12 Hours of Nursing (Shift) Christmas

You know "The Twelve Days of Christmas," where the gifts pile up verse by verse. Working a holiday shift, the gifts look a little different: overflowing bedpans, IV drips, confused patients. Here's the nursing version, hour by hour.

On the first hour of nursing, my charge nurse gave to me: A bedpan overflowing with pee.

On the second hour of nursing, my charge nurse gave to me: Two pressure cuffs, and a bedpan overflowing with pee.

On the third hour of nursing, my charge nurse gave to me: Three naked men, two pressure cuffs, and a bedpan overflowing with pee.

On the fourth hour of nursing, my charge nurse gave to me: Four call bells, three naked men, two pressure cuffs, and a bedpan overflowing with pee.

On the fifth hour of nursing, my charge nurse gave to me: Five contact rooms, four call bells, three naked men, two pressure cuffs, and a bedpan overflowing with pee.

On the sixth hour of nursing, my charge nurse gave to me: Six nurses aching, five contact rooms, four call bells, three naked men, two pressure cuffs, and a bedpan overflowing with pee.

On the seventh hour of nursing, my charge nurse gave to me: Seven phones a-ringing, six nurses aching, five contact rooms, four call bells, three naked men, two pressure cuffs, and a bedpan overflowing with pee.

On the eighth hour of nursing, my charge nurse gave to me: Eight Foleys filling, seven phones a-ringing, six nurses aching, five contact rooms, four call bells, three naked men, two pressure cuffs, and a bedpan overflowing with pee.

On the ninth hour of nursing, my charge nurse gave to me: Nine IVs hanging, eight Foleys filling, seven phones a-ringing, six nurses aching, five contact rooms, four call bells, three naked men, two pressure cuffs, and a bedpan overflowing with pee.

On the tenth hour of nursing, my charge nurse gave to me: Ten patients bleeding, nine IVs hanging, eight Foleys filling, seven phones a-ringing, six nurses aching, five contact rooms, four call bells, three naked men, two pressure cuffs, and a bedpan overflowing with pee.

On the eleventh hour of nursing, my charge nurse gave to me: Eleven patients whining, ten patients bleeding, nine IVs hanging, eight Foleys filling, seven phones a-ringing, six nurses aching, five contact rooms, four call bells, three naked men, two pressure cuffs, and a bedpan overflowing with pee.

On the twelfth hour of nursing, my charge nurse gave to me: Twelve fall bells buzzing, eleven patients whining, ten patients bleeding, nine IVs hanging, eight Foleys filling, seven phones a-ringing, six nurses aching, five contact rooms, four call bells, three naked men, two pressure cuffs, and a bedpan overflowing with pee.

Working the holiday is its own kind of shift. Find the humor where you can, and get through it together.