Rambles of a nurse on night shift

So it is 11:15pm and I am sitting at the nurses station and I have realised I haven't properly blogged in a while. So here is a list of ways in which you can keep yourself awake all night.

Firstly, a list of the obvious ones:

1. Energy drink

It is all in the name. Something that keeps you bouncing off the walls. Now I see a lot of people drinking these in the morning...Don't use up your last resort at the beginning of the day! It is going to wear off and there is a health limit to how many you can have in a day.

2. Splash some water on your face

I'm talking a light sprinkle. It gets to the point where this doesn't work anymore though. Please don't try shoving your face into a basin of water. Lethargy and enough water to drown in is not a good mix.

3. Getting up and moving about

I know this is not what you feel like doing at the time. But I find when I'm falling asleep at the nurses station and someone buzzes for something, I feel much better when I come back.

4. Jump up and down

Probably should be in private if you don't know the other staff well. Because you can look a bit of a fool jumping up and down without explanation.

Now some of the less obvious ways to keep awake

1. Stab yourself in the hand

Drastic times call for drastic measures. I'm not sure what situation would warrant a hand stabbing but for future reference...that's something you can do. Maybe that guy in saw who chopped his leg off just didn't want to fall asleep? Has anyone ever considered that? I have never done this myself. But I can imagine the pain would soon snap you out of your drowsiness. Unless you lose too much blood...that's just counter-productive. So stab enough to hurt for a while, but not enough to drain your bodies blood content.

2. Walk through a graveyard

That is of course if you have access to a graveyard and are able to get away from your current location. I'm pretty sure you will be wide awake with fear of horrible things happening to you. During the night that is. During the day it's more like..."hey, those are pretty flowers".

3. Pull the fire alarm

To hell with it. If you can't sleep no one can ;)

That's all folks. It is now 3 am. It took me just under four hours to write this whilst doing my nursing duties. Gosh I am dedicated. xx

p.s. please don't amputate your limbs.