narcoleptic wife. I appreciate how he is so kind. It can't be easy waiting all day on a Saturday for me to wake up so we can play. Then while he has been awake for hours, have to wait for me to perk up and being ready for human interaction. I appreciate how he doesn't complain when he frequently has to fend for himself. I have not mastered how to make dinner between shifts or before I go to work.
Every job has its pros and cons. Each individual, regardless of where they work, experience different stressors and must make sacrifices of some sort. Many of these articles say that you should hug a nurse. I want to take it a step further. Hug the families of a nurse. They sacrifice so much as well. I love my job. I love my husband. Life is so good. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!! I am excited for a new year. This last year has been filled with adventure and love. Can't wait to see what 2014 brings.
