Leaving more than just a city.

Tomorrow is my last day on 6east at Scottsdale Osborn. Or Ozy, as I sometimes affectionately refer to it.

And I am dreading it.

It was a rough start for me in December of 2010. I had been out of nursing for 6 months. And before that I had only been a nurse for 5 months. So I was essentially a clueless new grad with a lot of learned protocols and policies from another hospital that needed to be unlearned. Let's just say I had a long orientation.

But after my orientation I hit the ground running. I was so excited to be free to practice by myself again. I allowed other nurses and doctors to pour knowledge into me. I bought books to study and then apply in my practice.

More than just loving nursing and our patient population on 6east, I grew to love my co-workers and the culture of our floor. We work hard and laugh harder. The stress from the acuity of our patients is off-set by the ease of our demeanor. We talk, we joke, and yes, we even play pranks on each other. Usually involving saline. Sometimes involving stool softeners. But more importantly, we push each other in our practices to provide the best care to our patients while pursing knowledge and education.

So with a pit in my stomach, I have to say goodbye tomorrow, to never return. In my heart, I feel this floor is irreplaceable. The logic in my head slaps that notion in the face. I'll never work on another floor like this one, but I will find one with it's own personality, and I'll inevitably adapt.

Please bear with me as I take a stroll down memory lane.

contact + droplet isolation

A vodka a day to keep the DTs away!

Dust storm. There is a mountain behind that building.

Veil bed. Kind of like a fort.

Ok who did this to my apple? And is the chocolate safe to eat? who cares!

That one time my mean and delirious patient incredible hulked his CTO brace off. This was his 2nd one. And he has an unstable low cervical fracture. This is my life.

You can bring your dirty bibbed kitty to the hospital. But I might want a novelty pic with it.

Thank you dietary for sending water to this patient who clearly has a dysphagia diet with specific instructions not to send water. That does not mean cross it out and send a bottle of water. Luckily the RN confiscated it before this patient aspirated the entire thing.

All the charts in the rack...whoa!

Leech therapy, baby. Time to face the fear.

Remember that one time I threw a torilla chip at you and you lost jenga? Oops.

Creepy but sweet birthday flowers from Aaron, even though he was just trying to one-up the candy that Henna bought me for my birthday.

Best RN case manager. EVER.

Dare you to try a shot of Mag Citrate.

Love coming back to my desk.

The boys let me chart at "Man Island" for my birthday.

Crazy social workers.

My goodbye night out!

Mike would only allow his picture to be taken like this.

Surgical cap gifted to me from the scary trauma surgeon. I knew I would win him over!