One of Those Nights

You're an RN without a stethoscope
listening to lung sounds,
you can't hear a thing
unless the patient has audible wheezing.
You start to take his blood pressure,
good thing the cuff is automated.
While the cuff is inflating
the call light from the next room rings,
a bed alarm goes off down the hall,
the ED calls to give report
on a new admit, a confused patient
wanders the hallway looking for a hammer,
if you had one you'd throw it.
One of the LPNs whines
her team is really busy
can't your team take the admit.
The top of your head pops off.
While the two LPNs pass meds, you
help the other RN settle the admit,
three call lights ring incessantly.
You leave the room to get a gown, a j-loop,
IV's are beeping in three rooms,
nobody has answered the call lights.
You check the IV with blood infusing,
answer a light, discharge a patient,
forget what you went to get.
Answer another call light, check another IV,
help a patient to the commode,
recall that you left the other RN in need
of something. Still can't find your stethoscope.
Holidays are double time.