If I'd have known how it would all end up, I'd have started here first!

Whew! Today was a big day for me, y'all! I worked my very first day shift in approximately 4 1/2 years. And, I wasn't even that nervous, which was a big surprise to me!! Crazier still, I had little to no trouble getting up before dawn this morning! And I was even early to work! Those of you who know me understand how unusual that is. I am not a morning person. Or, at least I didn't think so!

Let me give you some background. Ever since my sweetie and I got married, we've wanted me to be on day shift. Yes, I said "we." He missed me while I was gone and I hated having to leave him at night after only seeing him for about an hour after he got home from work. So, I put in my request to go to days in September 2007 and I am just now getting my wish. You see, I have been charge nurse in the nursery for about 4 years and for the last few years have been the only RN who could charge. There was one other RN who would occasionally charge in the nursery if I had to be gone, but she was mainly postpartum staff. Which put me and the administration in a bind. If I went to dayshift, who would be charge nurse in the nursery? You see the conundrum?

Well, praise God, they hired a nurse a few months ago who just happened to be moving here from California...where she had worked in postpartum & nursery for FIVE YEARS!! Yay! They asked her if she would be interested in being charge nurse (which is very unusual for a new hire) and of course she jumped at the chance. *Sidenote: when acting as charge nurse you don't have to "float" to other units, i.e. old people floor, kids floor, NICU. * I've been orienting her for the past several weeks and she is doing a great job. I felt really comfortable leaving the charge nurse duties to her. By the way, I am kind of a control freak when it comes to being charge nurse, in that I want things to be done the right way. And I also believe that if the little tasks are not done, then you make someone else's job so much harder.

Anyway, she was ready to fly on her own and the time had come for me to move on. *sniff, sniff* I worked my last night shift this past Sunday night and it was bittersweet. I was sad to be leaving all my "people" but excited about what this new phase in my career would bring. I had a nice break being off for four days before starting bright and early this morning.

Since I have not floated to any other units in the past 4 years, my head nurse agreed to give me some orientation time on the other floors. To help me get my feet wet again, so to speak. Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed my first day on the medical-surgical floor (old people). I feel like I re-learned a lot of information that I'd forgotten since nursing school. And I got to practice skills that I haven't used in a long time. Well, actually, I have changed plenty of diapers in 4 years, but an adult diaper is just a little bit different, ya know? Yeah, I was kinda grossed out, too! Ha!

I'll be working on this med-surg floor for 7 days and then it's on to the pediatric floor. So far, so good. I'm so thankful for this oppurtunity to be at home with my husband at night. It still hasn't sunk in that I'll see him every day and that I don't have to leave him anymore! Thank you, Lord! If you think about me, say a prayer that I will be the nurse that my patients need and that I will be a light in their day.

Speaking of day, I'm bushed so I think I'll call this day quits! Goodnight, Y'all!!