!No nap November
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agk's diary
23 November 2022 @ 12:30 UTC
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written on Core i5 Dell via OpenSSH in PowerShell
on the nursing floor
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I'm in Synthesis, last part of nursing school. I
work 40-hour weeks on an internal medicine/pulmon-
ary floor, prep for state licensure exam at fast
clip, write and present a paper.
My day job, psychiatric hospital, low-key has a nap
culture. Not weird to nap on one of break room's
two leather loveseats on 30min lunch. Break's real,
clocked out, no responsibility on the floor. I eat
with patients in cafeteria or on-unit; shut eyes on
break.
Techs, nurses, and dietary nap. We purple-top wipe
loveseats before and after. Of 100 staff on site,
<10 nap. That's enough: it's normal, there are
manners. If you eat, scroll, watch TV, or gossip on
break, don't disturb nappers.
Adult naps aren't my country's work culture. Babies
and lazy people nap. Children laugh when I announce
"Ms. Anna's naptime! See y'all in a half-hour!" Nap
improves patience and reaction time, especially in
danger. My first month I helped force entry to a
non-camera room 3 teen girls barricaded, flooded.
One punched me hard in the head after she expertly
evaded a restraint hold. My job can be dangerous.
Kids and teens get fighty if I don't structure and
maintain a safe, stimulating environment. Stay on
your toes: attentive, proactive, unruffled. I'm
that way at 7. By 2 or 3pm, 20mins of shut-eye gets
me back there til they sleep and I clock out.
For no nap November I'm up at 4am. No nap relief
from late night studying as First daughter sleeps.
No nap culture on internal med. Breaks on clock.
Sit, eat, up for call lights. Home 10pm, record
presentation, submit with slide deck. Zombie. Up,
4 next morning.
Days off First daughter naps at 11am. I nap too! At
3 if she won't nap I close her in the bedroom with
me. 60km north, Evy gets fingerstick blood sugars,
vitals, ginger ales. Turn, find & clean poop, bath
all her people, wash/comb ICU mats from their hair.
Gallant knight of the encephalopathic, hypoxic,
ischemic, she's beautiful and brave. Not napping.
