Christmas Eve 2000

'Twas the night before Christmas, when 3 North was so still
Not a call light was buzzing, not a request for a pill.

The night shift was hoping this stillness would last,
But had known better from Christmas eves past.

Some babies were asleep in their cribs,
While others were spitting Emfamil on their bibs.

And Mel in her unit and I in mine,
Had thought of a better way to spend our time.

So down to the office we decided to go
For a glass of wine, hoping no one would know.

When out in the hall, there was a loud thump.
Had someone fallen flat on her rump?

Out of the office, we rushed with great haste.
Someone had fallen flat on her face.
"No respiration or pulse," to Mel I said.
"Do you think she could be really dead?"

"I don't know." she said. "Let's call a code
So we can get back in our wine-tasting mode."
The code blue team could not be found.
We thought as much, they're out of town.

Then down the hall like bullets they came
Shouting and screaming and acting insane.

Now Sally, now Celia, now Rose and Darina!
On Tessie, on Mimi, on Cathy and Galina!
Let's get her in bed and try to revive her!
Or we'll be all fired before the night is over!

As adrenaline flowed and hearts thumped in time,
We now really needed that glass of wine.
So we tossed her in bed, the nearest one we found,
As she coughed, we all sighed, "She's come around."

And then came some patient, nose flaring, face red.
"Where is everyone?" she angrily said.
I've been calling for my pill again and again,
Now my pain scale is up to ten.

The babies, by now, were screaming off their heads,
L&D had been calling for Postpartum beds.
Two CP's had gone to the ER sick
One RN had given herself  a finger stick.

Over in L&D twelve deliveries were done
And shipped to 3 North one after one.
Anesthesia had delivered epidurals with speed
One patient we recieved had a postpartum bleed.

The phones were ringing, no NCT in sight.
What had we done to deserve such a night?
Call after call was answered in haste,
As those off their breaks picked up the pace.

Back in the nursery, thirty PKUs were done,
Twelve on chemstrips, eight hematocrits spun.
The Nursing office was calling for a census.
Could it be, they had help for us?

With huffing and puffing, we got the job done.
This Christmas eve had been no fun.
Soon the night would be over, and we'd be in our beds
With nightmares of last night dancing in our heads.

We dashed to the elevators and out of sight,
As someone from Days shouted.

" Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night."