Sleep Deprived

I survived my first night shift ever, which was my first night as a travel nurse. I didn't know how to prepare for last night, I tried to stay up as late as I could the night before thinking I could sleep all day..yeah right! That didn't happen. I passed out shortly after midnight and tried to be lazy all day. Took small intermittent naps until about 1 p.m. and I couldn't handle it anymore so I got up! It was a beautiful day in Canon City. Temperature in the 60's with a light breeze. I decided I'd go for a walk on the River Walk. I've been wanting to start running up here, but am allowing my body to adjust to the altitude! I get short of breath just walking around! ha. Anyway, the river walk is alongside the beautiful Arkansas River. There were a few people out walking their dogs. Everyone has been so friendly so far. I think this will be a great place to take my bike as well (if weather permits!) Anyway, I drove around some more and came back home. Tried to take a nap..no go. So I decided to just start getting ready for work. I was so excited and so nervous, but more excited just to be able to talk to people. Although I have had the incredible time spending time with myself, I am a very social person. Walking in was nerve racking, I walked upstairs to sign in and made my way into the ICU. A day shift nurse welcomed me and told me to find a chair and just chill out til the rest of night shift got there. They were busy in that little 8 bed ICU. The night shift nurses trickled in..I introduced myself. Everyone was SO nice! there was a med-surg nurse named Tamara. She was tall, thin and beautiful. We really hit it off..it's too bad she doesn't work in the ICU. But she is a lot of fun. There was also another traveler named Malu, but this was her last night. And then there was Penny, an older nurse who I was orienting with. She is such a sweetheart.She has such compassion for her patients and she is someone I can really look up to. We were pretty busy with our three patients. I was trying to learn the computer system and the general flow of things. Since it is such a small hospital, ICU nurses draw their own labs. I have been spoiled in the last 2 facilities I have worked in. Lab personnel would come up and draw our labs! I was kind of nervous performing this skill but was successful 2/2 times! The acuity level of these patients are not what I am used to, however I think that I will grow so much as a nurse working in a smaller facility. We have limited resources and still will be required to critically think! So I survived my first night, but I was so tired by the time I got home! I passed out until almost 2 this afternoon. Got ready and now am in my home away from home at Coyote's Coffee Den. I am planning on eating Sushi tonight and going up to the hospital to meet the other traveler they hired in the ICU. Apparently she is around my age! So we will see..then maybe a movie..Yep-Another date night with myself.