Does This Stuff Ever Happen to You?
Or am I the only lucky one to experience these OR oddities?
I
have no illusions that everything is going to be perfect in the
land of surgery. I'm not one of those who spew glitter every-
where and ride unicorns to work. Maybe it's me, but it sure
seems like head-scratching moments like these find me at every
turn.
• Running out of supplies. How can we be out of sterile towels?
Whose job is it to order the commonly used everyday supplies?
And why do people take the last one of something and leave the
empty box on the shelf? Tell someone. Write a note. Throw the
box away. I'm going to that box with an almost giddy feeling,
thinking finally for once I'm not going to have to listen to Dr.
Kong go ape-poop crazy over being out of 3-0 Vicryl on an SH nee-
dle. My joy is short-lived. The box is empty. A pox on the swine
for leaving the wretched empty box.
• Half-eaten donuts. Someone was
nice enough to bring in a box of
donuts this morning. But at
1900, you walk into the lounge
and notice that someone else
was considerate enough to cut
the last donut in half and leave the other
half in the box on the table. It's OK to take
the last donut. No one, unless they are starving, is going to eat
that dried-up old half you left behind. Eat the whole damn donut.
You've already clogged your arteries with the first one you scarfed
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Behind Closed Doors
Paula Watkins, RN, CNOR
