Night Time Blues

There are staff nurses who are paid to work around the clock, nursing side by side with our volunteers attending to the patients. So why do we ask our volunteers to also work night shift? I guess it has something to do with a previous comment … “Together We Can”. Skill transfer can still occur during the night. And of course, the Australian team shares the responsibility for the well-being of the patients. A flap can become “dusky” and lose blood supply, so monitoring the patient’s condition is integral to the surgical outcome. The wee hours of the morning is a unique time, and it provides an opportunity for the friendship between the Nepali & Aussie to grow as they chat and learn more about each other, about our Nepali friend’s lives … the families, the loves … yep, some interesting stories get shared at night!! And then there is the challenge of getting sleep during the day at the hotel. Mention night duty, and someone will always bring up “Roger”…… a rat which makes an appearance … only at night.