We were short staffed BEFORE the pandemic.  We’ve seen our staffing numbers dropping steadily since 2017.

By the fall of 2020, those who were considering retiring sure did.  And many people left for non-bedside jobs where they could.

And it’s been messier every week.

It’s not just my unit.  It’s not just my hospital.  It’s a huge problem nationwide.

Once upon a time it was unlikely that I would have as many as four patients on a shift.  Now 6 is the norm, and there have been days with 8. 

And getting out on time is a thing of years gone by.

It’s amazing what you will eat at 1AM.  When you are on your third wind and you just finished charting and you never got to finish the coffee you bought on your way in at 2:20PM.

I think I can call it breakfast, no?