Clock In
Lower the drawbridge
Bring it on, I am ready
My hands are steady.
Dehydrated Patient
Suspended saline
Catheter into his vein
Bridge to bring him back.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Fighting on the bridge,
He threw a Lego grenade
At the CNA.
Cancel the Code
For it is ordered
Do not resuscitate him.
Let him cross the bridge.
Break Time
What about a break?
You're kidding. Not in this place.
Not here to play bridge.
Performance Evaluation
Nurse who eats her own
Sabotaging healing place
Go jump off a bridge.
Teamwork
All of us working
With respect for each other -
That's building bridges.
Clock Out
I do love my job,
But still the best bridge of all
Is on the drive home.
Good ones here, Libby. Love the title...so descriptive of the subject matter. Some joyful, some sad. The most moving, for me, was "Cancel the Code."
ReplyDeleteWe're trained to react; sometimes it's hard to pull back and respect a patient's last wishes.
Deleteha! The drive home. Yes, that is the best bridge.
ReplyDeleteI have to cross four physical bridges to get home. After this poetry prompt I'll be seeing them differently and probably love them even more.
DeleteI LOVE this!!!!!!! Love the glimpses of work and am so right there with you when "the best bridge is on the way home".
ReplyDeleteIf only we could always just go hiking with wild things and write poetry!
DeleteLibby,
ReplyDeleteA very real-world set of bridges, some difficult and others lifelines...I liked the bridge home at the end of a working day. As a former nurse, I can appreciate some of the challenges met along the way:)
Eileen
Maybe one reason I like to read and write poetry is because it helps me disconnect from my all too real world.
Delete"the best bridge of all is on he way home"... boy do I get that line! Thanks as always.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. And thank you (and all you other poets) for your poetry I breath in when I get home. Better than going to an oxygen bar.
DeleteThis is a wonderful glimpse into the world of a working nurse. Perhaps the saddest one to read is 'Performance Evaluation' It must be so hard to be a healing influence for your patients when you don't feel as though your environment is safe or nurturing. Great write!!
ReplyDeleteYes, it's hard and it pisses me off. Thanks for letting me vent!
DeleteOh Libby, this is so well done~
ReplyDeleteI could feel so much balanced on these lines~
I worked in Admissions in a hospital, only on the outskirts of the bridge. I so respect what you do! Thank you~
I love the ending....beautiful!
First impressions are so important. Your job as an early impression could never have been that easy and I hope you never felt disrespected. I am sorry you felt on the outskirts.
DeleteA glimpse into the life of a nurse.....and yes the bridge home is always the best! :-)
ReplyDeleteYes it is. Funny thing is it's the same bridge going the other direction too, but I didn't say anything about the drive to work!
Delete