Twelve hour days of nonstop patient care can take its toll. From walking into the hospital to leaving at the end of the shift, nurses have many unspoken yet all-too-understood thoughts.

“Today is going to be a great day. I can just feel it!”

“What fresh hell did I just walk into?”

*Shoots death glares at the student who comments on how quiet it is on the floor*

“Alarm…alarm….alarm…alarm…”

“How did you manage to get poop THERE?”

“Maybe I can learn how to nap with my eyes open…”

“I’ve only been here for three hours?!”

“Can you OD from coffee?”

“I have ten seconds to pee for my only bathroom break of the shift."

“If I hear WebMD one more time…”

“Lunch break? What is lunch?” *as you break into hysterical, hunger-induced laughter*

“What is this ‘daylight’ that you speak of?”

“I haven’t sat down in nine and a half hours” as you try to find a way to walk that won't make your feet bleed.

“Ativan is a gift from the gods.”

“You’re complaining of abdominal pain yet eating KFC and gummy worms? Makes sense.”

"One more hour... I can do this" as you drink your twelfth cup of coffee.

"Why do I do this again?" while trying to pass meds to six patients, hang four new IV fluids on one pump, clean up a code brown, and receive orders from the doctor on three different people, all at the same time.

Yet after all the long hours and countless bed baths, the gratitude from your patients makes all the hard work worthwhile.

"I can't wait to get up and do this again tomorrow!"